A thoughtful story about acceptance that’s quickly becoming one of my daughters’ favorites
Sarah was born different. Healthy and strong, a sweet and adorable smile on her face, but one thing stands out from the rest of the herd: her bright pink skin. It’s the only difference, but you couldn’t tell the other young elephants that. They laugh at her and refuse to play with her, and this sweet smiling face turns into a frown. She finds herself wandering alone. That’s what she’s doing in the jungle when she hears someone calling out for help.
Pinkie races to the sound and finds Edwin the Elephant, the herd’s kind leader, stuck at the bottom of a very deep pit. Without a moment’s hesitation, Pinkie runs back to the herd and gathers some of the strongest, long-necked characters in the jungle to pull Edwin back to safety. With the array of animals that come to help, it transforms into a story about working together for a common cause no matter your differences.
How couldn’t you fall in love with this darling-sweet elephant? The illustrators, Artsoluki, help make our resilient little friend Pinkie such an easy, lovable protagonist to root for. Combine that with her bravery and impressive foot speed, and she makes for a pretty unforgettable little character. Maybe it’s the girl parent in me, but for all the pink things gathered up on my living room floor right now, I can’t help but think that Pinkie would be a standout.
My girls are loving this story. Both under five, they’re a great match for Pinkie the Pink Elephant. We started it about two weeks ago, and they’ve requested it five times since then. They are both cognizant of mistreatment on the playground, and they know what it feels like to be included. This book hits them in the feels but also provides an immersive jungle setting and cutely illustrated characters who live there.
It’s also a nice touch that the whole gang has to play their part in saving Edwin. It’s not just Pinkie. It’s not just Leo the Lion, king of the jungle. None of us can do it alone. This is a wonderful message that’s been consistent in many of Linsenmeyer’s kids’ books, which I’ve been lucky enough to read before this one.
Getting picked on for the color of your skin is a difficult task to monitor as a parent. Many kids encounter peers and people of different races and colors in their everyday lives, and they will encounter cruelty and unfair behaviors like this, but it’s true the book does depict it, so parents who don’t want to introduce behavior like this—even if it’s not in their children—will want to be aware of this topic before jumping in. There’s quite a bit of repetition in the phrase “deep pit,” noticeable because of the low word count and read-aloud nature of the book.
But there really is a reason why this kids’ book has my kids coming back. It’s excellent to look at—especially the scene where Pinkie leads the herd through the jungle and her pink becomes useful in a sea of green leaves—and Pinkie is a lovable character they’ll easily remember. If anybody makes a stuffed animal of her, please tell me!
What did you think?