Hooray for Harry

From the Publisher
In a third endearing tale about Harry the elephant, Kim Lewis’s soft, gentle artwork illuminates the satisfaction that comes from finding something you’ve lost – with the help of your two best friends.

Just as it’s time to settle in for his nap, Harry the elephant makes an unhappy discovery. ‘Oh!’ he cries. ‘My blanket is gone!’ Together with his best friends, Lulu and Ted, Harry begins to search. Could his beloved blanket be under the bed? Did he leave it outside when the three of them turned it into a sail for their pretend ship? Or did his blanket stay stuck in the trees when they made a swing out of it? Where, oh where, did Harry put it?

Children’s Literature
This is the third book about the plush toy elephant named Harry and his friends, Lulu the lamb and Ted the teddy bear. Harry is about to take a nap when he discovers that his cuddly, plaid blanket is missing from his bed. The three friends launch a search for the missing blanket. After hunting indoors, they begin retracing their steps outside as they remember all the day’s activities. But the tent they made from the blanket is gone, as is the sail on the toy boat and the swing up in the trees. Now Harry must really think hard about where the blanket may be. The soft pastel and colored pencil drawings are a perfect accompaniment to this delightful story. Preschoolers and early grade students are sure to ask to hear it read to them again and again, which is the true test of a good story. Put this title on the highly recommended list.

School Library Journal
PreS-At naptime, Harry, a stuffed elephant, discovers that his favorite blanket is missing. He and friends Ted and Lulu search everywhere, but to no avail. Then they try to reconstruct when they last saw it. After remembering that they used it to make a tent, a sail, a swing, and a tablecloth for their picnic, they finally find it on the clothesline where they remember hanging it after a wash. A nice sense of anticipation builds through the simple sequencing, leading to a wholly satisfying outcome. Large, appealing illustrations in soft pastels complement the story about this endearing trio. Just right for toddler storytimes.-Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews
Lewis’s lovable pachyderm returns for a third adventure with his fellow stuffed pals. When naptime arrives and Harry finds himself without his beloved blanket, his friends Lulu and Ted encourage him to retrace his steps. What unfolds is a series of tender vignettes as the trio fondly reflects upon their imaginative, playful day together. Lewis captures the ingenuity of the preschool set as the friends reveal the many creative uses to which they applied Harry’s trusty blanket, from high-seas hijinks aboard a makeshift vessel to swaying on a swing fashioned out of the blanket. When the mislaid blanket is recovered, the trio is ready to settle in for a rest, confident of a day well-played. Lewis’ colored-pencil and pastel illustrations are a medley of soft hues and delicately rendered images that present a seemingly effortless and gentle extenuation of the tale. The combination of Lewis’ pastoral illustrations with the winsomeness of the trio’s activities epitomizes the nostalgic, idyllic innocence of childhood. Three cheers indeed for Harry and friends, who remind readers young and old to savor the sweet simplicity of preschool years. (Picture book. 3-6)