I'm not sure if the advanced copy provided was the whole book or not, because my copy finished suddenly as if the document was cut. I have to say the beginning was really promising, but everything felt rushed and there was not much content. Perhaps this book is only for really small children to practice reading few sentences, but I felt it was lacking more plot and a more defined ending.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

There is a great meaning behind this book but unfortunately it was too short and too vague for children to really understand or recognise the meaning the book is trying to teach. The book had great potential but needs much more putting into the story itself.

This is a short picture book to read with a child rather than to encourage their reading.
The book is the work of author Samuel Narh. Written from a viewpoint that values he had as a child growing up in Ghana, West Africa are not held in such high esteem.
He strives to share a sense of wonder, the stewardship of our plants, trees and environment and the saving of our wealth - his childhood memory of a piggy bank is introduced here for good measure.
That apart Elle is not Samuel and her story radiates from these pages.
I am grateful to the publishers and NetGalley in allowing me to read an advanced reader’s copy.
I fell in love with the young girl Elle on the first page. She is busy and industrious as we find out, but from the start of her day she wakes with a smile.
She has purpose to plant and see new trees but aside from this we find her a play on the beach as any young child. What marks her out as special is her observation and delight in nature. Alongside of which she has an entrepreneurial outlook. She only relaxing and takes in the beauty of her surroundings once she has collected seven seashells.
These are not to decorate her room but to sell at the market for the best price possible. We know she has a project in mind as she saves these coins in her piggy bank which is nearly full.
Beautifully illustrated I enjoyed a day in Elle’s life charged with purpose and future desire. A means to an end but not wasted in toil and worry. Time taken out to watch the beauty of the day and marvel at the changing colours as the sun sets. I will be a family favourite for any child as Elle is engaging and easily identifiable. There is no force of message or sermon into save your money and save the planet. No it is a simple story of a bright young girl in time with her life and with a joy of the world around her.
The reader has no role but to read these simple words and show the rich illustrations - you will field many questions as the story will tease out enquiry and perhaps bring Elle’s countenance to their faces.

This is a bit of a strange little book that's probably too vague for children to really appreciate.

Elle wants to plant more trees. So she finds seashells, sells them, and makes a few coins.

That's literally the whole plot. Unfortunately, it's kind of weak. The book ends with Elle dreaming about Portuana having more trees, but that thought is not connected to the money. So the reader has to remember that, on the first page she wanted to plant more trees. (Whether children will be able to connect Elle's piggy-bank coins with her desire to plant trees remains to be seen.) I actually forgot about Elle's desire because the way Portuana is depicted might make one wonder why it needs more trees at all. It's already got tons!

The illustrations themselves look like they were done digitally. There's a strange mix of cartoonish shapes and impressionism that don't really seem to blend very well. I'm also not a fan of the rather large boat illustration that holds the page number on every other page; it's distracting and unnecessary.

I can't really recommend this one. It would have had more impact if Elle had been trying to solve a problem (a lack of trees) and the story had made clear how she was going to do that (earning money to buy seedlings to plant).

Elle of Portuana is a lovely, little picture book about a girl who sells seashells and wants to plant more trees.

The plot is quite thin in this book, but it is sweet nonetheless. I wanted a little more "umph" from the plot, since I wasn't entirely sure what was going to happen. The book just sort of... ends. I was hoping maybe our little friend would spend her coins on a new tree or plant, or maybe donate her money to a good cause! Unfortunately, it just ended with Portuana dreaming of more trees.

I think this book would be a great story for educators to read and add onto it. There could be questions at the end for how the students would finish the book or continue on as Portuana. Otherwise, it's a really pretty book! If you're looking for pretty, this book will do!

I really enjoyed the illustrations in this book. The colours were rich and saturated, making this book stand out among it's peers. That was the ultimate highlight of this book for me.

Overall, this book is nice but it's missing something for me as a reader.

Two out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book!