A Carousel Tale by Elisa Kleven--Book Review

Come join Ernst the blue crocodile on his latest adventure in A Carousel Tale by Elisa Kleven.

Ernst loves to ride the carousel in the park. There are many colorful wooden animals to ride and his favorite is the honey-colored dog with the wigggly tail. But one day when Ernst arrives, he finds the carousel covered up. The carousel keeper says that it has to stay snug and dry for the winter.

Ernst finds the honey-colored dog's tail laying on the ground and the carousel keeper asks him to take care of it until spring. Putting the tail on his toy shelf, Ernst notices how lonely the tail looks without the dog, so he decides to cheer it up by painting and decorating it.

Then one morning, the carousel in the park is running again and Ernst is afraid that the carousel keeper might not like the way the dog's tail looks.

My daughters and I enjoyed this book filled with colorful and delightful pictures. Author and illustrator Elisa Kleven continues her Ernst books with this charming and adorable addition of Ernst and his favorite carousel ride. What child has not had a favorite toy or ride and then been suddenly disappointed when it is time to put it away? But Ernst has the chance to hold onto a piece of his favorite ride and turns it into something beautiful.

A Carousel Tale is a book where Ernst's imagination runs wild and makes something new out of something old with spectacular results. Sol, Ernst's older brother, plays the older brother part well, scolding Ernst for changing the dog's tail when Ernst was only asked to take care of it and assuring Ernst that the carousel keeper is not going to like this new tail. But much to Ernst's surprise, the carousel keeper thinks the new tail is wonderful. This subtle message will show children that imagination is a good thing. This book could even teach children about recycling in a fun way.

My girls and I anxiously await the next book in the Ernst series. Kleven is certainly one children's author you'll want to keep an eye on.


Title: A Carousel Tale
Author: Elisa Kleven
Publisher: Tricycle Press
ISBN-10: 1-58246-239-9
ISBN-13: 978-1-58246-239-4
SRP: $15.99 (U.S.)