Elephants Books

REVIEWED BY: Wayne Walker

In this unique heritage book for children based on African history, a young girl, named Abii after the memory of the elephant, tells the story of the African people using her own life's experiences as an example. Her father was a pharoah, and her people spread out all over the continent, but other people came from across the sea to take over their home. Eventually, she and her family were captured, put on a boat, sent far away, and sold as slaves. However, her very name kept telling her to "Remember." A glossary is included to help young readers understand the historical African terms that are used. I found the book fascinating.
The author is a teacher in the New York City public schools who passions include working with her hands in clay, vibrant colors as seen in the wonderfully vivid illustrations in the book, mask making, and story telling through puppetry arts. The purpose of the book is to weave centuries of time into one seamless story and heighten self-esteem through cultural identity. It would be of special benefit to African-American children, but the story that it tells is one that all children need to hear and understand, as the book not only connects all of African history but also shows that all of humanity came from a common origin. A "Memories of the Little Elephant Curriculum" is being developed to help make the book more useful for students.

This beautifully illustrated book provides a true depiction of the African diaspora, told gently and in terms young children can understand. It's a delight for adults as well. Perfect for gift-giving.

Memories of the Little Elephant is a thoughtfully written, beautifully illustrated book. I wish this book had been available when I was a child, but it's just as thought provoking for the adult reader. I loved it so much that I bought two! One for my own library, and one as a gift. It's definitely a book you'll want to share with others.

As a professional educator and school administrator, I have read a lot of children's books because that has been a function of my job requirements. This is not to say that I did not enjoy reading them because I really do. It has more to do with my personal preferences in choosing what books to read.

As a student of history, my curiosity was immediately aroused by the buzz that I had heard surrounding "Memories of the Little Elephant" on MySpace. So, reading it came from a different motivation.

When I received my copy, I first sat and just looked at all of the wonderful and very interestingly symbolic illustrations. They are so rich with meaning! Then, after reading the book for the third time in one sitting, I just had to pause for a moment to absorb the depth of the multi-layered messages that I had just encountered from this simplistic telling of a very complex story.

Is this the world's most historically accurate children's book ever written!!!

Not only was this book a delightful read from that standpoint, it was also a tremendously fun adventure that is sure to heightened and strengthened the critical thinking skills and self-concept of every reader. I unequivocally recommend this book for all caregivers for all children of all ages, [....]

I'm glad I made time to give a good reading to "Memories of the Little Elephant". I was delighted with what I found. The book is a composition. The form of 'children's book' is set-up such that a reader of any age can enjoy inferring Nehprii's criteria in crafting the story, imagery, vocabulary... also what is avoided that could've been said, and what a young person reading this is set up to *remember* in future learning with the references included in the book. I once wanted to write a children's book that would present a critique of our relationship to the natural environment, but I found the task too difficult to complete and dropped it after 6 months -- Nephrii seems to have found a way to present the slave trade at a ...4-year-old's reading level (?)... that's a tough task! And an important one.

The endeavor to put complex content into words, symbols, and imagery makes this not only a "children's book" but also one with many layers of discovery for its adult readers as well.

Rob Scott
Urbana, IL

I have been passionate about Steve's first book, "10 Greatest Gifts I Give My Children" for years and am so excited about having these same qualities and values expressed in the office. In fact, I see these tools as invaluable in all relationships and community aspects of our lives. I have given this book to the top management of my work place in my effort to lead from "down under":-) I am fortunate to work in a wonderful environment and believe that communication is something you "can't do too good." They (Steve and Craig) have a way of very succinctly conveying very profound and workable concepts.The 10 Greatest Gifts I Give My Children

What's the elephant in your office? What's that one big thing, that underlying behavior that no one ever talks about? The issue much too overwhelming for a quick fix approach.

Ultimately, all the quick fixes in the world won't work. We all know that because we've tried them. Attempts to solve problems tend to end up in a finger pointing game. Happy people motivation schemes create disillusioned employees who feel undervalued.

The answer is so obvious that we've missed it. That elephant has to be exposed. Then, instead of looking for problems look to the strengths of the company to build a stronger foundation. In order to do this though, the employer has to change the way he or she manages. Listening, really listening. Being truly open to hearing about those elephants. Take the high road and use each elephant as a chance to learn and grow. Be dedicated to creating a wellness culture. Stomp the Elephant in the Office shows you how.

This book is incredibly insightful and caused me to look at company culture and my own professional behavior in a completely different way. We really do have the choice, no matter what our level in the organization, to be a driver of a positive work environment or a contributor to a negative one. This book provides practical tools that enable you to make a difference immediately in how you communicate with others, motivate team members and resolve challenges. I highly recommend it.

This may be the single most helpful book that I have read to help bring out the best in an organization. I have been in the business world for 25 years, and this book has me viewing my role as a leader completely different from the past. The tools that Vannoy and Ross provide the reader have had an immediate impact on my business.

I read this book once and have gone back to it countless times since! The simple and practical tools have a place in my everyday life, making both work and home more enjoyable!

You know those "little" irritating things that happen at work (a miscommunication with a co-worker, an email with an indecipherable tone, someone who keeps taking the meeting off track, a conversation where you WISHED you'd said something differently and replay it 100 times in your head, etc.) that you eventually realize aren't so little...because they eat up your time and energy and send you home cranky, where you might spend even more time complaining about them? Well, Stomp the Elephant in the Office is the roadmap to navigate these things and move on to doing your "real job."

Thank you, Vannoy and Ross, for illustrating simple and practical tools that give me back much-needed time and energy!

In her book, They Saw the Elephant: Women in the California Gold Rush, Jo Ann Levy weaves letters and journal entries into a picture of the lives of women during the California gold rush.
Coming by covered wagons or ships these women wrote about their journeys' across mountains, deserts, oceans, and jungles. The excitement of an adventure and the beauty of the land was not the whole story however; misery and death joined them on their journey. Inadequate provisions, brutal storms and sickness were common themes. And once these women reached the promise land of San Francisco, the streets were not paved in gold as they dreamed, but littered with trash.
The belief that there were only prostitutes or actresses was also not true; many women ran boarding houses or mined for gold. Some left after the gold ran out, but many women stayed in the cities that they helped create.
Though this book it is not organized in to one story, it is an insight into the women who came to California during the gold rush. You will be amazed by their bravery as they left their comfortable lives and uprooted their families for adventures unknown.

This book is great!
A person wouldn't even need to be interested in history of the gold rush days to thoroughly enjoy reading this book. I don't have alot of free time to read, so when I pick a book it has to be worth my while. This certainly was. And it's an easy book for reading a few pages at a time, like I do just before going to bed. I love how it organizes the accounts and groups the stories into chapters of a particular theme. Fascinating!

In They Saw The Elephant, Jo Ann Levy has combined women's journals and letters with newspaper articles of the gold rush era into an articulate, shining gem of historical writing. Her purpose was to dispel many of the common assumptions and general characterizations made in earlier histories about the women who participated in the California gold rush. A number of the early twentieth century histories of this monumental American event imply there were few women in California, and that a majority of those women were of questionable social standing. Levy's placement of her chapter on prostitution is wisely situated in the second half of her work. She admits there is little written record concerning the lives of these women, particularly those of Chilean and Chinese descent who came to the gold fields. The author does not fill in the blanks with supposition or fiction. By the time the reader gets to the chapter on prostitution, it is already clear that women were contributing far more to the Gold Rush than physical pleasure for males.

The Oregon Trail opened in 1847. Levy includes some of the women's stories from this trek even if their final destination was not the gold fields. This is a plus. The reader understands that women had started emigrating west for reasons other than gold and the journals and letters used to demonstrate life on the trail were vivid.

The variety of women discussed in this book was a cross section of society at the time. I laughed out loud while reading about how some of the highbrow, educated women reacted to the primitive society of San Francisco. These women adapted, and most made a good living as boarding house keepers and cooks.
Levy does an excellent job showing us the ingenuity of the women who went west. Living aboard abandoned ships in the bay, renting out rooms in, and using wood and goods from those ships are details about day-to-day life often lost in the telling of the human experience of the gold rush.

Perhaps the strongest statement Levy makes in her book is found in the Postscript. Women who went west during the gold rush continued their lives long after the three- year bonanza. Most didn't stay in San Francisco. Most didn't even stay in California. Their toil was but another blip on the radar screen of their lives. They didn't crawl back east to their families as broken women. They had seen the elephant, but had no desire to own the circus.

Several of the accounts made me chuckle and realize how little life has changed. One letter describes how quickly houses were being built in San Francisco. It goes on to describe the shoddy workmanship including gaps in the walls large enough to see through. I live in the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country. Houses go up over night here, literally. We joke about housing developments growing as quickly as mushrooms in the forest. The only reason the cracks in the walls don't allow light in now is chicken wire and stucco. Little has changed in the last 150 years.

Women civilized the wild California gold rush society. Some used the money they had made from the miners and started churches, schools, and hospitals. Others became heavily involved in various societies. In general, they went west with their husbands, to support their husbands in search of a better life, and they brought their civilized mindset with them.

This is an excellent book, appropriate for all audiences. It flows well, and contains a great deal of authentic information

As a writer of both fiction and non-fiction, I found tremendous value in "They Saw The Elephant." For the general reader of non-fiction, this book reads like a novel! The stories of these valiant women grab the reader and never let go. You feel that you are with them, as they face the unknown perils and triumphs of the Gold Rush in California of the mid-19th Century. The words of these wonderful women have the special ring of Truth to them. I cannot overstate my admiration for the author and her work in presenting this important book.

Well written, well researched, mesmerizing! There are not enough words to praise this book. It covers every aspect and type of life a woman could lead when she came West. It takes information from diaries and eyewitness accounts. It will make you realize that human feelings don't change. We can all relate to what these women felt. It doesn't read like a history book, it reads like a magnificent saga. I couldn't put it down.

THIS A FANTASTIC BOOK. WE WILL SPEND A LOT OF THIS WINTER READING AND REREADING THIS MASTERPICE OF INFO RE: ELEPHANTS. THE PHOTOGRAPHY IS SO REAL LOOKING. GREAT BOOK, AND GREAT SERVIVCE IN BUYING FROM YOU.

Full of pictures, this coffee table book is exactly what I wanted. It shows elephants in all areas of life, in poses I had never seen before. It truly is beautiful!

This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in African elephants. It combines outstanding photographs with interesting and entertaining text.

This is a most impressive book on the African Elephant, with page after page of fabulous photos of these mighty beasts. It would make a great coffee table book just for the pictures but it is much more than that.

The main focus is on preservation of the species in the face of shrinking habitats and the poaching for ivory that continues today. The efforts of 16 African wildlife preserves and parks are fully described here.

Each region is profiled with information on its elephants and several photos of the elephants specific to that area. The mature huge tuskers of Kruger National Park are truly awesome.

There is also plenty of information on elephant history, physiology and social interaction. This is a beautiful and significant book on the life and challenges facing the African Elephant.

This book moved me beyond what feelings I have ever known. I learned a great deal of facts from this book and hope to share them with others. I urge other readers to cherish this book...as I do.

Reading this collection of stories is rather like travelling Britain via its country lanes. Occasionally you can hear the far-off hum of the motorways, but it never interrupts your enjoyment of Britain's traditionally non-conformist landscape, physical and mental. The word quirky has so often become indistinguishable from twee, but here recaptures its original meaning with this collection of stories and recollections distilled from a lifetime of observation. With all due respect, forget Bill Bryson, this is the authentic voice of a Britain hidden in plain sight.

This blends travel and nature in the finest of methods and traditions, probing the variety and comedy of encounters with animals around the world and lending a chatty, adventure-filled tone which should particularly appeal to fans of Eric Newby. Both a travelogue and a nature title, it covers encounters with both.

An Audience With An Elephant blends travel and nature in the finest of methods and traditions, probing the variety and comedy of encounters with animals around the world and lending a chatty, adventure-filled tone which should particularly appeal to fans of Eric Newby. Both a travelogue and a nature title, An Audience With An Elephant covers encounters with both.

This is just a lovely, lovely book. It is hard to describe it in any other way. It is a series of very short and personal articles collected together which have been written by Rogers. They are part travelogue (and very much about Wales) but mostly very personal stories, nothing about celebrities, and everything about quite everyday sort of people.

Rogers style is quite easy and informal which makes these articles immensely readable. They include mostly quite unusual aspects of the usual, so in here are stories about possibly the last tramp/vagabond in Wales. His life, what he ate, how he travelled, the codes used by other vagabonds to indicate information about houses and properties. There is the story of Ali Pasha the last prisoner of War from Turkey following World War 1 (a tortoise in fact.) There are the lost children from Wales late attempt for independence who were locked in bleak monasteries and convents, a teenage elephant, and the largest sturgeon ever caught.

These are punchy and readable articles which have been collected together, so you can read them bit by bit, skip back and forth or pick them up and put them down. They are linked generally by their personality and style. They are simple but rich and personal stories about ordinary people and events. Very often those at the end of their era (the last tramp in Wales, a 'Bertie Wooster' style fisherman from the 20's etc.)

I would recommend this book to own rather than borrow because it is so nice to dip in and out of, they are really 'heartwarming' in the most cliched but nicest use of the word

Byron Rogers is a highly regarded British Press writer, much like the Human Interest editors of all the major newspapers in the USA. He writes in a succinct, informed, yet chatty way that endears him to British readers and now with the appearance of AN AUDIENCE WITH AN ELEPHANT, a collection of his previously published observations, the American readers can delight in his gifts. This small book is a perfect companion of light reading at the bedside or as an endlessly interesting collection for brightening moments during travels. His topics vary widely - from the tortoise captured at Gallipoli, to a teenage elephant that toured the Bristish Isles as an honored guest at festivities, to the problems with being single and coping with Singles Bars. Though some my see this collection as a variation on Ripley's Believe It Or Not, it is nonetheless continuously humorous and tender. Rogers eccentricites have a way of putting the world in which we struggle into comic relief and allows us to laugh at our own foibles. Good medicine, this!

I have had a copy of this book for probably 25 years, give or take a few. I loved reading it as a kid and patched it up again today so that I can read it to my children. This is an entertaining story for both children and adults. Big Max has made me chuckle many, many times. I highly recommend this!

Once again, this is another great book from the I can read series. Thank you for providing books that my kids love to learn from and read. These stories make reading enjoyable for both of my boys. Thanks again.

I gave this book to my five year old niece only after strictly informing her that I would be repossessing it after a few years for my own personal collecion. Big Max is fun to read on a rainy afternoon, no matter your age. Is Big Max the world's greatest detective? He only admits that he tries to be, and that is all you can ask for.

The King of Pooka Pooka's elephant is missing, and Big Max, the world's greatest detective, is hired to find him. This is a heartwarming story about the importance of family, disguised as a suspenseful mystery. Where did Jumbo go, and why? The journey to the answer is entertaining, and should appeal to all ages. I read it for the first time more than 25 years ago, and it is still one of my favorite books after many, many readings.

Kin Platt's "Big Max" chronicles the adventures of the title character, a Sherlockian detective who approaches a case concerning a missing elephant with unorthodox but always logical acumen. Young readers will delight in solving many of the small mysteries along with Big Max on the way to the resolution of the central enigma. Robert Lopshire's clean illustrations perfectly complement the story, putting a droll face on Max, The King of Pooka Pooka, and Jumbo the Elephant. "Big Max" played a major role in my own development as a reader -- I devoured it dozens of times when I was a child.

I gave this beautiful little book to my granddaughter on her nineteenth birthday. I love the artwork in it and the wonderful little sentiments on each page.

I just love Welleran's books. I have given several as gifts for various occasions. This book is written with simplicity, and the artwork is so beautiful. Surely recipients of this book will feel special. Nevada Deb

Wonderful illustrations and beautiful prose make this a very touching birthday gift for women of all ages. An ideal gift sure to make your birthday lady feel special.

I wanted to find meaningful gifts for my family this holiday. When I found this book, I wanted to cry, because it is so beautiful. The illustrations are wonderful victorian paintings and the quotes are everthing you have ever wanted to say but can't find the words too. This is a wonderful meaningful gift for that special person.

I wanted to find meaningful gifts for my family this holiday. When I found this book, I wanted to cry, because it is so beautiful. The illustrations are wonderful victorian paintings and the quotes are everthing you have ever wanted to say but can't find the words too. This is a wonderful meaningful gift for that special person.

All at once sweet, entertaining, exciting, unique, and moving, A Circus wihout Elephants was a pleasant surprise. Though Wills's family is distinct from any other, the reader cannot help but notice traits common to all families in her stories.

I have been a fan of Maralys Wills since reading her first memoir, HIGHER THAN EAGLES, so it was no surprise to me to find that I'd missed this family and their adventures. Maralys didn't have to run away to join the circus, she was living in one. These vignettes of family life kept me laughing even through the tears. There may have even been a guffaw or two that escaped my lips. Do yourself a favor and read this book, you'll make new friends within its pages and maybe you'll appreciate your own 'circus' a little more.

Maralys Wills has really done it with this memoir. It had me laughing out loud, and I was riveted from the start. Maralys has a way of picking out the key moments in her life and weaving them into a complete story. And her comic timing is superb!

What makes this book special, is that it's a book for all ages, and it has a lightness to it that keeps you wanting to read through the night. It really is that good. I highly recommend this book for all family members. I think everyone will learn the lesson of keeping the levity in your life, despite the tough times...which is a wonderful and inspiring lesson for us all.

Pick it up and you won't be dissapointed!

This book is simply delightful! So funny, so real and so touching that I literally couldn't put it down. I finished the book and turned out the light at 4:26 AM! I had been hooked by Maralys Wills when I read HIGHER THAN EAGLES and should have known that my sleep would be postponed.

This is a book that I can still pick up, open to almost any page and find myself laughing out loud. I didn't want to exaggerate; so I just tried and opened to page 269, and laughed. I could visualize, through Mrs. Wills' words...how her husband "became all too aware that he bore a remarkable similarity to King Henry the Eighth."

If you feel that you are deserving of something truly great--then, you must buy this book! Nothing else will be good enough for you!

Maralys Wills has an extraordinary gift of sharing vivid accounts of the antics of a perfectly normal family, well normal probably isn't the right word. Every one of her children is a stand out in their own way. The articulation of her life experiences had me constantly laughing out loud while reading the book. This family has experienced more joy and certainly more tragedy than many of us ever will. I loved this book and look forward to the sequel

I'm a friend of Erin's, and I just love this book: her style is so fresh, fluid, and bright, and this story seems familiar even though set in an exotic location.

I wanted to let everyone know that the artist is still illustrating books under a new name: Erin Harris De La Cruz. She recently released "Frank is a Chihuahua," which features the same wonderful style you see in "Elephant on my Roof." Make sure you search for the new book on Amazon, and enjoy!

I was so impressed with both the story and the illustrations of this book that I have encouraged libraries and booksellers across the country to stock up. You won't be able to find this book anywhere after it catches on! My students want to hear it over and over. Can you imagine the possibilities for this young artist?

A highly gifted new artist is on the scene. Congratulations to Erin Harris on enriching the medium. We anxiously await her next work!

I love the warmth and joy of these illustrations. The illustrator also brings the distant setting of the story alive with her depictions of winding canals and water ways. If you like classic children's stories about animals like "Make Way for Ducklings" (Robert McCloskey) and "Curious George," you will enjoy this warm, sensitive tale.

Everyone has seminal books from their childhood that remain with them forever. For me, one of those books is "The Story About Ping" by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese. So, when a new book comes along that evokes similar feelings, it can't be ignored. Erin Harris's wonderfully light, open style--a soothing palette washed by watercolor--and her sense of poetic composition make "Elephant On My Roof" an almost instant classic about cooperation, inventiveness, and the beauty of community.

We just wanted to add our voices in support of this excellent children's book. My son and daughter (3 and 5) really enjoy this beautiful and heartwarming story, and we highly recommend it.

Great for entertaining, and for teaching toddlers and preschoolers positional prepositions! Well worth the price.

This is probably one of my top 3 favorite childrens books ever. I could sit and look at the illustrations for hours. It has a fun story using very few words. I have purchased many copies as baby presents and gifts and they are always greeted with delight.

My 2 1/2 year old enjoys reading this book, as do my husband and I. The pictures are full of detail, and each page allows for more than one discussion about the preposition word printed on the page. As the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words" - we have a great time discussing each picture and talking about what is happening.

A preposition is a "function" word that typically combines with a noun phrase to form a phrase which usually expresses a modification or predication. However, in "Elephants Aloft" prepositions like "above," "between," and "below" are not combined with noun phrases but rather with delightful illustrations of elephants in a balloon. Now, if a picture of a pair of elephants in a balloon is worth a thousand words, then there would be reason to believe that in those thousands words there would be at least one noun phrase.

Written by Kathi Appelt and illustrated by Keith Baker with pictures done in Liquitex acrylics on illustration board, "Elephants Aloft" begins before the title page with Auntie Rwanda in Africa sending a letter to her nephew and niece Rama and Raja in Asia. If young readers do not know the different between an African Elephant and an Asian Elephant, then this is an opportunity for them to find out if they pay attention to the differences in the ears of the two traveling elephants and their aunt. Each picture of the journey has a single word, written large, and lots of details (the colorful bird that delivered the letter to Rama and Raja appears in each picture and young readers should enjoy looking for him).

This book is ideal for beginning readers since it emphasizes a single word on each page and kids should be able to make the association between words like "beside" or "around" and the pictures of the elephants in their balloon going by the Taj Mahal or coming around a snow capped mountain. Granted, little kids are not going to understand exactly what a prepositions is (I had to look it up), but they will still pick up the idea that all of the words appearing in "Elephants Aloft" are similar in terms of how they function.

Note: The back flap of "Elephants Aloft" says this was Kathi Appelt's first book. You should check out some of the other ones, not just the picture books intended for kids, but some of her poetry books intended for older kids and (dare I say it) adults as well, such as "Poems From Homeroom" and "My Father's Summers."

Apart from being able to create a new story at each reading, Darren (3½-years-old) enjoys playing "Spot-The-Groundnut" on every double-spread. The first person who spots each nut gets a treat - to eat a REAL groundnut! That's where the fun is... Watch out for the last nut!!!!