About the Book An honest and sensitive story about foster care that Booklist calls gentle, age-appropriate, [and] free of blame. Book Synopsis The critically acclaimed story of one childs experience of foster care and his journey to a forever, forever home Elliots parents love him very much, but they dont have all the skills they need to take care of a child. When he cries, they do not understand why. When he yells, they do not know what to do. When he misbehaves, they do not know how to react. One day a social worker named Thomas comes to visit, and Elliots world turns upside-down. Manon Gauthiers soft collage illustrations feature approachable rabbit characters, while Julie Pearsons soothing, repetitive text guides Elliot gently through the foster child system. The new families that care for the little boy are kind, but everything is strange and new, and the sudden changes make him want to cry and yell and misbehave. Then, when it becomes clear that Elliots parents will never be able to raise him, Thomas sets out to find Elliot one last home--a forever, forever home with a family that will love and care for him no matter what. Review Quotes About Elliot 2017 OLA Best Bets selection 2016 School Library Journal blogger Elizabeth Birds 2016 Books With A Message selection 2016 Canadian Childrens Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens selection 2016 Resource Links The Years Best selection Fostering is a difficult topic, but Pearson addresses it in a gentle, age-appropriate manner free of blame. Her direct lines keep the focus solidly on Elliots emotional reactions, and repetition reinforces a reassuring undercurrent of familiarity in each new home. Gauthiers collage illustrations, in muted tones and childlike shapes, effectively dampen the realism of the potentially scary scenarios in the story and keep the mood somber but hopeful. Though it might not be representative of every fostering experience, this sensitive story nevertheless could be a comfort to children in the foster system.-- Booklist Gauthiers...drawings are simple but poignantly depict the range of emotions Elliot experiences. The muted colors also help reinforce the low-key, reassuring message. Pearson handles this delicate subject with an understandable, sensitive, and sympathetic text. Recommended for libraries seeking books to help young children understand that birth parents sometimes do not know how to care for them and that other caregivers must enter their lives.-- School Library Journal [ Elliot ] provides a gentle, caring way of introducing the concepts of finding a forever home which is loving and nurturing and inclusive for children when their own family cannot cope...This is an excellent teaching tool for classroom discussion about families and relationships. It is also a wonderful book to provide comfort, hope and assistance in adapting to a foster family situation for children in that process. Highly recommended.-- Resource Links Pearsons refusal to sugarcoat [Elliots] journey should resonate with children in similar situations.-- Publishers Weekly The book tackles a complex issue in an approachable and kid-friendly way with adorable bunny characters and soft collage illustrations. Its a must-read.-- Todays Parent This is a lovely book to share with a child trying to cope with the intricacies of being a foster child. The book stresses that Elliot is always loved and that everyone wants to do what is best for him. This is a must-have for public libraries.-- Youth Services Book Review A simple yet powerful tale of hope, love, and belonging, Elliot tugs on the heartstrings and leaves readers with a heightened appreciation of the courage and resiliency of foster children and their families. Highly Recommended.-- CM Magazine This book is so very important...Honest and vital, this picture book fills a huge gap in childrens books with its depiction of the foster system for small children. Appropriate for ages 3-5.-- Waking Brain Cells There are very few picture books that I want to clutch a little tighter and hold onto in my heart a little longer. Elliot is one that has touched me so.-- CanLit for LittleCanadians Not all children are born into families where their needs can be met....Whatever the reason, there are times when children must be placed in foster care to ensure their growth and well-being....Honest and heartfelt, this book about foster parenting and adoption is a needed addition to any collection. Told in clear prose, with cut paper collage art done in quiet tones, it reflects the experiences of many children.-- Sals Fiction Addiction [T]his is a powerful book about a difficult subject that is an important read-aloud to those kids who are going through similar circumstances as well as any child who knows someone who is being fostered.-- Raising Mom This book tackles a tough subject in a gentle and sensitive way, using a cast of disarming and charming rabbits. I havent seen many books that address children in the foster care system, but I believe this is a truly powerful book and can resonate with a group that yearns to be understood.-- Little Bookworm Club