Tormenta de Pimienta

by Rafael Ordóñez, Marisa Morea (Illustrator)

Cuando los elefantes caminan nunca se detienen para mirar hacia abajo. Los ratones tienen miedo de ser aplastados y piden a los elefantes que tengan cuidado. Pero ellos ¡no les hacen ningún caso! Un día, los ratones tienen una idea: ¿podría la pimienta ser la solución a sus problemas?

When elephants walk, they never bother to look down. Terrified of being crushed by giant feet, a group of mice have finally had enough! One day they come up with a plan. Could pepper be the solution to their problem? A delightful story of small creatures making a big impact!

Genres: Picture Books, Humor, Animals

44 pages, Hardcover

Published June 15, 2021

Reviews

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Los ratones están cansados de que los elefantes caminen por la jungla sin mirar hacia dónde van. Les preocupa que los pisen, pero a los elefantes no les importa. Así que los ratones idean un plan para obligar a los elefantes a prestar atención y vigilar sus pasos.

The mice are tired of the elephants walking around the jungle and not looking where they are going. They are worried that they will get stepped on, but the elephants don't care. So the mice devise a plan to force the elephants to pay attention and watch their step.

Me encantaba la historia divertida y los ratones inteligentes que burlan a los tontos elefantes. ¡Este cuento me hizo reír de verdad!

I loved the funny story, and the clever mice who outwit the foolish elephants. This story made me laugh!

Me encantan las ilustraciones sencillas y el estilo minimalista. El arte aporta humor al cuento. ¡Me encanto el arte de la jungla y los adorables personajes de los animales!

I love the simple illustrations and minimalist style. The artwork brings humor into the story. I love the jungle backgrounds and cute animal characters!

Descargo de responsabilidad: Recibí una copia de este libro del editor a cambio de una revisión gratuita y honesta. Todas las opiniones expresadas aquí son mis propios pensamientos verdaderos y no están influenciadas por nadie.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful story explaining why elephants are terrified of mice. The jungle is home to many elephants and mice as well. Elephants live happily and carefree and they eat and sleep whenever they choose. The mice on the other hand have a BIG problem... it's not hunger or sleep... it's the HUGE pachyderms' feet! You see the elephants wander around aimlessly always looking up admiring the birds, the mountains, and the surrounding scenery. They never look down and realize that they are endangering the mice population who they stomp upon and oftentimes spray with their disgusting poop. Yewwwww! Now that's a problem!

The mice have had it with the elephant's selfish uncaring ways and they hatch a plan to irradiate the problem forever. They call upon their cousins the bats to sprinkle the elephants with pepper and when the elephants continually sneeze they will look down and at long last notice the tiny mice and realize the danger they have been putting them in. Will their clever plan work? Will the mice finally get justice and live in safety and happiness too?

The illustrations are hilarious and fun. Kids always love "potty" events and the fact that the underdog, in this case the small undermice win! The story explains why elephants are fearful of mice to this very day. I highly recommend this silly book which will have kids giggling and cheering the mice on to victory!

[Ryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has a giant flaw. At first it seems innocent and cute, until you realize the mice are resorting to violence to get what they want. Elephants are big and they like to look at the sky. They do not pay attention to where they are walking. Mice are little and constantly in fear of the elephants crushing them. The story mentions that someone tried to talk to the elephants, but they were closed minded and didn’t listen. So the mice retaliated by asking their cousins to help out by dropping pepper all over the elephants to make them sneeze and look down. The mice are complaining that the elephants are bullies, but they really are not. They are not intentionally trying to step on the mice. However the mice purposely cause the elephants to be sick. I think the author mislabeled who the bully was. Plus as I read this, I see so many issues that you would see in our news, groups of people mad about how things are going down, and wanting to do something like kick people out of the country, or threats to “take over” or even do harm to people. This book goes entirely in the wrong direction. It’s almost like a certain orange political figure telling their followers to “stop the steal” only in this case it is mice saying, hey those guys are bullies, just because they are big. I really wanted to like this one, and I just can't.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

With its large, colorful digital images, this story could certainly be a folktale with a great message about the lack of importance of size. In humorous fashion, the narrative relates how the jungle is the perfect habitat for many species who enjoy its food and shelter and peacefully coexist. But while the mighty elephants haven't a care in the world, the mice have a tough time because the elephants don't look where they are stepping and the mice are likely to be underfoot. The poor mice also have to watch out for falling dung as the elephants are careless with their droppings as well. When the mice gather together to complain and look for solutions to their problem, one mouse comes up with the perfect solution. It will require a little help from the bats and from a spice that makes the elephants sneeze. After all that coughing and sneezing, the elephants agree to be more aware of what's underfoot in order to avoid any more pepperstorms. Through a simple but effective action and a well thought out plan, the tiny mice triumph over those enormous elephants. The lesson here is important, and it goes down smoothly because of the way it's told.

[Novel Obsession]

The mice are just trying to live their lives, but the elephants are making that difficult. The elephants refuse to watch where they are going. Due to the elephants’ lack of empathy, the mice live in constant fear of being stepped on or having poo drop on them from above. The mice attempt to discuss the issue with the elephants numerous times, but the elephants refuse to consider anyone else.

Finally, fed up with the way they have been treated, the mice come up with a plan to force the elephants to look at them and listen. Don’t let the cute illustrations sway you away from the true message of the book. When those in power refuse to listen, sometimes the oppressed need to do something to get their attention. Rafael Ordonez’s The Pepperstorm speaks to the need for empathy, understanding, and sticking up for oneself in the face of bullies.

Disclaimer: A copy was provided by NubeOcho. Originally published at Novel Obsession.

[Hal · Rating 4 out of 5]

arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This was a cute, silly little children’s story! It has adorable art and some pretty deep messages wrapped up in a fun way that I think kids will love to read about.

It shows that you should be more considerate of your surroundings and of those around you. You are not the only one who exists so making sure you’re not doing any harm as you go about life, helps not only you but everyone around you. I think detailing this with elephants and a group of mischievous mice was a great way to portray this!

I recommend this for any kid who needs a fun story with colourful, easy to follow art and story.

4/5 ⭐️

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este es un lindo libro para niños que presenta una explicación sobre por qué los elefantes tienen miedo de los ratones (o eso dice la historia). Si bien no es un libro particularmente profundo, creo que los niños disfrutarán de las ilustraciones muy divertidas, así como les encantará la idea de que los ratones pequeños puedan trabajar junto con los murciélagos pequeños y hacer que los elefantes observen a dónde van.

[Emilee (emileereadsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and NubeOcho for a free digital copy.

I adore these illustrations. These elephants and mice could not be cuter. And to pair with it this giggle worthy story? Well, that's almost too much goodness. This story of course explains why elephants are fearful of mice. What a delight.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty hilarious story of how mice got elephants to look down and notice them! I think littles will find this story pretty amusing. I liked the illustrations.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt this was a weird story. Do elephants and mice really share the same space in the jungle (with bats nearby)? Is being mean right back to someone who was mean to you really a good lesson to teach children? Also, I happen to really like elephants, so I felt bad they were made out to be mean.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mice go to great, silly lengths to address their grievances to the elephants making their lives difficult.

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book's illustrations are so beautiful!

We all know tha elephants are afraid of mice! But do you know why? This picture books tells the whole story of why elephants are really afraid of mice.

[Rebecca Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mice live in fear of the Elephants who never look down as they stomp around, so they devise a plan with the bats to get the Elephants' attention.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story about the beginning to scare elephants (mouse)

[benedetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Amber Webb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yikes! I thought this would be a fun little book about elephants and mice and learning to get along in productive ways, but that was not the case. The mice were afraid and responded to that fear with mean instead of kindness. The story ends with mice feeling triumphant, but elephants suffering. I just wish the story would have been different. This is not the values I want to instill in my students.

[Olgalijo · Rating 4 out of 5]

With very cute illustrations this book gives a possible explanation to why Elephants fear Mice. While the big elephants don't have a care in the world, mice have to live with the dangers of posed by the elephants' lack of attention to what is under them. The mice risk being squashed or even pooped on!
The mice get together and concoct a plan to change this with the help of their cousins, the bats. The plan is less than kind, and involves temporary suffering on the part of the elephants, but thankfully nobody is permanently damaged by the mice and bat shenanigans, and the elephants learn to pay attention to those underneath them.

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the idea that the author here is trying to explain the elephant's fabled fear of mice. Clever story idea and really cute art, but for me the execution was not really up to what I had hoped.