The Elephant Keeper

September 1, 2017

Gr 3-5-Based on a true story, Ruurs recounts how a teenager named Aaron helped rescue Zambezi, an orphaned baby elephant. His heroism prompted an invitation to visit the calf at the elephant orphanage that took her in. This visit, in turn, results in a job when it emerges that Aaron is the only one who can get the calf to drink her milk. Together with Covo's lush evocative paintings, Ruurs's narrative builds a strong emotional connection between readers and the subject-this is a tale designed to pull at the heartstrings of readers. At the same time, however, it presents an explanation of why people hunt elephants. Yes, ivory poachers seek to sell tusks at great profit, but elephants also sometimes trample crops while seeking food, leading to tense relationships with surrounding people. Interspersed between the three chapters that make up Aaron's story are informational spreads, illustrated with photographs, providing fairly basic information about elephants, poaching, and conservation efforts. Back matter includes a "How You Can Help" section. VERDICT Although the informational content is too sparse for report purposes, this volume would be perfect for introducing a unit on elephants or conservation and is a recommended purchase.-Eileen Makoff, P.S. 90 Edna Cohen School, NY

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 1, 2017
This picture book offers a fresh perspective on Earth's largest land mammals. Following his father's death, Aaron, a black Zambian boy, takes over his father's job at the distant Lion's Lodge to help support his family. One morning, he rescues a baby elephant from drowning in the lodge pool. The keepers from a local elephant orphanage who take custody of the calf invite Aaron to visit. When Aaron faces criticism at home because some consider elephants a dangerous nuisance, Aaron's mother tells him, "Don't listen to them....You did the right thing. You don't just let an animal die." Aaron visits the orphanage and amazes the keepers when Zambezi, the baby elephant, who had refused to eat, finishes a bottle of milk for Aaron. Thus begins a beautiful friendship and a new career for Aaron. The backmatter features a photograph of the real-life Aaron, who has worked at the Lilayi Elephant Nursery since 2012 and now serves as team leader of the elephant keepers. Double-page informational spreads about elephant biology, their endangered status, the nursery, and more punctuate the beautiful and emotionally charged mixed-media paintings that carry the text-heavy narrative. The first informational spread comes as a surprise because the book reads like fiction, but readers will find them useful for understanding the experiences of Aaron and Bezi. A moving and unforgettable true story of one worthwhile effort to counter humans' negative impact on wildlife. (Informational picture book. 5-9)

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October 15, 2017
Grades 2-4 Following his father's death, Aaron, a Zambian teen, works at a hotel to support his family. One morning, he spots a baby elephant in the hotel pool and saves it from drowning, in spite of villagers who tell Aaron that the elephants eat their crops and kill humans. Aaron visits the elephant, now named Zambezi, at an elephant orphanage and convinces the calf to take a bottle. All at once, a new friendship, career, and lifelong passion are born. Readers will be fascinated by the facts about elephants, the dire straits the species is in, and that Aaron is a real person still working at the Lilayi Elephant Sanctuary. There's quite a bit of text here, and this combined with the rich, emotional mixed-media illustrations makes this book better suited for one-on-one sharing. Readers will be inspired to seek change, if not in Zambia, then in their own community. Elephant-lovers are the obvious audience here, but anyone concerned about endangered animals, or those who love an unlikely animal-human friendship story, will find this heartfelt, sensitive, and inspiring.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2018
Written in an engaging storylike style, this account of an orphaned elephant also presents photos and facts about elephant rescue in southern Africa. When teenager Aaron pulls baby elephant Zambezi out of a swimming pool, he becomes Zambezi's keeper and only human caregiver at an elephant nursery. Atmospheric mixed-media paintings accompany the moving story. "How You Can Help" section appended. Glos.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)