Dişe Diş

by David McKee, Ümit Mutlu (Translator)

Ünlü sanatçı David McKee'den, birlikte var olmanın incelikleri üzerine ders niteliğinde bir kitap.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, War, Death, Fiction, Childrens, Cultural

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 22, 1978

About the author

David McKee was a British writer and illustrator, chiefly of children's books and animations. He also used the pseudonym Violet Easton. He is frequently referenced as David (John) McKee. He has been commended for his gentle, playful but insightful stories.

For his contribution as a children's illustrator he was UK nominee for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2006.

Reviews

[Charly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Equality, humanism, war.
Tells us there is always something to fight about.
Addresses racism by portraying that not one side is 'wrong', conflict of race is misunderstood - reader often presumes to be about black vs white. Author never said it was about racism.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Although it is a picture book, this does not limit its appeal. It covers themes that are relatable at all levels.

McKee strips prejudice back to its simplest form. He cleverly depicts the idea through two groups of elephants, the black elephants and the white elephants. He anthropomorphises his elephants by making their trunks almost into arms and hands. The elephants use their trunks to fight one another by punching. He also transforms their trunks into guns. Children may find these images of fighting elephants amusing and so the text helps ease them into a difficult topic.

No reason is given for the animosity between the two groups of elephants beyond their appearance. The obvious analogy is racism but of course the text can relate to prejudice more generally. The two groups of elephants eventually destroy each other. A small group of peaceful elephants go into hiding and eventually we are left with grey elephants. McKee ends the text indicating that despite the peace between the grey elephants, divisions are once again beginning to emerge, "recently the little ears and the big ears have been giving each other strange looks." This helps to simply explain how divisions begin and hopefully encourages children to celebrate diversity rather than attack it.

In terms of classroom use, this text can be linked to another of McKee's texts, Elmer. The two stories are quite different, with Tusk Tusk addressing slightly more difficult issues in more depth. However, they both share the common theme of diversity. Children could use this text to start thinking about prejudice they see in their own lives, linking it to R.E and PSHE. It could also be a good way to begin a history topic involving war.

[Eleanor Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short picture book that could be mistaken to be considered racism. In this case it most definitely is not, this is a black and white book about war between two different coloured elephants that are acting equally. A great ending in which the point of the book is really explained in a humorous fashion.

[Tim Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit heavy-handed for children, in my view, dealing as it does with racial genocide. Read "The Sneeches" instead.

[Oliver Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good idea for exploring conflicts and war, however, not so much of a good tool to explore racism. It doesn't reflect the inequality aspect of racism alongside hatred.

[Charlie Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very powerful book that wasn’t actually about my initial thoughts of racism but rather about war and unnecessary destruction. Great illustrations that are thought provoking too. Can’t we all be grey elephants?

[Rodriquez Canan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book showing how we are always suspicious of those who do not look, act, think, believe like us - and how and why it is better not to be suspicious

[Ayesha Hussain]

What an amazing book. Using symbolic representation of things I felt was really effective, however something some children may find hard to understand what it is if they have never seen that image. An example of this was when the trunks were used as guns if a child did not have this knowledge of what a gun the implied reader wouldn't be able to make this link, which would fail the child in understand what the story is saying .

The images are placed at eye level which allows the reader to go on the journey with them, which creates a sense of wanting to turn the next page.

[Vicki Purbrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book when you look further into the content of the book including the words as well as powerful illustrations. Some of the pictures are symbols, however assumptions can be made that are connected to real life objects.

[Guilherme Semionato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Open Library.

[Fabish Caruri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Je n'aime pas l'idée: tous les éléphants sont morts. Ce n'est pas approprié pour un livre d'enfant.

[Chloe Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to the idea of racism, segregation, war and conflict to young children. It could also be used with older year groups within school as well to reflect more deeply on what it means.

This could be a book that represents racism and hatred between particular groups of people. It could get children to start thinking about the significance of colour, conflict between different groups of people and also unity when groups can live in harmony with one another. I wouldn’t use this book as a sole focus for talking about diversity, racism and discrimination but it would be a good book to have and perhaps have a few discussions about to get children to start thinking about what it means and how it applies to real life.

I also think it could be used to talk about war and conflict more generally. It touches lightly on loss in war, “peace-lovers” who could be pacifists or even a metaphor for people fleeing countries in conflict, and can get children thinking about whether war is necessary or not.

In this book both sides are neutral and neither is the explicitly ‘bad’ side which is an interesting perspective for the sake of fiction, but reality is that though both sides may be bad, one side may be worse, or one may be completely innocent. It is important that children are exposed to the truth behind conflicts throughout history rather than the sugar-coated versions.

Otherwise a good text to have in the classroom but there are much better ones out there.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tusk Tusk is a moral tale about racism told through the characters of elephants. The black and white elephants are at war. Some peaceful elephants who don’t agree with the war go off into the jungle. In the end all black and white elephants are extinct. Years later grey elephants come out of the jungle, the ancestors of the peaceful elephants. On the last page of the book it says that the big eared and small eared elephants started to not get along, foreshadowing possible violence to come.

I thought this book was an amazing way of discussing equality with children. It is an open-ended book that leaves room for discussion and interpretation. I liked the more serious nature of this book compared to McKee’s more upbeat and extremely popular Elmer. The illustrations of the trunks of the elephants made to look like guns brought in a sinister tone to the comforting image of the elephant that McKee has created previously. But by using the image of the elephants with subtle links to violence I think makes this book appropriate for children.

[melis · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5

siyah ve beyaz filler birbirlerine düşman. sonunda savaş çıkıyor, iki taraftan da savaş karşıtı filler kaçıp saklanıyor. savaş halindekiler birbirlerini tamamen yok ediyor. saklanmış olan fillerden geriye sadece onların torunları olan gri filler kalıyor ama kitabın sonunda onların da taraflara bölüneceği iması var, bu sefer kulak boyutlarına göre.

bu kitap bize ne söylüyor? savaş karşıtlığının kaçıp saklanmak olduğunu mu? ayrımcılığın ve savaşın her zaman olacağını mı? bunun kaçınılmaz (ama hiçbir şey yapmadan, öylece, sadece kaçıp saklanılabilir) bir döngü olduğunu mu? arka kapağa göre "farklılıkların bir arada var olabileceğini öğreten" ve "sürdürülebilir barış gibi evrensel konulara değinen" bu kitap, bu sözlerin ne kadarını karşılıyor ya da gerçekten karşılıyor mu? benim cevabım olumsuz.

[Francesca Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about white and black elephants fighting because of their colour/how they look which means the book challenges racism. This highlights to children that people are different and will always be different but fighting is not the right way to go about it. Therefore, this book can send a clear message to children that fighting doesn't resolve conflicts. This could start a debate about how children would go about this. In order to read this book to children, they must understand about racism first and what it means with the possibility of known events that have occurred over racism. The author is saying that there is some conflict of cultures and that we are all different and sadly it has led to wars.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a strong emotion of the animosity between black and white elephants. War ensues - graphically illustrated with menace, guns, shooting and death to all - big time war. But the peace loving elephants that had hidden in the jungle emerge grey and live together happily ever after - until they begin to consider their ears - big or small...

They are all elephants - no need to look for differences and feel agg. Undertones of racism and the consequences.

Beautifully illustrated and simply expressed - even if rather a heavy message.

[Issy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting book to read, at first I didn't really understand the story and after thinking about it it became clearer what the book was about. I thought that it was great book to share with children to show that we should be celebrating differences instead of separating them. I think this book would be suitable for upper KS2 as it is a complicated book but due to it having an open ending it can create lots of discussion within the classroom.

[Charlotte Yardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that is a great tool for deeper reading: Whilst some people may temporaily find peace, there will always be times of conflict - People are eager to point out differences in others, and create conflict and arguments in regards to this. There are no pleasing others - A message which is still prevelant to this day and one which needs great thought and attention. One good book for PHSE or handling certain situations.

[Victoria Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the story and it would be good to teach children about being different and teaches a good moral lesson. The only thing stopping me give 5 stars is the fact that the "problem" seemed to be solved by rlephants becoming the same instead of acceptance of the colours, but other than that, it was a good read

[Bethany Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely good way of proving to children that people always fight about something. It sets the impression that the book is about racism but actually the elephants are in equal numbers throughout the story. This would be extremely useful to use in the classroom to challenge children's views.

[Lu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly I don’t think I’d want a kid to read this book about black and white elephants segregated them killing each other off.

The illustrations are interesting though as they choose to make the elephants trunk take the form of hands, guns, cannons — punching, pointing, firing, strangling, choking.

[Nischell Broderick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book can be used in primary schools for both KS1 and Ks2.

This book teaches differences and how people are always able to see the differences between each other.

It is also colourful and bright. KS2 children can benefit from looking at unpicking the meaning behind what is going on throughout the story.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

With themes of conflict, this book demonstrates to children the need to accept one another for who we are, and the importance of making peace with our enemies. I quite liked it, but thought it was a little odd!

[Jess Peck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a creative resource that can be used to tackle many issues that children will need to understand in their wider life. It covers issues relating to difference, war and race. It shows children that diversity can be overcome and the importance of overcoming racism.

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is quite complex and can be used to explore the differences between human beings and how there will always be something to disagree/quarrel over, but if we do not put our differences aside and live in harmony, we will all suffer! Lots of different talking points for in a classroom.

[Sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obviously goes without saying it’s a children’s book and was read within one minute, but I was told I should read it, so I did. It was okay, published in the 70’s I think it was probably more impactful then than now. Think nowadays it simplifies the problem of racism to much?? Me thinks?

[Ümit Mutlu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever. Very clever.

Grey elephants for peace! :)

[Lydia Duncalfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple, yet powerful picture book with controversial themes of racism and cultural differences.

[Hannah Higson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book to teach children about the effects of war.

[Jo Birt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that was initially thought to be about racism when actually the black and white elephants were equal but no matter what colour they still found something to argue about.