The Boy and the Elephant, by Freya Blackwood

“Ahhhhhhh… yessssss,” I said out loud as I gazed at Freya Blackwoods’ hypnotically captivating cover for her stunning new picture book, The Boy and the Elephant.

And one of the best surprises— after going in with those incredibly high exceptions, is that this wondrous book never let me down— not even the tiniest bit. In fact, it inspired me page, by glorious page.

This is a wordless picture book. In my opinion these are very hard to do well. Because you’re relying on the reader to be the author. You’re asking them to ‘fill in’ the text and the literary story. If your illustrations don’t deliver enough punch, don’t pull that reader in to want to add more, and to explore the narrative, then you just have half a picture book.

But The Boy and the Elephant does draw you in. Almost in a mysterious, what else is in that box, should I peek inside, kind of way. We follow a little boy into the woods next to his house. He finds comfort and solace there with the animals and the tree-shaped elephants… or elephant-shaped trees? Is he unhappy at home? He seems to feel left out, we see his mother tending a new baby and that he looks left out at school. So, when the developers come, and mark the trees with x’s to cut down, our dear little boy must find a way to save them.

It’s ethereal, and magical, and definitely opens up questions about our environment and ways that young people can get involved.

I am going to buy this book. Because I will revisit it often. I will marvel at Freya Blackwood’s masterful line and brilliant page layouts. I will likely shamelessly ‘borrow’ some of her compositions and I will be inspired by her tasteful restraint. That curious awe that draws you in to this little boys’ magical world. The mystery that keeps you looking for clues and writing your own story over and over again. Absolutely magnificent, this is a book to capture anyone and everyone’s heart.

Thank you, Freya Blackwood!