Gretel emerges from the ice to be feted as a Wonder Mammoth: an instant celebrity who makes lots of friends. But she is the last mammoth on Earth, which is always going to be tricky…
Her friends love her, as she is kind and strong and tells the best bedtime stories. When everyone thinks you are jolly and strong, how can you tell them that you are “scared… and sad… and worried… all at the same time”?
Kim Hillyard shows us that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is let your friends know how you are feeling, and that this is how things can start to get better. The friendly illustrations bring Greta’s world to life, and I found the colour palette warm, lively, and comforting.
Gretel’s friends prove most useful. They listen carefully, stroke her woolly feet, answer her questions, and help her find new things that she enjoys. Gretel is still the last mammoth, but she has reclaimed her Wonder and is no longer alone.
This sensitive picture book for young children is one of those brilliant things, a book that is really for all humans.
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