A lighthearted concoction of extraordinary events, told with affection
and humor. ― The New York Times.
Oh, what an admirable cat is Elephi! (And what an admirable writer is
Jean Stafford!) ... Don't you miss knowing Elephi. (Or Erik Blegvad's
apt illustrations.) ― *Publishers Weekly.
*Elephi Pelephi Well Known Cat Formerly Kitten lives a comfortable life
with a kind but dull couple who often leave him to his own devices.
Being a cat with a high IQ, he longs for stimulating companionship, and
when he spies a snow-covered car outside his Fifth Avenue apartment,
Elephi recognizes the opportunity for an adventure. Taking advantage of
an open door, the intrepid cat bolts out to the street and devises a
rescue for the abandoned vehicle, a daring maneuver that leads to comic
confusion and a surprising new friendship.
Splendid black-and-white drawings that evoke New York City of the 1960s
complement this classic by the winner of the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for
Fiction. Jean Stafford is best known for her short stories, which
appeared in the New Yorker and other literary magazines. Her own
beloved pet inspired this tale of Elephi, Stafford's only children's
book, which is clearly the work of someone who loves and understands
cats.
The drawings by Erik Blegvad endow both cats and cars with vivid
personality. -- The Emerald City Book Review