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Published Oct 2011
208 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Information
Lizzie and Karl's mother is a zoo keeper; the family has become attached to an orphaned elephant named Marlene, who will be destroyed as a precautionary measure so she and the other animals don't run wild should the zoo be hit by bombs. The family persuades the zoo director to let Marlene stay in their garden instead. When the city is bombed, the family flees with thousands of others, but how can they walk the same route when they have an elephant in tow, and keep themselves safe? Along the way, they meet Peter, a Canadian navigator who risks his own capture to save the family.
As Michael Morpurgo writes in an author's note, An Elephant in the Garden is inspired by historical truths, and by his admiration for elephants, "the noblest and wisest and most sensitive of all creatures." Here is a story that brings together an unlikely group of survivors whose faith in kindness and love proves the best weapon of all.
"The novel's clean prose delivers a gripping and unconventional perspective on the tumultuous era. Ages 10–14." - Publishers Weekly
"The occasional interruptions to the story build suspense and add a layer of resonance to Morpurgo's poignant and thoughtful exploration of the terrible impact of war on both sides of the fighting." - Booklist
"This well-paced, heartwarming narrative by a master storyteller will appeal to readers on several levels…" - School Library Journal
"[The] calm, steady tone is engaging, appropriate, and will appeal to a wide range of readers." - VOYA
"A moving but somewhat flawed tale of human - and animal - courage in the face of tragic suffering." - Kirkus
This information about An Elephant in the Garden was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Michael Morpurgo is one of the world's most acclaimed authors for children. His middle grade novel, War Horse, debuted on Broadway in 2011, and was adapted for film by Stephen Spielberg.
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