5 Elephants

September 15, 2014
A primer on elephants and a plea to help them. Writing in easy-to-understand language, with a glossary for unusual words, Laidlaw describes the challenges facing today's elephants, both those in the wild and those in captivity. Within this overarching theme, he delivers a wealth of elephant-related information: the different species of elephants; where they live in the wild; what they eat; how they communicate; how they raise their young; their social structure; physiological information on skin, tusks, teeth and feet. With so much to cover, at times the organization gets a bit muddled. To give readers a personal connection, the author devotes each of five chapters to a profile of an individual elephant. Their stories range from inspiring to depressing since the author does not sugarcoat the often poor treatment of elephants by humans, whether it is in zoos and circuses, as work animals or as the victims of ivory poachers. It's a delicate balance, given the author's obvious passion for elephants and his zeal to protect them, to present the information in such a way that it inspires activism rather than alienates with proselytizing, and for the most part, he succeeds. Part of this success is due to the book's upbeat design-it's full of color photos and includes featurettes titled "Good News for Elephants." A worthy book that encourages ethical thinking about elephants. (resources, glossary, bibliography, index, image credits) (Nonfiction. 8-14)

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September 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-This heartfelt book provides an overview of elephants as well as an argument for why these creatures are ill suited to captivity. Laidlaw has a reputation for animal rights education, and here again he calls upon readers to become elephant guardians. Well-chosen photographs and well-written text emphasize the importance of this cause. Laidlaw provides information on elephants (their family structure, body parts, and place in the ecosystem) and discusses how humans have intruded, poaching them as well as taking them from the wild for entertainment purposes. His description of the illegal ivory trade is especially heartbreaking, touching upon confiscated stashes that were burned by governments trying to squash the lucrative business. Laidlaw is critical of zoos and circuses, explaining that elephants' physical and mental health cannot be maintained properly in captivity, resulting in nightmarish conditions. He provides poignant details of the lives and struggles of five individual elephants inhabiting different settings: the wild, a zoo, a circus, and a sanctuary. There's also an elephant that has returned to the wild after living in captivity. The book is nicely organized, including suggestions of actions to take and a list of elephant interest groups. A solid source for reports on endangered species and an ideal jumping-off point for those seeking a volunteer project.-Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA

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