Synopsis
The newest elephant in the herd is adorably small and wrinkly, with floppy ears and a most extraordinary nose. Though she’s a baby, it isn’t long before she’s charging around her mother, flapping those big ears to frighten the birds, learning to control her trunk, playing with other calves…and charming children everywhere. This is non-fiction at its freshest—filled with valuable information presented through a dramatic, exciting, and memorably illustrated story. Kids will love watching this infant grow up, surrounded by a loving family that’s always there to protect her. At the same time, young readers will find out important facts about this endangered species: how the herd behaves, why they may one day disappear, and what different kinds of elephants live around the world.
School Library Journal
Gr 1-3
As in Tiger's Story (Boxer Bks., 2007), this lovely book subtly introduces general facts about the subject animal through a simple tale of its first few years. Mother elephant stands over her large baby, sheltering her with tree-trunk-size legs as the youngster takes its first wobbly steps. Then the little one learns how to use her trunk to drink water and to eat grass. When in danger, she is protected by the herd. As time progresses, another calf is born into the extended family, and it is Elephant's turn to protect the new arrival from the farmer's noisy machinery, leading it back to the safety of its elders. The large text is well placed on the warm, sun-drenched paintings that show the elephants and other animals in the lush green pastures and dry yellow grasses of the African savanna. Children are sure to enjoy finding the duck that appears on almost every spread. An author's note elaborates on the few facts mentioned, giving children a good introduction to the world's largest land mammal.-Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY