ELBERT IN THE AIR
Dial Books | February 21, 2023
By Monica Wesolowska
Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey
Description
A heartwarming story about unconditional love and rising above those who stand in the way of being who you are.
Shortly after he is born, Elbert floats up into the air. Before long, his mother must stand on her tip toes to reach him and toss toys into the air at playtime. While everyone in town, from the school nurse to the mayor, is full of advice for keeping her boy down, Elbert’s mother knows her son is meant to float. And so, she lets him.
But as life becomes more and more difficult for a floating boy, and people understand him less and less, Elbert has to make a decision: Stay bound to the ground or float higher in the hopes of finding the world—and community—he’s always wished for.
- "A fun story with plenty of space left in it to apply it to nearly any discussion about celebrating who you are, especially if you feel different. And don’t we all?"
- "This effervescent parable of a floating boy, about rising above when others want to keep you down, is whimsical and relatable, thanks to Wesolowska’s warm anecdotal language and Pumphrey’s lighthearted art."