When Little Elliot visits the boardwalk for the first time with his friend Mouse, Elliot can’t help feeling scared about the new situation and all of the frightening things there. He can’t swim so the water chute is out of the question, some of the rides make him too dizzy, and other rides are too fast. He is not having fun at all, but by the end of the day Mouse assures him that nothing bad will happen to Elliot while they are together and shows the elephant how to have a good time in spite of his fears.

With all of the charm of the previous Little Elliot books, this book continues the sweet adventure of the two unlikely friends. Curato’s illustrations capture the feel of the past version of Coney Island as well as the adorable polka dotted elephant. The message shows readers that even though sometimes life can be scary and overwhelming when you are trying new things, friends can help you handle things that are frightening and appreciate the beautiful things in life. This elephant and his mouse friend are as precious as they were in the previous books, and readers will finish the book wanting more books about these characters.