How to Be an Elephant: Growing Up in the African Wild

In a richly informative follow-up to Neighborhood Sharks, Roy uses a baby African elephant’s efforts to adapt to the world as a springboard to discuss the characteristics that make these creatures so distinctive. Roy’s forceful watercolors convey a sense of movement and energy, with sweeping lines in violet, gray, brown, and pale blue. Interspersed diagrams help readers get a better sense of elephants’ anatomy (including whimsical touches such as comparing a trunk to a Swiss army knife outfitted with a snorkel, trumpet, shovel, and more), while the central narrative dives into how the animals communicate, stay cool, and more. Immersive illustrations and careful attention to detail in both the text and art combine to create a rewarding study of a remarkable animal. Ages 7–11. Agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House. (Sept.)