The Secret Elephant: Inspired By a True Story of Friendship

Gr 2-5–The astonishing true story of an Irish zookeeper who concealed a baby elephant in her home during World War II, told, however, from the perspective of the elephant herself. When the zoo’s tranquility is shattered by the turmoil of war, the zookeeper makes the brave decision to sneak the elephant home with her each night, providing a safe spot away from the noise and confusion. Amid the heavy subject matter, there are touches of whimsy and real affection between the zookeeper and her unusual roommate. Rankin avoids the pitfalls of writing in an animal’s voice, conveying straightforward innocence. As an illustrator, she brings warmth when appropriate and darkness when necessary. Though relatively short and presented in standard picture book format, there is enough realism in the text and illustrations to communicate the horrors of war, and young readers could be disturbed by talk of bombings and displacement. Supplementary material about the real zookeeper can be found at the back of the book, filling in the details of this little-known moment in history. This valuable work would find a readership in a robust public or school library collection.