Grandma Elephant's in Charge: Read and Wonder - Softcover

Martin Jenkins, a conservation biologist, is the author of several nonfiction books for children. He says, "I first saw wild elephants in the Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya, where a big family of them was making their way across the savanna. I’ve seen elephants lots of times since then, but I’ll never forget that first family, strolling across the plains without a care in the world - that was magic."
Ivan Bates has illustrated many books for children. He says of GRANDMA ELEPHANT'S IN CHARGE, "I have always found elephants to be fascinating creatures, capable of both extreme strength and tenderness. This, along with their mighty stature and a wonderful setting amid vast land- and skyscapes, makes them a joy to draw."

K-Gr. 2. With relaxed, informal words and realistic illustrations in watercolor and colored pencil, this boisterous picture book brings children close to exciting facts about African elephants in the wild. Elephants are huge, and so are their families, and the double-page spreads burst with information about how much an elephant eats and weighs, and the role of grandma as leader. The pictures are detailed enough to show the elephants' wrinkled skin; huge, flapping ears; and tough hairs, and the words express the commotion in the herd as well as the leader's role in the herd's survival (when she makes a great hullabaloo, she's probably bluffing; but when she's silent with her trunk tucked under, "then she means business"). Exciting for story hour sharing, this is also a good picture book for the classroom, and, though there's no mention of tusks and the ivory trade, Jenkins' final conservation plea can spark discussion. Hazel Rochman
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