Mother to Elephants - The Story of Daphne Sheldrick | Book Review

Review of  R.G. de Rouen's book - Mother to Elephants - The Story of Daphne Sheldrick.

 

• Title - Mother to Elephants - The Story of Daphne Sheldrick
• Author – R.G.de Rouen
• Year published – 24 September 2023
• Publisher - BooksGoSocial
• Pages - 34
• Genre – Biography / STEM, Kids
• Format - eBook

 

A picture book celebrating the life of a pioneer in elephant care. It’s a wonderful story for Kids 6-9 (perfect for your nature loving child).

Born free – living free! How young, orphaned elephants found a playful temporary home with a different kind of family. A true story filled with love and determination.


No doubt you’ve heard the saying, “Mother knows best!” But what if the baby is a six-hundred-pound elephant, and the mother is of the two-legged kind? Would the saying still hold true?

Mothering elephants is what Daphne Sheldrick did her entire life. As a young girl, she was put in charge of wounded or abandoned animals. As a grownup, Daphne and her dedicated team saved and nurtured countless elephants.

When a tiny, milk-dependent calf arrived, Daphne’s determination would be tested. No one had ever hand-reared an elephant baby this young, but what Daphne learned with Aisha would be the key to saving future orphaned elephants. What’s more, she had an elephant-sized dream of returning them to the wild!

This non-fiction biography picture book for kids is sure to inspire young budding conservationists and make the perfect gift for elephant lovers everywhere!

Includes a section with many ele-fantastic elephant facts!
The perfect choice for parents and teachers looking for:
• Inspiring nonfiction narrative books
• Biographies about women
• Role model books for children
• Kids STEM books

 

Book #2 of 2024

Rating - 5🌟

I chose this book to be a part of a Reading Challenge that I am doing this year.The book talks about Daphne Sheldrick and how she came to establish the Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya.

Young Daphne is thrilled to be living in nature in the Great Rift Valley, Africa, and has a special love for animals. One day, she's given the task of caring for an orphaned antelope named Bushy. Even though her dad warned her that a wild animal is only a borrowed animal, she feels sad when Bushy returns to the wild after staying with her for a bit.

Years later, she cares for Aisha, a tiny orphaned elephant who does well under her care, but things go wrong when Daphne isn't around. After this, Daphne decides to help orphaned elephants more and hires people to assist her. That's how Daphne's Orphans project begins to grow.

Besides the touching story, the book has beautiful illustrations on every page that transport us to the place and connect us to the story. The language is simple and suitable for kids of all ages, making it a great read-along or bedtime story.

Additionally, there are Elefacts at the end of the book with interesting facts about elephants, adding to our knowledge. The 'What kids can do to help?' section explains how kids can contribute to preventing poaching.

Overall, it's a beautifully illustrated book with a wonderful story about a woman's journey to save and protect orphaned elephant calves. It's a 5/5 star read suitable for kids of all ages and even adults.