An oldie but goodie! From 1971 this classic tale of an elephant who's going to sneeze will set storytimes rolling with laughter. I love that all animals included in this story actually belong in Africa. Even the bear, which is an Atlas Bear, now thought to be extinct.

When the elephant announces that he's going to sneeze, he is met with multiple requests to desist. Each animal details the results of his last sneeze. Birds went without feathers, bees without stingers and zebras without stripes! Yikes!

In the end a little mouse offers a reprieve but necessarily a solution to the problem.

I also love that there are no "forced" rhymes. All rhyming words are true rhymes.

This story is the bee's knees! *wink

Ages: 4 - 8

**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!

So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!

Animal Fantasy
2nd-3rd
A very good book for a re-aloud. Very engaging and humorous. I liked the concept and the pacing of the story.

my favorite book from childhood. many of my closest friends have been forced to sit through story time with this book. i have stickers all over the back. see? even as a child, i showed my love with unnessecary plastic objects.

This is an absolutely wonderful children's book that will delight everyone who reads it.

This is one of the cutest children's books I have ever read!

Title "Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"
Author Patricia Thomas
Illustrator Wallace Tripp
Publisher William Morrow & Company
Date of Publication 1990
Number of Pages in Book 32
Genre Animal Fantasy

The Elephant is about to sneeze, so he warns all the animals & insects. This book tells the story of an Elephant who is about to sneeze, trying to avoid the damage he will inadvertently do.

This book is filled with wonderous rhyme and hilarious pictures, allowing for an extremely fun read. Tripp's stunning artwork truly drives the funny plot forward, creating a book suitable for children of all ages who just want a laugh.

Not only is this one of my favorite children's books, it's also a favorite of my mother's. I think she could recite nearly the entire thing. The illustrations are by Wallace Trip (who authored & illustrated another of my favorites: Sir Toby Jingle's Beastly Journey).

It's a wonderful & hilarious book. As the elephant is about to sneeze, he warns all the animals & insects to flee, due to the damage he inadvertently does to them. However, a small mouse takes it upon himself to try to interrupt the sneeze, with cataclysmic repercussions.

Everyone should own a copy of this book.

“Stand Back” Said The Elephant, “I’m Going To Sneeze!” written by Patricia Thomas, is a funny, rhyming story. Each animal in the book tells a story about what happened the last time Elephant sneezed. After each animal tells him why he should not sneeze, a little mouse scares him and the elephant doesn’t have to sneeze anymore. However, the elephant finds it so amusing that a little mouse could scare him that he laughs and laughs. He laughs so hard that all the things the animals were afraid of happening when he sneezes, happen.
This book is wonderful is read to children ages 2 to 5, and would be great for children ages 5 to 8 to read for themselves.

This is by far the most memorable book from my childhood. I vividly remember my mother reading this book to me with such expression in her voice every time the elephant was about to sneeze! I remember giggling every time the huge let out a sneeze that was so fierce and powerful it caused a disaster! Every time the elephant would sneeze, the animals from the previous disaster-causing sneeze would beg the elephant to never sneeze again! The illustrations were a great interpretation of the elephant and his animal friends. The illustrations were lively and captivating to the eye because of the over the top nature of the illustrations that still managed to be realistic and believable. Very genius Patricia Thomas! I think that children, and even adults, will appreciate and enjoy the rhyming scheme that this book uses to aid in creating the silly-nature of this book. Reading this book aloud to students would give the teacher a great opportunity to read with vigor and expression that will be engaging and lively for the students listening! I dare students to listen to this book being read aloud and not let out a silly laugh or two themselves!

Great art, fun rhymes, and a terrifically silly premise. A good children's book!

Very funny, great vocabulary, wonderfully absurd! It is a favorite with our grandchildren.