Sunday, March 20, 2011

Review--ELMER THE CHRISTMAS ELF

Review For:
Elmer the Christmas Elf, by Marilyn E. Randall
ISBN: 9780557153336
Publisher: Lulu Inc.

Author Marilyn E. Randall not only writes and illustrates her children’s books, but she writes poetry for adult audiences. She also has an extensive background in the graphic design industry. Titles include: Inside Out, Best of Best Friends, A Hard Nut to Crack, and For Faithful Friends. She resides in Washington.

Told in a poetic rhyming format, this book follows Elmer the elf as he prepares toys for Santa to deliver. When the time comes for Santa to leave, Elmer discovers that Santa left a toy behind. Elmer must find out what to do so a little boy doesn’t get forgotten.

What put me off about the book was its formatting. The book is in an 8x10 paperback workshop style, and wasn’t professionally done. There was nothing to me to make this book stand out from the rest. The book was also quite lengthy, and I’m not sure it fits with the intended target age, so I’ll recommend this be listed for six to ten years old.

In saying that, the poetic rhyming verses flowed smoothly and the illustrations were cute. The story itself teaches a decent lesson about problem solving and how to think through emotional upheaval. Christmas stories are always welcome for children.

Kelly Moran,
Author of The Tiny Caterpillar and the Great Big Tree.
(***This review is NOT through Bookpleasures.)

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