A Mammoth in the Fridge

by Michaël Escoffier, Matthieu Maudet (Illustrations)

Noah discovers a mammoth in the fridge. At first, his father doesn't believe him--but the eveidence is too strong. It's sitting in the fridge! They call the fire department, but the mammoth slips past their net and hides in a tree. But where did the mammoth come from? Only Noah's little sister knows the true answer.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Animals, Fiction, Storytime, Fantasy

36 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2013

About the author

Michaël Escoffier was born in France in 1970. He discovered his passion for writing and telling stories at a young age. He lives in Lyon, France, with his wife and two children.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't start making grand plans, friends; this book does not actually show you how to fit a mammoth into the fridge.

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know this is a good book for little kids because there's a two-page spread that consists only of a huge illustration of a fire truck and the words, "Whee-oooo! Whee-oooo! Whee-oooo!" repeated across both pages. Illustrations well-drawn but not that colorful. Very satisfying ending.

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Mammoth in the Fridge reads a little awkwardly, and it took way to long for me to figure out why: all of the text is either dialogue or sound effects. So, now that I get it, it's kind of cool. I guess.

The artwork has a Scott Pilgrim feel to it, which is also kind of cool.

Spoilers follow.

What's the twist at the end supposed to be? Does Elsa have lots of pet monsters, or is she keeping lots of stray cats that she pretends are monsters?

my favorite quote:"Morning, ma'am. We're here for the mammoth."

[Arielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute to read on your own. Not so great to read aloud. No clear purpose.

[Adrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this picture book. It was a fast read. Both the author and the illustrator are French and the translation to English was published in 2012. The illustrations in this book are beautiful. The predominant color in this picture book was a beautiful shade of blue which is my favorite color. The story revolves around a mammoth that Noah's dad found in the fridge. At the end of the book, it is revealed to the reader that the mammoth is a figment of Noah's imagination. The mammoth is part of a menagerie of animals in Noah's bedroom and imagination which include an alligator and a unicorn. This book was beautifully written and illustrated.

[IvyInThePages · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.4 leaves out of 5
Characters: 3.5/5
Cover: 4.5/5
Story: 2.5/5
Writing: 3/5
Genre: Children/Picture Book
Type: Book
Worth?: Yes

It is a cute little book but I am not sure exactly about the story. The child finds a mammoth in the fridge and they chase it up a tree only for the girl to bring it back home? I liked it but felt it lacking.

[Alberto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tanti i motivi per cui al piccoletto questo libricino e' piaciuto un sacco: per cena ci sono le patatine fritte, il papa' non credeva al bimbo ma invece lui aveva ragione, ci sono i pompieri, e la bimba risolve tutto. Mica solo i bimbi sono birichini!

[Seema Rao · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny book about a family that finds a mammoth in the fridge, its adventures, and a smart little boy who saves the day. Humorous text & situations told in simple, appealing illustrations.

[Michelle Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book just made me giggle. :)

Themes: mammoths

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still need to explain to Ozman that mammoths and elephants are not the same creatures, but he got the idea. This was just dry...I didn't really care for it and it's not exceedingly memorable.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love the humour in this book. The whole premise is mad and silly. I really like the illustrative style.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so simple and fun. There's no hidden learning message, no outline of someone famous...just a mammoth in the fridge.

[Deidra Chamberlain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprise ending was clever, but I didn’t like the way the women were drawn.

[Cuddle Spike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh out loud funny

[Callie Coox · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this was kind of dumb.

[Emanuele Liotta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Albo illustrato per bambini davvero carino; consigliatissimo anche per chi si occupa di letteratura per l’infanzia

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute little book. I would have given it a fourth star, except for the odd red herring. In the description of the book on the jacket, it asks two very reasonable questions. If you find a mammoth in the fridge, then:
1) How did it get there, and
2) How do you get it out?
The book is not about either of those things, and never answers questions number one. Yes, we eventually find out that it was already in the house, but so many questions remain at the end of the book that's a funny bafflement, rather than a story.
Still, the basic idea of a family reacting rather matter-of-factly to a mammoth in the fridge is quite funny, along with the fire department's response.

[VAle · Rating 5 out of 5]

preso in biblioteca

Come tutti gli anni, in questo periodo, mi faccio una scorpacciata di "libri per piccoli" per scegliere i regali di Natale per i miei nipotini.
Questo è uno dei libri che di sicuro comprerò!
La storia è brevissima e simpatica, le illustrazioni sono semplici ma curatissime, come dimostra la scelta di usare solo colori primari e senza sfumature complesse, che rendono le immagini ben definite e adatte anche ai piccolissimi, rimanendo godibilissime anche per gli adulti!
Insomma, un altra piccola "chicca" di Babalibri!

[Christiane · Rating 3 out of 5]

What do you do when there's a mammoth in your fridge? You can try calling the fire department. But that may not work when the mammoth gets stuck in a tree. Fortunately, someone unexpected knows exactly what to do! Charming, simple line illustrations combine with simple text to create a funny, original story! Translated from the French.

[The Library Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

The French words for "It's funny"-- C'est drole -- came into my head while I was reading this, because it is very French and very droll in the American sense of the word. In fact, I find myself mentally trying to translate the dialogue back into French.
The dryness of the humor will not translate to younger kids, but I think they'll enjoy it anyway. And the end twist is truly perfect!

[Melinda Szymanik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mmm, 4 and a half stars for sure. Very satisfying read. The language is spare and on point and the ending is brilliant. There are subtle clues along the way to what is coming but I didn't see them at all first time round. The use of colour is very effective. Recommended!

[Kate McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Translated from it's original French, a young boy finds a mammoth in the fridge one morning. When I got to the end I had to flip back to the beginning to see the twist. Very cute and I loved the art.

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having just finished another of this author's books, I find myself once again confused. The concept is cute. I am however wondering about the author's Fire Department. I know of NO FIREMAN WHO WOULD WALK AWAY FROM AN EMERGENCY.

[Miffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny book with a lovely twist at the end. Perfect for younger readers.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful silliness.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was going to give this three stars but then the ending so delighted me that I had to add a star.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't help but continuously laugh! First, How big was that fridge? Second, THAT ENDING! Ahahahaha! I feel as if this could be a prelude for some fantasy novel!

[Marissa Elera · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of an imaginary friend who has escaped!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute.

[Shelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Mammoth in the Fridge is a cute and quirky quick read that young kiddos will love. What would you do if you found a mammoth in your fridge one morning??