In four charming stories about change, kindness, love, and forgiveness, Beck’s warm-hearted picture book spotlights kids getting through challenging situations with the help of a mystical toy elephant named Cama. In the first tale, a woman named Mrs. Gingerberry finds the striking pachyderm at a rummage sale, recognizing it as something special. She gives it to her daughter, Sapphire, who is struggling with the news that her best friend is moving away. Eventually, Cama helps a dejected Sapphire connect with new friends. In other stories, characters navigate finding a lost pet, coping with anxiety, and finding a way to share something they love, all with Cama at their side.

Beck shrewdly chooses not to let the elephant alone be what gets these kids over the hump. Despite Cama’s magic, the characters still must dig into their own innate strengths to solve their problems. In the final story about forgiveness, a shy little boy named Timmy brings Cama to school to make him feel more comfortable–and to help him face Kyle, the class bully. When Kyle accidentally falls during recess and breaks the elephant’s trunk, the rest of the class finally turns on him–and Timmy finds himself in the uncomfortable position of sticking up for Kyle, who later becomes Timmy’s friend.

The characters are also diverse–one story centers on a Spanish-speaking family, while another follows a boy named Dayne who is trying out for the wheelchair basketball team. This type of representation will help a wider variety of children to feel seen and understood. Melissa Charpentier’s brightly colored, dreamlike watercolor illustrations will also help children become engrossed in these relatable miniature dramas, while Beck’s clear, straightforward prose is easy for new readers to understand. Children will easily identify with these characters and their familiar emotions–and long for a friend as special as Cama.

Takeaway: Four endearing stories of overcoming problems with the power of love and the help of a toy elephant.

Great for fans of: Mo Willems’s Knuffle Bunny, Ashley Spires’s The Most Magnificent Thing.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A