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Elephant Elephant: A Book of Opposites
Introduces opposites through simple text and illustrations of elephants.
80 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 1999
1 person is currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Francesco Pittau
142 books7 followersFrancesco Pittau è nato in Sardegna ma è di nazionalità belga. Attualmente vive e lavora a Bruxelles. È autore di numerosi libri per bambini insieme a Bernadette Gervais e proprio alcuni dei loro maggiori successi sono stati tradotti per la prima volta in Italia da Il Castoro
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 6, 2024
One of my favourite books as a child, that still holds up today.
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December 20, 2014I don't know where to begin. Perhaps with the cut up elephants, the cut up body parts, or the peeing. Or maybe I should start with the butt plug. No, for me it has to be the elephant on fire. Animal cruelty. Let's start there.
I did not laugh at this book. I was shocked. I withdrew it from our library because of how horrible it was. I have fielded many complaints about books over the years that I thought were a bit silly but never have I been so anti a kid's book myself. There were elephants cut into pieces that disturbed me. There were scenes that made no sense. Who thinks it's ok to put chopped up animals and elephants on fire in a kid's book?
There was also the word stupid. I am fine with that kind of language in a chapter book for older kids. But not for young kids. Having 2 identical elephants and labeling them as smart and stupid is confusing and teaches a child a word that should not be in their vocabulary. Also, strange words kids don't need to know - wrinkled/ironed simple/complicated? Whatever happened to up/down?
No stars. As I said, I got rid of this book from our library.
I did not laugh at this book. I was shocked. I withdrew it from our library because of how horrible it was. I have fielded many complaints about books over the years that I thought were a bit silly but never have I been so anti a kid's book myself. There were elephants cut into pieces that disturbed me. There were scenes that made no sense. Who thinks it's ok to put chopped up animals and elephants on fire in a kid's book?
There was also the word stupid. I am fine with that kind of language in a chapter book for older kids. But not for young kids. Having 2 identical elephants and labeling them as smart and stupid is confusing and teaches a child a word that should not be in their vocabulary. Also, strange words kids don't need to know - wrinkled/ironed simple/complicated? Whatever happened to up/down?
No stars. As I said, I got rid of this book from our library.
October 17, 2025
Das vorliegende Buch eignet sich hervorragend, um erste Bekanntschaft mit der Logik zu machen. Allerdings sind die vorgeschlagenen Gegensätze nicht immer einleuchtend – dies dürfte auch in der französischen Originalausgabe kaum anders sein. Warum die Übersetzerin den Titel nicht mit „Die Gegensätze“ wiedergegeben hat, ist mir schleierhaft; der Originaltitel lautet Les contraires (Die Gegensätze). Für das Vorschulalter besonders wichtiges Gegensatzpaar fehlt leider: Lust – Unlust.
Nachfolgend die Gegensatzpaare ohne die illustrierenden Bilder: groß–klein, breit–schmal, vorn–hinten, lang–kurz, oben–unten, Ende–Anfang, Fell–Federn, Beule–Delle, links–rechts, gerade–krumm, ganz–entzwei, Junge–Mädchen, zu–offen, flach–gebirgig, eckig–rund, rauf–runter, dicht–undicht, fett–mager, viel–wenig, gescheit–einfältig, voll–leer, weniger–mehr, nah–fern, einfach–umständlich, kaputt–heil, kraus–glatt, frisch–faul, fest–flüssig, an–aus, drin–draußen, weich–borstig, sichtbar–unsichtbar, leuchtend–blass, zerrissen–geflickt, lebendig–tot.
Nachfolgend die Gegensatzpaare ohne die illustrierenden Bilder: groß–klein, breit–schmal, vorn–hinten, lang–kurz, oben–unten, Ende–Anfang, Fell–Federn, Beule–Delle, links–rechts, gerade–krumm, ganz–entzwei, Junge–Mädchen, zu–offen, flach–gebirgig, eckig–rund, rauf–runter, dicht–undicht, fett–mager, viel–wenig, gescheit–einfältig, voll–leer, weniger–mehr, nah–fern, einfach–umständlich, kaputt–heil, kraus–glatt, frisch–faul, fest–flüssig, an–aus, drin–draußen, weich–borstig, sichtbar–unsichtbar, leuchtend–blass, zerrissen–geflickt, lebendig–tot.
November 9, 2021
Ik snap echt niet dat dit boek uitgegeven is geraakt. De eerste pagina's zien er normaal genoeg uit, maar daarna wordt het ronduit bizar en gestoord.
Olifanten met wel/niet een kurk in hun kont voor afgesloten/geopend?
Olifanten met zichtbare ingewanden of gesloten rits voor het concept open/dicht?
Plassende olifanten om het verschil jongen/meisje te illustreren?
En je wilt niet weten hoe de illustraties eruit zien voor kapot/gerepareerd, vers/bedorven, in brand/geblust, gescheurd/geplakt...
Deze arme olifanten gaan in ieder geval meteen terug naar de bib hier.
Olifanten met wel/niet een kurk in hun kont voor afgesloten/geopend?
Olifanten met zichtbare ingewanden of gesloten rits voor het concept open/dicht?
Plassende olifanten om het verschil jongen/meisje te illustreren?
En je wilt niet weten hoe de illustraties eruit zien voor kapot/gerepareerd, vers/bedorven, in brand/geblust, gescheurd/geplakt...
Deze arme olifanten gaan in ieder geval meteen terug naar de bib hier.
November 25, 2016
Review from https://darrengoossens.wordpress.com/2016/11/25/well-chosen-elements-elephant-elements-by-pittau-and-gervais/.
Here's a novelty; I'm talking about a kids' book. Originally published in French as Les Contraires, Elephant Elements is that rare beast, a work aimed at kids which pleases adults but without being sly or condescending.
So many childrens' books illustrate one word per page, to build vocabulary and teach those first few words. How could one word offer scope for wit, style and panache? This is where some creative people can find new ground where there seems to be none. This book does it by, as the French title suggests, pairing opposites. But it does it in the context of what they would mean for an elephant. And it does the unexpected. 'Big/Small' is commonplace, but how about 'Solid/Liquid'? How does that work for an elephant? Below is a personal favourite, that captures the impish wit of the book.
Is it me on the left or the right? Yes, they are pretty much identical.
There's a kind of comedian's timing to the entries. A few commonplace pairings, like 'Big/Small', then something a little unexpected. Then a few more plain ones and then... Until you are turning every page with a little thrill of anticipation. Will it be conventional (though still illustrated in those charmingly simple drawings)? Or will it be completely out of left field?
Well, I don't want to spoil it. But I can heartily recommend this book to anyone who likes one word per page.
Other children's activities.
Here's a novelty; I'm talking about a kids' book. Originally published in French as Les Contraires, Elephant Elements is that rare beast, a work aimed at kids which pleases adults but without being sly or condescending.
So many childrens' books illustrate one word per page, to build vocabulary and teach those first few words. How could one word offer scope for wit, style and panache? This is where some creative people can find new ground where there seems to be none. This book does it by, as the French title suggests, pairing opposites. But it does it in the context of what they would mean for an elephant. And it does the unexpected. 'Big/Small' is commonplace, but how about 'Solid/Liquid'? How does that work for an elephant? Below is a personal favourite, that captures the impish wit of the book.
Is it me on the left or the right? Yes, they are pretty much identical.
There's a kind of comedian's timing to the entries. A few commonplace pairings, like 'Big/Small', then something a little unexpected. Then a few more plain ones and then... Until you are turning every page with a little thrill of anticipation. Will it be conventional (though still illustrated in those charmingly simple drawings)? Or will it be completely out of left field?
Well, I don't want to spoil it. But I can heartily recommend this book to anyone who likes one word per page.
Other children's activities.
June 8, 2010
Absolutely hilarious book as an adult, yet very disturbing when showing my toddler. They show an elephant with a zipper opened body with intestines and a reg. elephant to demonstrate "open and closed". Also odd, they show a boy Elephant penis peeing vs the girl elephant with urine coming out of her ass. What a teasure. Haha. That library book was not in our house very long.
January 2, 2012
I can see how some find this "inappropriate", but my 4-year old and 2-year old laughed just as much as I did about this. Okay, the 4-year old wants to pick the pieces up and put them together again on the "whole" versus "pieces" page, and she will pick favorites on the other pages, but otherwise we enjoyed it.
July 12, 2008
Bizarre. Pittau chose some pretty odd images here. "Boy" vs. "Girl" rapidly shoots into my mind.
I ordered this for my library based on reviews, but when I received it, right back to the vendor it had to go. I could see the "much more trouble than it's worth" so clearly....
I ordered this for my library based on reviews, but when I received it, right back to the vendor it had to go. I could see the "much more trouble than it's worth" so clearly....
September 15, 2010
I bought this book for both my nephew & my goddaughter about 5 years ago after cataloging it for our library. I haven't laughed so hard at a children's book in ages. Warning, though, I have a very warped sense of humor and not everyone will like it or think it 'appropriate'.
February 24, 2011
Very clever opposites book with simple (and funny) bold illustrations of the same elephant displayed in unusual ways including "boy" and "girl" and "plugged" and "unplugged" which some may find risky and others, like me, may find clever and silly.
September 25, 2012
But of course elephants are the obvious choice for a book of opposites. Why wouldn't you use them to demonstrate such concepts as whole vs in pieces, hairy vs feathery and open vs closed. A children's book for grown-ups (and strange children) but beware, it has a tragic end.
October 5, 2014
This is an odd little opposite book. Some might be offended or shocked if they don't know what they are about to read. However, compared to traditional opposite books for young children, this text has vocabulary I wish were included in more texts for young children.
September 6, 2009
HI-larious. A book of v-funny opposites. Pissah!
August 9, 2011
It's starts off ok, then gets slightly disturbing.
October 9, 2011
When opposites can be very funny!
December 21, 2011
Big and small, square and round, clean and dirty, solid and liquid -- a playful pair of pachyderms takes on all kinds of unexpected and humorous forms to illustrate a wide variety of opposites.
August 4, 2016
What a bizarre book. Probably more appropriate for adults, although I couldn't say exactly why...
March 11, 2016
I laughed so hard at this book. What a different concept. I wish I had thought of it. Kids will love this book over and over and over.
July 18, 2016
A hilarious explanation of basic concepts using an elephant. Very simple. Yet I'd like to think that it's actually intended for adults - as I usually do with children's books.
December 21, 2016
I can't believe that I read this book and it was in band and there was some super messed up sh*t how is this a children's book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews