The Elephant Who Liked to Smash Small Cars
by Jean Merrill, Ronni Solbert
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An elephant who likes to smash small cars is taught a lesson by a car salesman.Tags
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Thank you YouTube and mrhandler for enabling me to 'read' this.
I have no idea how to rate it, though. I'm sure a child would gleefully cheer on first the elephant, and then the car salesman, as they each enjoy binges of smashing. However, I really wouldn't want my children to be exposed to all this mayhem, or to the idea that violent revenge is a great way to solve interpersonal problems.
Otoh, [b:The Pushcart War|542729|The Pushcart War|Jean Merrill|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1175650395s/542729.jpg|2092] was about escalating violent vengefulness, and I loved that book, and was not harmed by it. In fact, I may have developed my aversion to revenge by my many reads of that classic. Maybe this book is intended to teach the same lesson show more to littler kids - and maybe it would be effective. After all, I've learned that it's all too easy to underestimate the clear-eyed insights and perceptive wisdom of children. I'd love to know what your children think of this story and its message! show less
I have no idea how to rate it, though. I'm sure a child would gleefully cheer on first the elephant, and then the car salesman, as they each enjoy binges of smashing. However, I really wouldn't want my children to be exposed to all this mayhem, or to the idea that violent revenge is a great way to solve interpersonal problems.
Otoh, [b:The Pushcart War|542729|The Pushcart War|Jean Merrill|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1175650395s/542729.jpg|2092] was about escalating violent vengefulness, and I loved that book, and was not harmed by it. In fact, I may have developed my aversion to revenge by my many reads of that classic. Maybe this book is intended to teach the same lesson show more to littler kids - and maybe it would be effective. After all, I've learned that it's all too easy to underestimate the clear-eyed insights and perceptive wisdom of children. I'd love to know what your children think of this story and its message! show less
My son (now 35) loved this book when he was about three or four, and insisted I read it over and over. Decided recently I'd like to have a copy and looked it up on Amazon - was some ludicrous price - several hundred dollars. So now, of course, I'd REALLY like to have a copy. But I'm not about to pay more than $50. I've added this one to my lengthy list of Quests.
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34+ Works 3,598 Members
Jean Merrill was born in Rochester, New York on January 27, 1923. She received an undergraduate degree from Allegheny College and a master's degree in English from Wellesley College in 1945. After graduation, she worked as an editor for Scholastic Magazine. Her first book, Henry the Hand-Painted Mouse, was published in 1951. In 1952 she received a show more Fulbright Fellowship to study folklore at the University of Madras in India. She later based several of her books on Asian folk stories including Shan's Lucky Knife, The Girl Who Loved Caterpillars, and The Superlative Horse, which won a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. Her other books include A Song for Gar, Blue's Broken Heart, and The Pushcart War, which won a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. She also wrote a dozen scripts for animated television adaptations of her work. The Toothpaste Millionaire was adapted for television in 1974. She died from cancer on August 2, 2012 at the age of 89. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
13+ Works 185 Members
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- Original publication date
- 1967
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- 59
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- 508,224
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.67)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 3
- ASINs
- 1
