Sandra Markle is an award-winning author of more than two hundred
nonfiction books for children, including What If You Had Animal
Teeth? (Scholastic), Toad Weather (Peach Tree), Little Lost Bat and
A Mother's Journey. She lives in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
Fabricio VandenBroeck has illustrated several books for children,
including The Mouse Bride (Alfred A. Knopf), The Witches Face
(Holiday House), and Under the Mamboo Moon. He lives in Mexico.
As drought dries up the usual sources of water for elephants in
Tanzania, Little Calf's grandmother relies on her memory to lead
the elephants to a new source."It's a hot, dry day in Tanzania.
Grandma elephant stops munching leaves. Thirsty, she lifts her
trunk high and takes a deep SNIFF! Grandma smells water in the
distance and sets off." The accessible, fact-packed language
continues, as does the gentle humor provided by Little Calf, who is
still learning how to effectively use her trunk. The story is not
without suspense, as place after place offers little or no water to
the herd that follows Grandma. Little Calf even collapses at one
point, but her mother revives her quickly and cleverly, keeping her
shaded after that. Colorful, mixed-media illustrations are a
perfect match to the thoughtful text. Details range from the
parched ground to tropical birds; from distant gazelles to the
up-close, leathery skin of elephants in many positions and moods.
According to the author's note, the tale is based on a hypothesis
that the reason one particular elephant herd managed so well during
a 1994 drought rested squarely on their elderly leader. She
apparently used her childhood memories of surviving an earlier
drought to lead her herd to that same, still-available watering
hole. Further elephant facts and resources round out the
backmatter. A fresh, winning blend of natural science, simple
storyline, tenderness, and perseverance.
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
A herd of African elephants searches for water on the dry savanna
in Markle (Toad Weather) and VandenBroeck's (Whiskers, Tails &
Wings) handsome picture book. Based on a true story of a Tanzanian
herd that survived a 1994 drought thanks to its leader, named Big
Mama by researchers, this account describes how Grandma elephant,
like Big Mama, locates water for her charges. "Grandma's thirst
stirs a memory of a dry time long ago, when she was a baby," Markle
writes. "She remembers another watering hole and sets off to find
it." On the way, the herd munches leaves, digs up the cracked
surface of an old watering hole, and even uses saliva to cool the
youngest. Realistic watercolor and acrylic illustrations alternate
between close-ups of the parched parade of pachyderms and the wider
landscape, painted in layered, textured hues. Readers will breathe
a sigh of relief when the watering hole finally appears and the
herd frolics and drinks its fill. This tale of a lifesaving trek
wraps up with an author's note about Big Mama, additional elephant
facts, and suggested resources.
—Publishers Weekly
A herd of elephants led by Grandma Elephant are looking for water
during a long drought in Tanzania. As the dry spell drags on, their
efforts get more and more desperate. The intense thirst triggers a
memory for Grandma Elephant of a long-ago drought that she lived
through as a young calf. As Grandma Elephant leads Mama, Little
Calf, and the rest of the herd in search of the water source from
her memory, Little Calf collapses from thirst and exhaustion. Mama
Elephant revives the little one by using her own saliva to cool
Little Calf off enough to keep going. “The thirsty, thirsty
elephants walk on, slowly.” Grandma finally smells what she’s been
seeking. Readers will be rooting for Grandma, Mama, Little Calf,
and the rest of the herd the whole way. VandenBroeck’s colorful
acrylic and watercolor illustrations depict the herd and other
wildlife with full-spread, panoramic views and will keep readers
engaged in the drama of the story. An author’s note explains that
the tale was inspired by an actual elephant, Big Mama, who 30 years
earlier lived through a similar drought when she was a calf and
then, according to researchers, went on to lead her herd to a water
source during a 1994 drought in the Tarangire National Park area of
Tanzania. In addition to the note, an “Amazing Elephant Facts” and
“Digging Deeper” sections are included. VERDICT Lending itself well
to read-alouds, this is an enjoyable addition to preschool and
elementary picture book collections looking for stories inspired by
actual animals and events.
—School Library Journal
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