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The Smallest Elephant in the World
Mocked throughout the jungles of India, the smallest elephant in the world—no bigger than a house cat—has decided enough is enough.
If he’s no bigger than a house cat, then a house is where he belongs! After a long journey, this smallest elephant in the world finds himself a home with a nice little boy inside. Unfortunately, the boy’s mother doesn’t believe elephants make suitable house pets…
First published in 1959, The Smallest Elephant in the World, written by Alvin Tresselt and illustrated by Milton Glaser, is a witty, sweet, and funny tale of friendship, unlikely disguise, and the search for home.
If he’s no bigger than a house cat, then a house is where he belongs! After a long journey, this smallest elephant in the world finds himself a home with a nice little boy inside. Unfortunately, the boy’s mother doesn’t believe elephants make suitable house pets…
First published in 1959, The Smallest Elephant in the World, written by Alvin Tresselt and illustrated by Milton Glaser, is a witty, sweet, and funny tale of friendship, unlikely disguise, and the search for home.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1959
24 people want to read
About the author
Alvin Tresselt
75 books19 followersAlvin Tresselt (1916-2000) was born in New Jersey. He was an editor for Humpty Dumpty magazine and an executive editor for Parent’s Magazine Press before becoming an instructor and the Dean of Faculty for the Institute of Children’s Literature in Connecticut. He wrote over thirty children’s books, selling over a million copies. Although White Snow, Bright Snow won the Caldecott Medal in 1948, his best-known book is a retelling of the Ukranian folk tale The Mitten. Tresselt was a pioneer in children’s writing, well known for his poetic prose style. He created the “mood” picture book, in which the setting and description for a story was even more important than the characters and plot.
Memoria Press First Grade Enrichment Guide
Memoria Press First Grade Enrichment Guide
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 31, 2020
This is a reprint of a sweet vintage book from 1959 about an elephant the size of a house cat who disguises himself as a cat and attempts to live among a family. The red, black, and green illustrations are charming and the story is just the right mix of humor and imagination.
February 11, 2020
Some older picture books shouldn't be reintroduced into the world because their time has passed, and this is one of them. The illustrations are beautiful, and the story starts out cute, but then it turns to what today can only be seen as wrong in today's world.
The tiny elephant leaves India, knowing he doesn't fit in. He ends up being taken home by a kid whose parents would NOT want any kind of elephant as a pet, so the kid paints the elephant's back to resemble a cat. The mouse of the house checks him out, and the age old myth about elephants being afraid of mice is mentioned. Busted. So of course, "a circus is where he belongs."
No. Aside from any kind of accusation that circus elephants are mistreated, there is today no more Ringling Bros circus at all, much less one with an elephant. And, when the elephant gets there, of course he is paired with the "tallest man in the world" as an attraction, like the "freaks" they are.
No. The story ends all happy because the elephant is treated more kindly there than in the Indian jungle. It would have been nice to update the story to fit Hugh Jackman's portrayal of PT Barnum's beginnings, where all of the misfits of the world reside, embrace their differences, support each other, and are loud and proud. But no, the tale is stuck in mid-20th century myths.
Like I said. Some tales should stay dormant.
The tiny elephant leaves India, knowing he doesn't fit in. He ends up being taken home by a kid whose parents would NOT want any kind of elephant as a pet, so the kid paints the elephant's back to resemble a cat. The mouse of the house checks him out, and the age old myth about elephants being afraid of mice is mentioned. Busted. So of course, "a circus is where he belongs."
No. Aside from any kind of accusation that circus elephants are mistreated, there is today no more Ringling Bros circus at all, much less one with an elephant. And, when the elephant gets there, of course he is paired with the "tallest man in the world" as an attraction, like the "freaks" they are.
No. The story ends all happy because the elephant is treated more kindly there than in the Indian jungle. It would have been nice to update the story to fit Hugh Jackman's portrayal of PT Barnum's beginnings, where all of the misfits of the world reside, embrace their differences, support each other, and are loud and proud. But no, the tale is stuck in mid-20th century myths.
Like I said. Some tales should stay dormant.
Want to read
June 22, 2018Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
July 18, 2019
An everybody-has-their-place-in-the-world story that, nonetheless, feels slight since the transformation from ostracized to warmly included is rendered as essentially painless, free of turmoil, and because the protagonist goes unnamed (assuming that kids like identifying with protagonists, names humanize the characters) Because finding a place where one fits in can actually be quite a challenge for children of all ages, a better title for the book would be "The Smallest Pat on the Back," offering glib assurances that finding's one place isn't really worth worrying about. Milton Glaser's illustrations are good, of course; hence the 3 stars.
October 25, 2020
Nice illustration!
September 13, 2022
A sweet story. The old-timey illustrations were a plus. Published 1959.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews