The Elephant Whisperer (Young Readers Adaptation): My Life with the Herd in the African Wild

Gr 7 Up--In this wonderful memoir of life on a South African game reserve, Anthony tells the story of a group of elephants that he inherited in 1997. The elephants came to Thula Thula, Anthony's reserve, because they had learned to break free of the electric barriers in their previous home. As the author and his staff scrambled to prepare the appropriate enclosure, they also struggled to track down a group of poachers who appeared to have infiltrated his property. Almost immediately after their arrival, the elephants broke loose and began the trek north back to their previous home. Anthony's narrative of tracking and catching these massive creatures is a heart-pumping adventure tale. When the elephants were finally returned, Anthony started on the difficult task of forming a relationship with the matriarch of the group and reaching out through her to the rest of the herd while still maintaining their "wild" character, which is essential to their survival on the reserve. The chapters in this action-packed memoir are brief and numerous, the pacing and complexity of the writing is perfect for middle to high school readers, and the message is heartwarming without becoming bogged down in sentimentality. The deaths of several wild animals and a beloved pet are addressed in the story and the afterword discusses Anthony's own death in 2012, so sensitive readers should be forewarned. VERDICT A highly recommended addition to junior high and high school libraries and a must-read for animal lovers and budding conservationists.--Kelly Kingrey-Edwards, Blinn Junior College, Brenham, TX

The Elephant Whisperer (St. Martin's Press Edition):

"In my thirty-five years of studying man/animal communication I have met only a few individuals who have the ability to enter into the metaphysical realm of the exotic animal. Lawrence Anthony has been there and back. His wonderfully written book The Elephant Whisperer is a true reflection of his ability to be one of the pachyderms." —Ralph Helfer, author of Modoc

"Anthony has made a difference in the lives of many magnificent animals who otherwise would have been lost to the world. When you're feeling down and out and defeated and ready to give up, read this inspiring book and share it widely with others." —Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals

"A lovingly written tale of close encounters, some beautiful and some frightening, with humans and nonhumans alike. Anthony's story of his trials and tribulations in preserving a herd of African elephants is a parable for the continent." —Irene M. Pepperberg, author of Alex & Me

"An engaging and vividly personal account, The Elephant Whisperer invites you in, as confidant and confederate, from the first page and holds you rapt to the very last. A compelling reminder of the power and mysteries of the natural world, Thula Thula's elephants are lucky to have a friend like Lawrence Anthony." —Amelia Thomas, author of The Zoo on the Road to Nablus

"The Elephant Whisperer is every bit as much a page-turner as a novel. ... Anyone who remembers Born Free, a personal story of tamed East African lions, will hope this book, too, is destined for the screen." —San Francisco Book Review