cover image The Gift Box

The Gift Box

Rohan Henry. Abrams, $12.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-4197-0167-2

In Henry's (Goodnight, Baby Ruby) meandering but charming tale, Ollie, an elephant, offers a childish excuse for not having cleaned his room yet, and instead of remonstrating, Ollie's mama swings him through the air, gives him a kiss and tells him, "You are a beautiful gift." The storyline then shifts to Ollie's visit with his friend Benjamin, a spotted dog, who irritates Ollie when he can't guess that Ollie, hiding in a box and wrapped in a ribbon, is a gift. Minimalist drawings provide just enough color and motion, especially when spot illustrations punctuate the words. Ollie's subsequent temper tantrum ("Then he sank down into the gift box and wished he could just disappear") is thoughtfully handled, as is his apology. It's the back-and-forth between Ollie and Benjamin that offers the most pleasure, as when Benjamin asks Ollie to guess what he is: "My best friend with dog breath carrying a gift box?" Though the story is somewhat episodic, readers learning to differentiate between the dynamics of home life and the larger social world should relate to Ollie's tumult of emotions. Agent: Edite Kroll, Edite Kroll Literary Agency. All ages. (Feb.)