Elephants fill us with wonder. These gentle giants are usually known for their trademark trunks, but there's one elephant famous for his large ears—Dumbo! This 1941 movie is the sweet story of a mother's love, owning what makes you different and learning to fly. A live-action remake of Dumbo premieres March 29, but in the meantime, try one of these elephantastic books for kids of all ages.
Britta Teckentrup's interactive board book Get Out of My Bath! is the story of Ellie, who loves to play in the tub. Young readers will be delighted to participate by shaking the book and watching what happens next. On the last page, Ellie asks if it's time for the reader's bath, making this is a wonderful choice for before bedtime.
A Parade of Elephants by Kevin Henkes is a terrific picture book for toddlers and preschoolers about five marching elephants. Following the animals from morning until night allows children an opportunity to practice their numbers, directions, colors and opposites.
Tony and His Elephants is an informational book that's part of the Waka Books series from the World Association of Kids and Animals. Eight-year-old Tony's family runs an elephant sanctuary in Thailand. When his family decides to rescue two elephants from captivity, they bring the elephants safely home, but then a fire breaks out. Can Tony save the elephants a second time? Read it and find out.
Do you want to be a scientist or work with animals someday? A 2012 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book, The Elephant Scientist, teaches us about American scientist Caitlin O'Connell and her discoveries from studying African Elephants in Namibia. This book has a lot of information about the different ways elephants communicate with each other, what it is like to work at a research camp and the importance of helping to protect endangered species.
In the chapter book What Elephants Know, we meet Nandu, who was abandoned in the forests of Nepal and kept safe by a pack of wild dogs until an elephant driver and a strong female elephant raise him as their own. At 12 years old, it's up to Nandu to convince the king not to close the elephant stable where he grew up and where many elephants are kept safe. To do this, he'll need to find a male elephant and bring him back to the borderlands. Full of colorful details, this books describes what it's like to live among some of the largest mammals on earth.
Add a comment to: Unforgettable Books about Elephants