What Elephants Know

February 29, 2016
Dinerstein, a conservation scientist, draws on his Peace Corps experience in the 1970s for his children’s book debut, a compelling coming-of-age story. Nandu—an 11-year-old Tibetan child found in the Nepalese jungle by Subba-sahib, head of the Thakurdwara elephant stable—is raised to be a “mahout” (elephant driver) by his adopted father and the elephant he thinks of as his mother. When the Nepalese king threatens the stable with closure, Subba-sahib sends Nandu to school to learn to operate “in a world that is very different from the one in which I grew up.” Nandu attracts wise teachers like Father Autry, a priest and conservationist, and Baba, a holy man, who nurture and guide Nandu. Nandu’s experiences with ethnic prejudice (a plea for help lands him in jail: “A Tibetan driving an elephant? Ha”), as well as terrible guilt after he himself kills numerous “marvelous birds,” make him attuned to dangers facing wild species, particularly elephants. Through memorable characters, an exquisite natural setting, and Nandu’s direct narration, Dinerstein’s story reveals the rich diversity and interdependence of human and animal realms. Ages 8–12. Agent: Richard Abate, 3 Arts Entertainment.

February 1, 2016
In the borderlands between Nepal and India during the 1970s, an orphan boy overcomes adversity to save his village and become a great elephant driver. Abandoned in the jungle as a baby and cared for by wild dogs known as dholes, Nandu is rescued by an elephant, Devi Kali, and the head of a royal elephant stable, Subba-sahib. That he thinks of these two as his parents is clear from the very outset of this first-person narrative: "My mother is an elephant and my father is an old man with one arm." But one day Nandu spoils the king's attempt to shoot a tiger, perhaps influencing the king's decision to close the elephant stable. Subba-sahib sends Nandu to boarding school, where he is again an outsider and bullied but where he also meets a white teacher. Together they collect bird specimens for the Smithsonian. Nandu and his friend Rita devise a plan to save the village by converting the stable to an elephant breeding station. Dinerstein (Kingdom of Rarities, 2013), a conservationist who has spent time in Nepal, brings his expertise to the story, occasionally overloading it with information on Nepal's culture, flora, and fauna. Although at times Nandu seems inordinately wise, this coming-of-age story--a story of finding one's home--succeeds. This earnest tale will appeal especially to budding naturalists. (glossary) (Historical fiction. 9-13)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 1, 2016

Gr 4-7-Abandoned in the Nepalese Borderlands, two-year-old Nandu is cared for by a pack of dholi, Asiatic wild dogs, until he is brought to the king's elephant stable. There, Subba-sahib, the stable's head, and Devi Kali, a nurturing elephant, become his de facto parents. Even though he's young, Nandu longs to become a mahout, an entry-level driver; however, when the stable's very existence is threatened, Nandu is sent to boarding school to learn skills that might help the stable survive. Father Autry becomes his mentor, helping him develop an even greater appreciation for the jungle. Despite corrupt government officials, marauding Maroons, and cheating elephant traders, Nandu's fierce determination prevails. Dedicated to "elephant lovers everywhere," the novel is set in a land where survival is dependent upon a respect for both the intelligence and potential danger of animals as well as on the use of one's wits. As with all coming-of-age tales, the protagonist's maturity comes at the cost of many hard lessons. He is a fully developed character, and the portraits of Father Autry and Subba-sahib are equally well drawn. While the dialogue seems a bit stilted at times, it is consistent with the formality of this culture, and it serves the story's rhythm. A small glossary aids comprehension of both the Nepalese and elephant trainer's terminology. VERDICT A solid choice with good values and themes that will engender discussion.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providence

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2016
Grades 4-8 Through the eyes of 12-year-old Nandu, a hero worthy of The Jungle Book's Mowgli, naturalist Dinerstein brings to life his knowledge of the Nepalese jungle. Abandoned as a toddler in the jungle, Nandu is taken in by the one-armed head of an elephant stable and raised under the watchful eye of Devi Kali, a female elephant. Nandu, who loves the jungle and its inhabitants, wants to be a mahout, or elephant trainer, but with the king's government threatening to close the stable, his entire future is in jeopardy. A bull elephant would elevate them to a breeding stable, saving them from the closure, and Nandu, always an outsider because of the mysterious circumstances of his birth, is determined to find one and be a hero. Poetic and old-fashioned (in a good way), this coming-of-age story features a resourceful hero and a little-seen world. Dinerstein, who has lived in Nepal himself, beautifully recreates the lush, dramatically populated world of the Nepalese borderlands. Touching and unique.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)