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Strictly No Elephants (The Pet Club Series)

Description:

“A sunny, smart, tongue-in-cheek tale.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Sweet and affirming.” —Kirkus Reviews
“With a gentle message of inclusion and helping others, this title reaches beyond a mere friendship story.”—School Library Journal
“Heartening.”—Booklist

In this bestselling and internationally beloved picture book, the local Pet Club won’t admit a boy’s tiny pet elephant, so he finds a solution—one that involves all kinds of unusual animals.

Today is Pet Club day. There will be cats and dogs and fish, but strictly no elephants are allowed. The Pet Club doesn’t understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, just like friends. Now it is time for a boy and his tiny pet elephant to show them what it means to be a true friend.

Strictly No Elephants has been sold around the world and is heralded as a pitch-perfect book about inclusion. Imaginative and lyrical, this sweet story captures the magic of friendship and the joy of having a pet.
Read more

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 2—It's Pet Club Day, and the sign on the door at #17 clearly states, "Strictly NO Elephants." Current members treasure their birds, fish, cats, and dogs, but a young boy taking a walk with his tiny elephant, sharing an umbrella in a cool fall rain, sees no welcome for his friend, so he simply gives his usual support. "That's what friends do—lift each other over the cracks…brave the scary things for you." The boy and his elephant meet a girl with a skunk, who were also excluded from the Pet Club meeting, and decide to start a club of their own, one in which all are welcome. Friends "never leave anyone behind." Illustrations emphasize the warmth of this message with Photoshop, block prints, and pencil in color spreads alternated with smaller vignettes highlighting the expressions of the children and their pets. VERDICT With a gentle message of inclusion and helping others, this title reaches beyond a mere friendship story. A solid general purchase for libraries and classrooms.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

Review

After a little boy and his tiny elephant are barred from the Pet Club, they befriend other children with unusual pets.

The first-person narrative has a quiet, contemplative feel: “The trouble with having a tiny elephant for a pet is that you never quite fit in. / No one else has an elephant.” His pet is shy of sidewalk cracks: “I always go back and help him over. That’s what friends do: lift each other over the cracks.” Embodying dejection after the two turn from that large, titular sign on the door, a double-page spread—a Photoshop-augmented linoleum block print—depicts a dark teal cityscape slashed with raindrops and bobbing with black umbrellas. The Caucasian boy, his pet (in matching red scarves), and a little African-American girl in cornrows and a red-and-orange striped dress are the bright spots in this poignant tableau. Turns out that this girl—a pet skunk curled on her lap—has been turned away too. “He doesn’t stink,” she says. “No, he doesn’t,” concurs the boy and then suggests, “What if we start our own club?” Observant children will spot a porcupine, penguin, and giraffe peering from brownstone windows along the way; they and their children join others with equally exotic pets. Yoo’s concluding scenes depict a treehouse occupation (its restrictive message changed to “ALL ARE WELCOME”) and multiethnic, multispecies harmony.

Sweet and affirming. -- Kirkus ― August 15, 2015

Having a tiny elephant for a pet sounds idyllic, but a boy discovers that the local Pet Club doesn’t allow them; a stern girl points at a “Strictly No Elephants” sign. Heading home in the rain, the boy and his elephant spot a girl with her skunk. “They don’t want us to play with them either,” she says. Joined by other owners of unexpected pets—giraffes, armadillos, even a small narwhal in a bowl—they make their own club with its own sign: “All Are Welcome.” In her first picture book, Mantchev (Ticker) examines true friendship, sprinkling observations about the behavior of boy and elephant throughout (“He doesn’t like the cracks in the sidewalk much. I always go back and help him over”) and punctuating them with the refrain, “Because that’s what friends do.” Yoo’s (Hands Say Love) linoleum block prints of brick buildings and quiet sidewalks have the softness and warmth of a favorite blanket. It’s a message book about exclusion with an oh-so-gentle lead-in for discussion. -- Publishers Weekly ― July 20, 2015

It’s Pet Club Day, and the sign on the door at #17 clearly states, “Strictly NO Elephants.” Current members treasure their birds, fish, cats, and dogs, but a young boy taking a walk with his tiny elephant, sharing an umbrella in a cool fall rain, sees no welcome for his friend, so he simply gives his usual support. “That’s what friends do—lift each other over the cracks…brave the scary things for you.” The boy and his elephant meet a girl with a skunk, who were also excluded from the Pet Club meeting, and decide to start a club of their own, one in which all are welcome. Friends “never leave anyone behind.” Illustrations emphasize the warmth of this message with Photoshop, block prints, and pencil in color spreads alternated with smaller vignettes highlighting the expressions of the children and their pets. VERDICT With a gentle message of inclusion and helping others, this title reaches beyond a mere friendship story. A solid general purchase for libraries and classrooms. ― School Library Journal

“The trouble with having a tiny elephant for a pet is that you never quite fit in,” says a little boy with a tiny pet elephant. The Pet Club won’t let him in, and an angry sign—“Strictly No Elephants”—explains why. Forlorn, the boy and little elephant stumble on, the boy’s warm-toned shirt popping against the background of people in dark blues, blacks, and teal. They find another outcast, a little girl with a skunk, and they decide to start their own club. Soon, owners with other unusual pets join them: a girl with a giraffe, a boy with a hedgehog, even a kid with a tiny narwhal in a glass bowl! Eagle-eyed little ones will notice new friends before they make their way to the pet parade. Though the story is slight, the clear message of inclusion is a good one, and the cheerful, lightly mottled block-print illustrations, with bright outlines and in a rich palette, exude lively motion among the children and their pets. Heartening, particularly for kids who often feel left out. -- Booklist ― October 1, 2015

A sunny, smart, tongue-in-cheek tale by Lisa Mantchev. . . . How nice . . . to imagine such a peacable kingdom in our midst, especially as depicted in Taeeun Yoo's intimate, warmly rounded and colored mixed-media illustrations--a richly textured meld of drawing and linocut art finished off in the Photoshop blender. -- The New York Times Book Review ― January 17, 2016

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book

S. · August 29, 2025

Super cute, simple story about inclusion. The pictures are great and my kids enjoy looking at it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable book about inclusion vs exclusion

a. · February 6, 2019

My 3 year old daughter was bullied at preschool by two girls who constantly told her she couldn't play with them. It was so incredibly heartbreaking. Her preschool teacher and school handled it so well, but still, it broke my heart when I witnessed it and heard about it repeatedly. My daughter is now super social at a new school for Kindergarten but I still wanted a book to help teach *her* the importance on including others and to not exclude anyone like those two girls did to her in preschool. I stumbled upon this book on Bolo and am so glad I purchased it. The illustrations are well done and the message is simple yet effective. I read this book aloud to my 5 and 3 year old kids and it is a great addition to our home library. I also plan on purchasing this book for her teacher's class library as the lesson is so important. It's a great little story to help if your kid is the excluder type or even if they are the includer type. Well done book, short enough for bedtime, yet important enough to lead to great conversations about social skills.

5.0 out of 5 stars teaching young children about inclusivity

B. · March 7, 2022

"Strictly No Elephants," written by Lisa Mantchev and illustrated by Taeeum Yoo, is a 32-page book intended for children age 4-8 with lessons about inclusion, kindness, mutual respect and understanding, kindness, and problem solving. The book is available in a hardcover ($11.90) and a paperback ($15.27) version. I strongly recommend the purchase of the hardcover, which, surprisingly, has the added benefit of being less expensive. It tells the story of a young boy who tries to take his tiny pet elephant to school for Pet Club Day but is refused entry. Devastated by his exclusion, he eventually solves the problem of rejection by establishing his own pet club, which accepts all animals. All the pets and children play together and have fun in this new club that welcomes diversity. He learns and teaches others that pets, like people, come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties. The book tells the heartwarming story of accepting diversity and change. Highly recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars such an cute book

C.d. · May 13, 2025

fun book . teaches the kids about differences, and how tackle rejection . love it. beautifully illustrated.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book

H. · October 22, 2022

I bought this book for my 18 mo son. The text is short and simple and the illustrations captivating and not fantastical, and follows the story well.You can understand the story from the pictures alone which is great for 18 mo olds and works well to broaden their understanding. My son sits through the whole story and I am able to askQuestions from the illustrations so it becomes an interactive experience. Definitely a good purchase for a 2 year old but could work for a younger kid who enjoys books.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good story about how exclusion hurts those who are "not the same"

M. · January 13, 2020

This is a good story about how a pet club is formed, but the "odd pets" are excluded, which ends up hurting their feelings. So, in response, the owners of the unusual pets form their own club where everyone is welcome. This book is pretty brief, but it sparked a conversation between my kids (6yrs and 4yrs) and me about how it hurts to be excluded and how it isn't kind to judge anyone just because they're not the same as everyone else. Great lesson and cute illustrations, though I probably would have liked a few more pages of "meaty" text/story.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best message

D.B. · December 27, 2024

This book teaches such an important message in such a clever way, and the illustration is so cute and engaging!

5.0 out of 5 stars A gentle way to address exclusion

K.B. · June 24, 2025

Received quickly, nice quality. This addresses exclusion on a level that people of all ages can understand. A good way to broach the topic to young children without lecturing.

Ideal para trabajar la inclusión desde edades tempranas

H. · January 7, 2020

"Strictly no elephants" va más allá de la simple lectura de un libro cualquiera. A través de ilustraciones muy bonitas y coloridas, y un pequeño texto de una o varias líneas por página, lo cual es ideal para Infantil y primeros cursos de Educación Primaria, conocemos a un niño y a su singular mascota, un elefante, quienes no son bien recibidos en una celebración. En su camino de vuelta a casa, conoce a una niña, a quien también se le negó la entrada por tener una mofeta, y no un perro o un gato.El final no lo desvelo, pero tiene varias lecturas, y es muy bonito buscar la interpretación que uno quiera, lo cual es maravilloso para iniciar debates, o trabajar valores en el aula; o, simplemente, disfrutar de su lectura en familia, pues es un cuento con final feliz.El libro está en inglés, aunque si se ha estudiado el idioma, he de decir a su favor que no abusa de un vocabulario complejo o excesivamente rico, lo que ayuda a la hora de leerlo en contextos bilingües, o incluso poder traducirlo y contarlo en ambos idiomas, o directamente en castellano. Las imágenes ayudan mucho a entender el contexto.En definitiva, un libro precioso. La portada trae una funda que puede retirarse, y cubre ambas tapas. Ese detalle hace que el libro se vea más cuidado si cabe.

Full of warmth, humour and love

S.S. · January 25, 2016

Sweet and funny and genuinely moving. My 2-1/2-year-old AND my seven-year-old were both intensely struck by it and wanted it read to them again and again, each of them reacting to it on different levels. Little kids will love it for the adorable elephant and sweet story; older kids who are struggling with fitting in themselves will find so much warmth and reassurance here.Our family loved it, and my seven-year-old now wants to start a pet club of his own - with, of course, ALL pets welcome!

Sweet story about inclusion!

A.C. · December 20, 2024

This is a wonderful story about inclusion! A lovely message about including everyone, based around different types of animals. My young students got the message right away! Lovely illustrations too!

Seemed boring to me, kids love it

S.S. · November 15, 2024

This is a very basic, non word heavy book. In fact, some pages don’t even have words. I find some of the word choices and structure odd, for example after “every day I take my elephant for a walk” it says “his is a very thoughtful sort of walk” ?? What?And the sentence “that’s what friends do: brave the scary things for you” would’ve been better to be WITH you.Overall, my girls (2 and 4) surprisingly seem to really love this book, I think purely because of the illustrations, especially the page of all the kids with their odd pets. Very expensive for what you get, would’ve preferred a board book being it’s for younger kids

Adorable.

P. · December 28, 2022

I bought this book to share with my 6 year old grandson and enjoy reading it often. The storyline is adorable and valuable in reinforcing the message, it's OK to be different, we all belong. Illustrations are sweet, and I highly recommend this book as a shared experience.

Visit the Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books Store

Strictly No Elephants (The Pet Club Series)

Product ID: U1481416472
Condition: New

4.8

AED6784

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Type: Hardcover
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.

Returns & Warranty policies

Imported From: United States

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

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If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

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While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

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Visit the Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books Store

Strictly No Elephants (The Pet Club Series)

Product ID: U1481416472
Condition: New

4.8

Strictly No Elephants (The Pet Club Series)-0
Type: Hardcover

AED6784

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.

Returns & Warranty policies

Imported From: United States

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.

If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.

All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.

While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

Description:

“A sunny, smart, tongue-in-cheek tale.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Sweet and affirming.” —Kirkus Reviews
“With a gentle message of inclusion and helping others, this title reaches beyond a mere friendship story.”—School Library Journal
“Heartening.”—Booklist

In this bestselling and internationally beloved picture book, the local Pet Club won’t admit a boy’s tiny pet elephant, so he finds a solution—one that involves all kinds of unusual animals.

Today is Pet Club day. There will be cats and dogs and fish, but strictly no elephants are allowed. The Pet Club doesn’t understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, just like friends. Now it is time for a boy and his tiny pet elephant to show them what it means to be a true friend.

Strictly No Elephants has been sold around the world and is heralded as a pitch-perfect book about inclusion. Imaginative and lyrical, this sweet story captures the magic of friendship and the joy of having a pet.
Read more

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 2—It's Pet Club Day, and the sign on the door at #17 clearly states, "Strictly NO Elephants." Current members treasure their birds, fish, cats, and dogs, but a young boy taking a walk with his tiny elephant, sharing an umbrella in a cool fall rain, sees no welcome for his friend, so he simply gives his usual support. "That's what friends do—lift each other over the cracks…brave the scary things for you." The boy and his elephant meet a girl with a skunk, who were also excluded from the Pet Club meeting, and decide to start a club of their own, one in which all are welcome. Friends "never leave anyone behind." Illustrations emphasize the warmth of this message with Photoshop, block prints, and pencil in color spreads alternated with smaller vignettes highlighting the expressions of the children and their pets. VERDICT With a gentle message of inclusion and helping others, this title reaches beyond a mere friendship story. A solid general purchase for libraries and classrooms.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

Review

After a little boy and his tiny elephant are barred from the Pet Club, they befriend other children with unusual pets.

The first-person narrative has a quiet, contemplative feel: “The trouble with having a tiny elephant for a pet is that you never quite fit in. / No one else has an elephant.” His pet is shy of sidewalk cracks: “I always go back and help him over. That’s what friends do: lift each other over the cracks.” Embodying dejection after the two turn from that large, titular sign on the door, a double-page spread—a Photoshop-augmented linoleum block print—depicts a dark teal cityscape slashed with raindrops and bobbing with black umbrellas. The Caucasian boy, his pet (in matching red scarves), and a little African-American girl in cornrows and a red-and-orange striped dress are the bright spots in this poignant tableau. Turns out that this girl—a pet skunk curled on her lap—has been turned away too. “He doesn’t stink,” she says. “No, he doesn’t,” concurs the boy and then suggests, “What if we start our own club?” Observant children will spot a porcupine, penguin, and giraffe peering from brownstone windows along the way; they and their children join others with equally exotic pets. Yoo’s concluding scenes depict a treehouse occupation (its restrictive message changed to “ALL ARE WELCOME”) and multiethnic, multispecies harmony.

Sweet and affirming. -- Kirkus ― August 15, 2015

Having a tiny elephant for a pet sounds idyllic, but a boy discovers that the local Pet Club doesn’t allow them; a stern girl points at a “Strictly No Elephants” sign. Heading home in the rain, the boy and his elephant spot a girl with her skunk. “They don’t want us to play with them either,” she says. Joined by other owners of unexpected pets—giraffes, armadillos, even a small narwhal in a bowl—they make their own club with its own sign: “All Are Welcome.” In her first picture book, Mantchev (Ticker) examines true friendship, sprinkling observations about the behavior of boy and elephant throughout (“He doesn’t like the cracks in the sidewalk much. I always go back and help him over”) and punctuating them with the refrain, “Because that’s what friends do.” Yoo’s (Hands Say Love) linoleum block prints of brick buildings and quiet sidewalks have the softness and warmth of a favorite blanket. It’s a message book about exclusion with an oh-so-gentle lead-in for discussion. -- Publishers Weekly ― July 20, 2015

It’s Pet Club Day, and the sign on the door at #17 clearly states, “Strictly NO Elephants.” Current members treasure their birds, fish, cats, and dogs, but a young boy taking a walk with his tiny elephant, sharing an umbrella in a cool fall rain, sees no welcome for his friend, so he simply gives his usual support. “That’s what friends do—lift each other over the cracks…brave the scary things for you.” The boy and his elephant meet a girl with a skunk, who were also excluded from the Pet Club meeting, and decide to start a club of their own, one in which all are welcome. Friends “never leave anyone behind.” Illustrations emphasize the warmth of this message with Photoshop, block prints, and pencil in color spreads alternated with smaller vignettes highlighting the expressions of the children and their pets. VERDICT With a gentle message of inclusion and helping others, this title reaches beyond a mere friendship story. A solid general purchase for libraries and classrooms. ― School Library Journal

“The trouble with having a tiny elephant for a pet is that you never quite fit in,” says a little boy with a tiny pet elephant. The Pet Club won’t let him in, and an angry sign—“Strictly No Elephants”—explains why. Forlorn, the boy and little elephant stumble on, the boy’s warm-toned shirt popping against the background of people in dark blues, blacks, and teal. They find another outcast, a little girl with a skunk, and they decide to start their own club. Soon, owners with other unusual pets join them: a girl with a giraffe, a boy with a hedgehog, even a kid with a tiny narwhal in a glass bowl! Eagle-eyed little ones will notice new friends before they make their way to the pet parade. Though the story is slight, the clear message of inclusion is a good one, and the cheerful, lightly mottled block-print illustrations, with bright outlines and in a rich palette, exude lively motion among the children and their pets. Heartening, particularly for kids who often feel left out. -- Booklist ― October 1, 2015

A sunny, smart, tongue-in-cheek tale by Lisa Mantchev. . . . How nice . . . to imagine such a peacable kingdom in our midst, especially as depicted in Taeeun Yoo's intimate, warmly rounded and colored mixed-media illustrations--a richly textured meld of drawing and linocut art finished off in the Photoshop blender. -- The New York Times Book Review ― January 17, 2016

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book

S. · August 29, 2025

Super cute, simple story about inclusion. The pictures are great and my kids enjoy looking at it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable book about inclusion vs exclusion

a. · February 6, 2019

My 3 year old daughter was bullied at preschool by two girls who constantly told her she couldn't play with them. It was so incredibly heartbreaking. Her preschool teacher and school handled it so well, but still, it broke my heart when I witnessed it and heard about it repeatedly. My daughter is now super social at a new school for Kindergarten but I still wanted a book to help teach *her* the importance on including others and to not exclude anyone like those two girls did to her in preschool. I stumbled upon this book on Bolo and am so glad I purchased it. The illustrations are well done and the message is simple yet effective. I read this book aloud to my 5 and 3 year old kids and it is a great addition to our home library. I also plan on purchasing this book for her teacher's class library as the lesson is so important. It's a great little story to help if your kid is the excluder type or even if they are the includer type. Well done book, short enough for bedtime, yet important enough to lead to great conversations about social skills.

5.0 out of 5 stars teaching young children about inclusivity

B. · March 7, 2022

"Strictly No Elephants," written by Lisa Mantchev and illustrated by Taeeum Yoo, is a 32-page book intended for children age 4-8 with lessons about inclusion, kindness, mutual respect and understanding, kindness, and problem solving. The book is available in a hardcover ($11.90) and a paperback ($15.27) version. I strongly recommend the purchase of the hardcover, which, surprisingly, has the added benefit of being less expensive. It tells the story of a young boy who tries to take his tiny pet elephant to school for Pet Club Day but is refused entry. Devastated by his exclusion, he eventually solves the problem of rejection by establishing his own pet club, which accepts all animals. All the pets and children play together and have fun in this new club that welcomes diversity. He learns and teaches others that pets, like people, come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties. The book tells the heartwarming story of accepting diversity and change. Highly recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars such an cute book

C.d. · May 13, 2025

fun book . teaches the kids about differences, and how tackle rejection . love it. beautifully illustrated.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book

H. · October 22, 2022

I bought this book for my 18 mo son. The text is short and simple and the illustrations captivating and not fantastical, and follows the story well.You can understand the story from the pictures alone which is great for 18 mo olds and works well to broaden their understanding. My son sits through the whole story and I am able to askQuestions from the illustrations so it becomes an interactive experience. Definitely a good purchase for a 2 year old but could work for a younger kid who enjoys books.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good story about how exclusion hurts those who are "not the same"

M. · January 13, 2020

This is a good story about how a pet club is formed, but the "odd pets" are excluded, which ends up hurting their feelings. So, in response, the owners of the unusual pets form their own club where everyone is welcome. This book is pretty brief, but it sparked a conversation between my kids (6yrs and 4yrs) and me about how it hurts to be excluded and how it isn't kind to judge anyone just because they're not the same as everyone else. Great lesson and cute illustrations, though I probably would have liked a few more pages of "meaty" text/story.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best message

D.B. · December 27, 2024

This book teaches such an important message in such a clever way, and the illustration is so cute and engaging!

5.0 out of 5 stars A gentle way to address exclusion

K.B. · June 24, 2025

Received quickly, nice quality. This addresses exclusion on a level that people of all ages can understand. A good way to broach the topic to young children without lecturing.

Ideal para trabajar la inclusión desde edades tempranas

H. · January 7, 2020

"Strictly no elephants" va más allá de la simple lectura de un libro cualquiera. A través de ilustraciones muy bonitas y coloridas, y un pequeño texto de una o varias líneas por página, lo cual es ideal para Infantil y primeros cursos de Educación Primaria, conocemos a un niño y a su singular mascota, un elefante, quienes no son bien recibidos en una celebración. En su camino de vuelta a casa, conoce a una niña, a quien también se le negó la entrada por tener una mofeta, y no un perro o un gato.El final no lo desvelo, pero tiene varias lecturas, y es muy bonito buscar la interpretación que uno quiera, lo cual es maravilloso para iniciar debates, o trabajar valores en el aula; o, simplemente, disfrutar de su lectura en familia, pues es un cuento con final feliz.El libro está en inglés, aunque si se ha estudiado el idioma, he de decir a su favor que no abusa de un vocabulario complejo o excesivamente rico, lo que ayuda a la hora de leerlo en contextos bilingües, o incluso poder traducirlo y contarlo en ambos idiomas, o directamente en castellano. Las imágenes ayudan mucho a entender el contexto.En definitiva, un libro precioso. La portada trae una funda que puede retirarse, y cubre ambas tapas. Ese detalle hace que el libro se vea más cuidado si cabe.

Full of warmth, humour and love

S.S. · January 25, 2016

Sweet and funny and genuinely moving. My 2-1/2-year-old AND my seven-year-old were both intensely struck by it and wanted it read to them again and again, each of them reacting to it on different levels. Little kids will love it for the adorable elephant and sweet story; older kids who are struggling with fitting in themselves will find so much warmth and reassurance here.Our family loved it, and my seven-year-old now wants to start a pet club of his own - with, of course, ALL pets welcome!

Sweet story about inclusion!

A.C. · December 20, 2024

This is a wonderful story about inclusion! A lovely message about including everyone, based around different types of animals. My young students got the message right away! Lovely illustrations too!

Seemed boring to me, kids love it

S.S. · November 15, 2024

This is a very basic, non word heavy book. In fact, some pages don’t even have words. I find some of the word choices and structure odd, for example after “every day I take my elephant for a walk” it says “his is a very thoughtful sort of walk” ?? What?And the sentence “that’s what friends do: brave the scary things for you” would’ve been better to be WITH you.Overall, my girls (2 and 4) surprisingly seem to really love this book, I think purely because of the illustrations, especially the page of all the kids with their odd pets. Very expensive for what you get, would’ve preferred a board book being it’s for younger kids

Adorable.

P. · December 28, 2022

I bought this book to share with my 6 year old grandson and enjoy reading it often. The storyline is adorable and valuable in reinforcing the message, it's OK to be different, we all belong. Illustrations are sweet, and I highly recommend this book as a shared experience.

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