Recently something very special happened in Portland, Oregon. One of the
Oregon Zoo elephants had a baby. The zoo employees waited with gr
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eat eagerness for the baby to come into the world and they were horrified when the new mother almost killed the baby soon after he was born. They quickly stepped in to rescue the little animal, and though he was trampled on by his confused and upset parent, the baby is doing well. The keepers and experts at the zoo hope that they will be able to reunite the baby and his mother permanently in the not too distant future. To find out more about this special baby please visit
the baby elephant page on the Oregon Zoo Website.I have a great fondness for elephants because I did my university dissertation on these marvelous animals. I have been lucky enough to get up close and personal with working Indian elephants as well as seeing both Indian and African elephants in the wild.
Because of my fondness for pachyderms I have reviewed a fair number of books about these wonderful animals. Of course there is
Babar, whose stories I read in French when I was very little and whose adventures are still beloved by children all over the world. More recently
Ella the elephant joined the ranks of bookish elephants. Recently I reviewed and greatly enjoyed the book
What Elephant? This is a delightfully funny picture book about a little boy who quite suddenly
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acquires an unexpected house guest - an elephant. When he tells his friends and neighbors that there is an elephant in his house they simply don't believe him. Needless to say this is a very trying situation for the little boy. Wonderfully illustrated, this deliciously funny picture book is sure to make young readers smile.
Of course there is also that most famous of elephants, Horton, who has a big
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heart and who hears what no one else is willing to admit is there. The new
Horton Hears a Who Pop-Up is a terrific title for Dr.Seuss fans, elephant fans, and pop-up fans alike. Watch this space for my review of
Horton Hatches the Egg, which is long over due.
Are there any elephant books that you enjoy? Please tell me about them.