Ella and her friends can't wait for Picture Day at school! Belinda thinks everyone should try new looks and be more stylish. Ella tries. But in the end, with the help of her magic hat, she realizes that being yourself is the best choice!

As a class of school children have their individual school pictures taken, readers are reminded of how to have their own best pictures taken.

She's younger than Babar, shyer than Lily, and every bit as cute as Olivia. Look out! Here's ELLA! Ella's counting the days until the first day of school ... but not because she's eager to start! On the contrary, as the littlest elephant on Elephant Island, she's terribly nervous about the other kids she'll meet. Then she receives a beautiful red hat that belonged to her grandmother -- her new lucky charm. Big mean Belinda at school teases her for it, calling her "Ella the Elegant Elephant." But Ella's brave enough to hold on to her hat, and in the end, the hat (and her heart) save the day. With warm, rich pictures and a charming main character, ELLA is sure to be a new favorite.

In her debut picture book, Beth Mills offers a pitch-perfect look at recess, friendship, and being a good sport. First grader Ella McKeen is the undisputed kickball queen until a new girl named Riya shows up—and shows her up at recess. How does Ella handle losing? By throwing herself on the grass and screaming while the rest of the class watches her fall apart. Yikes!

School picture day runs into all sorts of delays when Josephina's curiosity gets the best of her and her fidgeting causes multiple delays.

Hog is careful. Harold is not.Harold cannot help smiling. Hog can.Hog worries so that Harold does not have to. Harold and Hog are best friends. But can Harold and Hog's friendship survive a game of pretending to be Elephant & Piggie?