Flashback Friday: "Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"

Flashback Friday (thanks to Bookfoolery for the name!) is a new feature on The Very Hungry Bookworm and they are all reviews of books from my own childhood.  Now, you may think this will include nothing but books from the 80s, but not so.  My sisters and I often read books from earlier decades, including the book I am reviewing today, which was written in 1971 by Patricia Thomas and was a Weekly Reader Children's Book Club pick.  

There is much to adore about this silly animal tale of an elephant who fears he is going to sneeze.  All the animals beg him not to sneeze, however, because the last time he sneezed he caused quite a mess.  

"Oh, Elephant, please!" cried the birds in the trees.  "The last time you sneezed we lost every feather.We didn't know whetherWe'd ever get back together.Every parakeetWas bare as a sheetFrom his head to his feet.What's more, all the whalesHad peacock's tails,And the wings of the cockatooWere stuck on the kangaroo.Oh pleaseDon't sneeze!"

The pictures in my copy, illustrated by Wallace Tripp, are a mix of both color and black and white, which make every picture even more interesting than if they were all simply one or the other.  

Sorry it is a little blurry.  

If you can locate this book at your local library or a yard sale or on Ebay (I also found newer copies on Amazon), I highly recommend it for a fun-filled read for both you and your children/students!

ACQUIRED FROM: Home library
AGES: 3 and up
BOOK BRIEFS:
A- Animals
C- Classic
F- Funny
LC- Language Concepts
N- Natural World
P- Poetry
U- Underrated Gems