THE ELEVATOR ON 74TH STREET, by Laura Gehl and Yas Imamura, Beach Lane Books, Sept. 30, 2025, Hardcover, $19.99 (ages 4-8)
Follow the comings and goings of an apartment building’s residents through the eyes of its elevator in The Elevator on 74th Street, by Laura Gehl and Yas Imamura.
Every day, Ellie the elevator works tirelessly to make the residents of her building happy. She loves everyone who lives in her building—even the dogs with muddy paws and the over-enthusiastic button-pushers. But Ellie has a soft spot for Thea, who bounces through Ellie’s doors with a cheerful grin every day. After Thea’s best friend moves away, Ellie rarely sees Thea smile anymore. Ellie wants to cheer Thea up…but what can an elevator do to help? Leave it to Ellie to make Thea’s world better. —Synopsis provided by Beach Lane Books
The Elevator of 74th Street is a charming story of life and friendship.
At the center of the story is Ellie, the only elevator in her building. Ellie loves everyone in her building, but she especially loves Thea. The two came to the building at the same time, and there’s something about watching Thea grow that makes her special.
Kids will get a kick out of Ellie and all she does for her residents. And they’ll enjoy friendships depicted throughout.
Author Laura Gehl’s conversational tone is a joy to read. And Yas Imamura’s gouache, watercolor, marker and crayon illustrations add wonderful layers to this already delightful story.
The Elevator on 74th Street is a cheerful book sure to appeal to a large audience.
About the Creators:
Laura Gehl is the author of fifty books for young readers, including One Big Pair of Underwear, the Cat and Friends early reader series, Snow Is…, You’re the Sprinkles on My Ice Cream, You’re the Pumpkin in My Pie, and The Elevator on 74th Street. She lives with her husband and their four kids in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Visit her online at LauraGehl.com.
Yas Imamura is an illustrator living in Portland, Oregon. Her works include collaborations with Anthropologie and Sanrio, as well as her growing list of children’s books such as Can You Imagine? by Lisa Tolin and The Elevator on 74th Street by Laura Gehl. Her preferred materials are gouache and watercolor and she often finds herself drawn to projects that are playful, mysterious, and a little offbeat.
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