We'll Ride Elephants Through Brooklyn

``We'll ride elephants through Brooklyn when Grandpa gets better.'' All the unspoken anxiety and fear of loss when a beloved family member falls ill is in the background of this colorful and imaginative exercise in coping. A granddaughter with streaming yellow hair imagines what it will be like when Grandpa recovers and they romp through the city streets in celebration. She'll blow a whistle and beat a drum. Cascading petals from sunflowers will form a carpet on the street. A thousand balloons will rise as aunts and uncles dance the polka in festive clothes. All family differences will be put aside and cousins and cats will turn cartwheels with abandon. The boldly individual cut-paper collages build to a crescendo of color by the end of the book, when the girl's unasked, but ever-present, question is finally answered: the recurring ``We'll ride elephants through Brooklyn when Grandpa gets better,'' is countered with ``And we did!'' This optimistic, fanciful book offers comfort and reassurance. Ages 3-up. (Dec.)