Balarama

This "primary source" Bluebonnet nominee for 2011 tells the story of the newly appointed royal elephant, Balarama. Set in India, the authors tell the story of their first fall visit where they meet Drona, who has led the glorious procession on the last day of the Dasara festival. They are taken with the culture and the animal and decide to return the following year to take in the spectacle, but find Drona has been replaced due to injury. They watch Balarama train to prepare for the procession in which he must carry the 800 pound golden carriage.

The authors are both notable illustrators and I liked how their very different styles are mixed throughout the pages. It moves from beautiful watercolor scenes to cartoonish storytelling. Just as they share their account, they share in their vision of it, which makes the books as fun to look at as it is to read.