What It Is About: Sam and her father have spent their lives living at an elephant sanctuary. Sam lost her mother at a very young age. It has always been just her and her father. Well, and the elephants! Sam is known as the "elephant girl" to the kids at school. Sometimes she owns this title and other times she knows they are making fun of her. As with her dad, at times she would rather be with the elephants than with her friends. One of her favorite elephants is pregnant and gives birth early. The sanctuary loses the mother elephant, but the baby survives. Sam and the new born develop a special bond. At the same time a new adult elephant arrives and arrives with some special circumstances. Sam's father warns her to be careful with the new elephant. As the newborn grows, Sam and her father begin to notice something different about the elephant. When their "silent" partner arrives at the sanctuary, he brings some of the most extraordinary news they have ever heard.
What I Thought Of It: I thought this was an excellent story and was hooked right from the beginning. Before reading this story I didn't have much interest and/or infinity to elephants. While reading I learned so much about their lives, behaviors, and interactions with humans. The author did a wonderful job of telling a fictional story while including pertinent nonfiction information about elephants. I did not see the "surprise" coming and it added greatly to the story. Not only was this a story about the relationship between a girl and elephants, but there was also a major focus on the relationships humans have with each other.
Who Should Read It: This book should be added to any third through sixth grade classroom. If you know of any young readers that are drawn to animal stories, then you have to recommend this one to them. They will enjoy and learn from it. Happy Reading!
Rating: 4 STARS out of 5 Stars!
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