Ellie Makes a Friend

by Mike Wu

Overview

Ellie the artistic elephant returns in this new picture book celebrating friendship and inspiration by acclaimed author-illustrator Mike Wu.
A panda has joined the zoo, and just like Ellie, she's an artist!
Ellie is thrilled to make a new friend, but with everyone so impressed by Ping's distinctive painting skills, Ellie starts to question her own talent.
As she learns more about her new friend from China, though, Ellie finds that a fresh perspective can lead to new inspiration—and maybe something wonderful they can create together!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368010009
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/07/2020
Series:	Mike Wu's Ellie Series
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	679,859
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Mike Wu is the author and illustrator of Ellie, which was selected as NPR's best of 2015, as well as Ellie in Concert, Ellie in Color, and Henri's Hats. He is also the illustrator of The Oodlethunks series. When he's not making books, he animates at Pixar, where he has worked on The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, and Toy Story 3, among other movies.He attended the California Institute of the Arts, and he is the creator of children's clothing and gift line Tiny Teru. Mike lives in the Bay Area with his family. Visit him online at theartofmikewu.com.

Editorial Reviews

PRAISE FOR HENRI'S HATS

"Delightful. . . . The illustrations are gorgeous."—School Library Journal

PRAISE FOR HENRI'S HATS

"Wu's storytelling is crisp and cinematic. . . . A book full of the promise of remarkable experiences to come."—Kirkus Reviews

PRAISE FOR HENRI'S HATS

"Young children will be drawn to the colorful illustrations."—School Library Connection

From the Publisher

2019-12-18
In the fourth book of the series, Ellie the elephant observes the new critter at the zoo—Ping, the painting panda.

Not to be confused with pandas of the kung fu sort, Ping brings a friendly black-and-white brightness to the zoo. Her image is full of contradictions that make her unusual to the group of zoo animals. Sharp eyes belie her soft roundness while her wide girth gives way to tiny hands that create graceful and interesting brushwork. She is definitely not a local, and Ellie and her friends cannot understand her language. Ping must pick up her bamboo brush and paint her words (characters that readers of Chinese will readily recognize). While the animals marvel at Ping's artwork, Ellie begins to feel overshadowed, as the calligraphy is so different from her multicolored paintings. When Ping reaches out to offer Ellie a bamboo brush, the elephant awkwardly declines. "Maybe my paintings aren't that special," she whispers to herself. Indeed, the inclusion of Ping's pictures adds contrast and stylistic interest to Wu's ebullient watercolors. The gorilla named Gerard once again dispenses wisdom to the sweet elephant, encouraging her to learn more about Ping and her art. Can sharing art be a bridge between two different cultures? By the end, Ping and Ellie seem to think so.

Thumbs up for an easy tale of overcoming difference through art and curiosity. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews