Thank you NetGalley and Orca Books for gifting me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is fun and different, I mean where else is an elephant living in a tree? It's a simple, but cute story about finding a place to belong and learning how you fit in. Plus it has the cutest, brightest illustrations that definitely help keep a kid's attention on the book!

I like that this books is more than just the elephant living his truth. While that's the big part of it, the more subtle messaging is that the other animals are blaming all of their problems on the elephant. They don't look for a compromise or suggest solutions - they simply try to get rid of him.

My granddaughter loved this story, but I don't think she totally understood the message. Larry is an elephant who wants to live in a tree. When Larry moves into a big bushy tree in the middle of the wide-open field, Bird, Squirrel and Monkey who already live there do not want him. They are not very nice and actually throw nuts at him and peck at his head. Larry does not back down, he wants to live in that tree. Then, something happens and Larry saves the day. All the animals change their tune and welcome Larry. We talked about the animals being mean to Larry and that just because he was different didn't mean that he didn't have the right to live in the tree. She kept saying he was too big to live in the tree, but by the end of the story, she understood that the animals should let him stay. My grandson and I talked a bit about accepting others that are different, but he didn't really equate it to Larry either. It was a fun story and they enjoyed it and recited parts with me, but I'm not sure if kids will get the message without a lot of discussion.

My little guy loves me to read to him and he was very entertained by this book. The illustrations were very entertaining and kept his interest in the book!

Cute story about Larry the Elephant, who decides he wants to live in a tree- the view is beautiful, for one thing. The other animals that live in the tree- Monkey, Bird, and Squirrel- aren't so pleased with the idea. Larry gets in their way, and it's difficult for them to do their usual routines. They try to drive Larry away, but he just thinks they're playing. One day, something happens that threatens the tree, and Monkey, Bird, and Squirrel try to save the tree on their own, but it's Larry who ends up saving the day, and the other animals decide maybe it's not so bad to have an elephant living in a tree after all.
I liked the artwork, it's bright, cute, and fun, and the story is funny. I get that it's trying to go for "it's hard being the new kid" and "even if someone's different, they can still fit in," but there was a little bit of "oh, you can be useful to us, you can stay" vibe in there that niggled at me a bit. Perhaps that's just the cynical adult in me, I hope that's it. Still, it's a silly, fun story, I think kids will like it.

#ElephantsDoNotBelonginTrees #NetGalley

You will find that after reading this one with your kiddo that Elephants do belong in trees. How can an elephant live in tree you ask, that is the fun part and your child will think so. After all the other animals like birds, squirrels, and monkeys don't appreciate Elephant living in their tree but all it all changes, when the tree is threatened. A book about acceptance and change. Highly recommend.

A special thank you to Orca Books Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

This is a cute book about an elephant that lives in a very large tree, which the bird, squirrel, and monkey who also live in the tree aren't too happy about. Until, that is, a bulldozer comes to knock down the tree (for some reason that is unexplained) and it's Larry the elephant that manages to get rid of it. This is a cute, silly book that's a nice length for a bedtime story or when you need a quick read.

Guest review by Jaime (age 6):
"I'll show you which part I like." (Here he flipped through all the pages to get to the part where Larry stops the bulldozer by squirting it with water.) "Except elephants don't live in trees."

Guest review by Link (age 4):
"Good. I like the part where it was... this part. The part where they're friends."

A big thank you to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for the ARC I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is a children's book. This is a cute, fun story. Larry the elephant isn't wanted in the tree, until he can be of assistance. A nice moral. Great graphics. Larry does look hilarious in the tree. I think children would giggle at this book. 4 stars

This story was adorable. The artwork was very simple as was the language, but it was still able to portray the silliness and humor very well. I know a couple girls who would love this story and the ridiculousness of the elephant in the tree. Great for children and adults.

Who doesn't love an elephant? There's a nice big tree in the meadow and lots of animals live in this tree and enjoy hanging out at this tree. But surely not an elephant. There were birds and squirrels and monkeys in that tree but Larry the elephant decided he liked this tree. Then one day a bulldozer came and was going to tear down the tree. The animals were not happy. So the bird, monkey, and squirrel said they could take care of it but the bulldozer was too big. Then along came Larry! Was Larry able to move the bulldozer? You will have to read this book to find out. Little children will love this book with it's fun words and funny tale. Illustrations were very pretty and help tell the story.

Larry, an adorable elephant, decides to make his home in the big bushy tree in the middle of the wide-open field. Now that does seem strange that he would choose that location don't you agree? Bird, Squirrel and Monkey already reside there and they are not amused with the new tenant's presence in their tree. They respond to their mammoth new neighbour by tossing nuts at him, pecking him on the head and telling him to move along because he's not welcome on their turf.

When a HUGE scary bulldozer arrives on the scene to decimate the tree it's Larry to the rescue much to the smaller animal's relief. Larry becomes a superhero and is now revered for his bravery and quick response to the imminent danger. Maybe having a giant elephant in their tree home is not so bad after all.

The illustrations are very well done... colourful, expressive and fun. This story is about being different and finding acceptance and strength in your differences. I love the fun twist that the author unveils at the end of the book. I highly recommend this book.

Very cute book for younger children. I loved the illustrations and the message of this book! Will look forward to more by this writer.

I love the colorful illustrations and the message of this book. It’s silly and fun while packing a punch on the message of everyone belonging. It will hold the attention of even the youngest readers.

Elephants are not supposed to live in trees, but Larry does, and it makes the other animals uncomfortable. Larry may be a little different from the other animals, but once everyone adjusts (and Larry is helpful in a certain situation), the other animals realize that Larry is an excellent neighbor and a good friend.

This is a wonderful, little story about being the new kid, being a little different, and acceptance. Sometimes people are fearful of new things and or people, but once everyone finds what they have in common, or how they can help one another, they find that most new people can be good friends.

This one’s not out until February, but it’s a good one to keep an eye out for for story time or a good choice at bedtime, particularly before beginning a new grade level, class, or any sort of change.

Very short and cute. I think any little kid between 2 -5 years old would love this books, especially with sound effects. The illustrations were imaginative and nice. It lets children know that you can go out of the boundries sometimes and only good things can happen. Not everything has to be black and white, this shows that different animals can share with others, just as people can.. Thanks for the opportunity to read this book.

This book is adorable! I read this along with a preschooler and she was focused and giggled through the story! Would love to add this book to my classroom!

This was a colorful read with fun illustrations. However, it did not have much of a story, though I do think young children would enjoy all the different sound effects in the book.

This was a very cute story!

Larry the Elephant wants to live in a tree with Bird, Monkey, and Squirrel, but they think Larry is too big. They try to exclude Larry from the tree, but when the tree is threatened, Larry proves that he belongs there too.

I loved the art style of this picture book. This was a cute way to address the fact that everyone has different skills and talents and that just because someone is different, doesn't mean that they don't belong.

"Elephants Do Not Belong in Trees" by Russ Willms tells the story of an elephant named Larry who wants to live in a tree with some other fun little critters. Living in harmony with an elephant in a tree won't be easy. However, the animals have an even bigger problem when a bull dozer comes to tear down their tree. What will they do to save their home?

This story was such a cute way to introduce children to the idea of sharing and symbiotic relationships. The plot is easy for children to follow and introduces multiple animals that kids are sure to love. The actual text formatting was odd and small at times but perhaps that will be changed before final publication.

Our kids laughed when the giraffe made his appearance at the end which was a super fun way to end the book. This book is great for young readers who enjoy animals and adults who want to share a story of collaboration and friendship.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Elephants Do Not Belong in Trees" was a cute story about an elephant who made his home in a tree. Things did not go smoothly as the other animals in the tree were not accustomed to an animal as big as elephant being in the tree. Although the animals were having trouble co-existing, they came together for a common goal: to defeat the bulldozer coming through to take down the tree. It was a cute story about teamwork and overcoming obstacles; however, it did not stand out as super unique to me. Would I check out from library? Sure. Would I buy? Probably not.

I received an ARC of "Elephants Do Not Belong in Trees" from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.