Mrs Bibi’s Elephant

The children in Mrs Bibi’s town love Mrs Bibi and her pet elephant; when she and her pet go out in the morning, kids use the pachyderm as a playground. Dalvand (What Could That Be?) paints tiny figures cavorting on the elephant’s head as the gigantic creature showers them gently. Mrs Bibi cares tenderly for her pet at home, too: at night, she “told her elephant stories so that he would have nice dreams.” But the adults in town have other ideas about him. Dalvand depicts a grouchy crowd admonishing her: “They said that instead of talking to an elephant, Mrs Bibi should read the newspaper, check the stock market and keep up to date with economics!” They sentence her elephant to the zoo, but their attempt ends in town-wide distress. Delicate lines, pastel colors, and finely worked patterns give coziness to Dalvand’s spreads. His didactic portrayal of the tension between the eccentric pet owner and her neighbors make it clear where his sympathies lie as Mrs Bibi’s neighbors discover that quality of life can exist outside mundane concerns. Ages 3–5. [em](Apr.) [/em]