The Elephant in the Room

 

There were things I really liked about this book but there were also things that annoyed me - sorry.

What I Liked: The friendship that developed between Sila and Mateo especially as she learned to navigate his quirks.  The aspect of the story with Gio and the fact that his wife had been Sila and Mateo's teacher.  Getting the elephant and creating a space for the elephant and even finding the elephant's mother at the end - all good.

What I Didn't Like: The cover - I don't think the kids ever got that close to the elephant.  The title - I get that it's a saying but it didn't fit the book.  Sila's mom's return - no explanation.  To have both Gio and Sila's parents both come into a large sum of money.  The whole ending seemed rushed.  I am reading this is a category of middle grade fiction which is supposed to be realistic but there are times that we know the elephant's thoughts and even the bear's thoughts - didn't mesh with the realism of the rest of the book.

Overall: I did like it and I can see middle grade readers enjoying it.  My complaints are picky overall.