Little Elephant and Mama Elephant were walking through the jungle. Mama Elephant told Little Elephant to tweak twice if she wanted to ask a question. Throughout the walk she tweaked twice to ask questions about all sorts of animals such frogs, monkeys, birds, and crocodiles. It was an opportunity for her to learn about herself as well as other animals in her environment.

A baby elephant is walking with her mother and asking if she can do the things that other animals, reptiles, and insects are doing. Her mother let’s her know that she can’t, but then tells her what elephants can do. The baby elephant gets to lead her mother home at the end.

I liked this story because of the pretty illustrations, and because it pushes readers to broaden their perspective by asking questions. At first I was not sure what to expect from the book based on its title, “Tweak Tweak.” This picture book tells the story of a mother and baby elephant, and their journey throughout the jungle. In the story, the elephants pass by different animals, and the baby elephant always has a question for her mother. The baby elephant asks questions by saying “tweak tweak” and pulling on her mom’s tail. For example, the baby elephant asked her mom, “Can I be a frog so I can jump?” and the mother answers by saying, “No, but you can stomp your foot to make a big sound.” I liked how the mother elephant always responded with a positive remark instead of just saying “no.” The illustrations in the book are painted using water colors and enhance the mood of the story. All of the different animals, and their environments were painted in beautiful colors, which were eye catching. The elephants also came across a crocodile in the water, the baby elephant then asked her mother, “Can I go swimming in the river like a crocodile?” and the mother responds by saying, “No, but you can pull up some water in your trunk and spray it on yourself.” Once again, the mother elephant is not shutting down the baby elephant’s questions; instead she encourages her baby by sharing more realistic activities, which elephants can do.
I feel that the overall message of this story is to be aware of self-acceptance, and be proud of who you are. In the story, the baby elephant wanted to be like all the other animals, and the mother elephant helped teach her baby, that she is capable of doing similar things. In the end of the story the baby elephant becomes proud of who she is, thanks to her mother elephants praise and positive attitude. ( )

I enjoyed this book by Eve Bunting. A baby elephant with a lot of spunk and curiosity is intrigued by the qualities of other creatures that they pass by on a path. "Tweak Tweak" has a very strong underlying message that speaks to it's reader, regardless of their age. While passing by a singing bird the elephant asked if he/she could sing. Instead of discouraging the child she said, "No, because you are a little elephant, but you can trumpet." This message shows that everyone is unique and has their own special qualities. Another reason why I liked this book was for the character change. At the beginning, the mother is leading her baby through the jungle but by the end the character roles have switched and the baby leads the mother back home confidently ( )

Baby and mama elephant walk together in the wild, exchanging questions and answers about the creatures they encounter. A gentle story that shows a nurturing relationship with a caregiver and showcases a little one's imagination. Pictures are in pastel against a vaguely Seussian landscape, bold enough to work for a story time crowd. Little elephant's questions, sound effects, and motions beckon audience participation.

The story is a little on the long side. If the audience begins to get restless, it works fine to end on the third-to-last page (“Just like me”) and skip the coda, where the elephants retrace their steps back home.

Song pairing: "Walking, Walking"
Song pairing: "Wheels on the Bus" (with frogs, birds)
Book pairing: Butterfly, Butterfly, by Petr Horacek (butterfly, repetition in title)