The Elevator on 74th Street

Gr 1-4–Ellie the elevator loves taking care of the inhabitants of her building. She holds her doors a few extra seconds for Mr. Chen, who moves a little more slowly than others, and she doesn’t mind the muddy paws of the dogs that live in her building. While Ellie doesn’t want to play favorites, she does have a soft spot for Thea. Ellie’s first day on the job was the day that Thea came home from the hospital, so Ellie has watched Thea grow up. When Thea’s best friend moves away, Ellie tries to lift her mood but nothing seems to help. Then a new girl moves into the building, and Ellie has to pull out all her tricks to get the two girls to connect. Eventually a new friendship is formed, and Ellie is thoroughly satisfied. Illustrations in gouache, watercolor, markers, and aquarelle crayons capture Ellie’s expressions and the unique role that she plays in this lively and diverse community. This story will be useful for engaging children in discussions about the effort that it takes to form friendships and would be useful at the start of the school year to help students find those small connections that can build into true friendships.