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A Perfect Friend
It feels like yesterday that Ben's mother died -- but it's really been a whole year. Still, he misses her so much the sadness keeps him awake at night. Lying in the dark, the only thing that helps Ben sleep is to think about elephants, those magnificent creatures that his mother loved too. Sooner or later, the thought of their awesome grace always calms him in a way that his sad father, and his two closest friends, never can.
Though Ben feels a particular connection to elephants, just as his mother did, he has only once seen a real one -- at a circus when he was very young. So when word spreads of a small one-ring circus coming to town, Ben anxiously awaits its arrival. His anticipation is more than satisfied when he gets to meet Sala -- whose name means "Sacred Tree" -- the sole survivor of a group of four elephants poisoned by a wicked trainer. With his unusual ability to understand the thoughts of animals, Ben and Sala emerge from the depths of their grief to forge a bond that brings them both comfort and gives Ben renewed hope to face the future.
In his first book for young readers, distinguished author Reynolds Price weaves a powerful story that explores the inevitable and essential balance between joy and sorrow and the fine line between the things most exhilarating and frightening in life.
Though Ben feels a particular connection to elephants, just as his mother did, he has only once seen a real one -- at a circus when he was very young. So when word spreads of a small one-ring circus coming to town, Ben anxiously awaits its arrival. His anticipation is more than satisfied when he gets to meet Sala -- whose name means "Sacred Tree" -- the sole survivor of a group of four elephants poisoned by a wicked trainer. With his unusual ability to understand the thoughts of animals, Ben and Sala emerge from the depths of their grief to forge a bond that brings them both comfort and gives Ben renewed hope to face the future.
In his first book for young readers, distinguished author Reynolds Price weaves a powerful story that explores the inevitable and essential balance between joy and sorrow and the fine line between the things most exhilarating and frightening in life.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2000
34 people want to read
About the author
Reynolds Price
218 books122 followersReynolds Price was born in Macon, North Carolina in 1933. Educated at Duke University and, as a Rhodes Scholar, at Merton College, Oxford University. He taught at Duke since 1958 and was James B. Duke Professor of English.
His first short stories, and many later ones, are published in his Collected Stories. A Long and Happy Life was published in 1962 and won the William Faulkner Award for a best first novel. Kate Vaiden was published in 1986 and won the National Book Critics Circle Award. The Good Priest's Son in 2005 was his fourteenth novel. Among his thirty-seven volumes are further collections of fiction, poetry, plays, essays, and translations. Price was a member of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and his work has been translated into seventeen languages.
Photo courtesy of Reynolds Price's author page on Amazon.com
His first short stories, and many later ones, are published in his Collected Stories. A Long and Happy Life was published in 1962 and won the William Faulkner Award for a best first novel. Kate Vaiden was published in 1986 and won the National Book Critics Circle Award. The Good Priest's Son in 2005 was his fourteenth novel. Among his thirty-seven volumes are further collections of fiction, poetry, plays, essays, and translations. Price was a member of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and his work has been translated into seventeen languages.
Photo courtesy of Reynolds Price's author page on Amazon.com
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 3, 2026
I got this book from a little library on the strength of its author. I have never read more than a few brief essays and quotes from Reynolds Price. And knew of his memoir of cancer but never read any of his fiction. The cover didn't really allure me or it's sparse prose. I just assumed it would give me a mild diversion one evening and that it was a children's animal story of the same ilk as The One and Only Ivan. I wasn't prepared for how beautifully it wrestled with love and friendship, healing from grief and learning to love and trust again.
November 2, 2025
I have no idea how long I have had this novella, sitting in one of my piles of books. I retired and started pulling my unread books out, organizing them, and found Reynolds Price's "A Perfect Friend."
This is a lovely, gentle, read. It's the story of a lonely boy, Ben Laughinghouse Barks, with two friends, Robin and Dunk, and a fascination with elephants. That fascination came through his mother who died of cancer. Ben is still grieving the loss of his mother, but he keeps himself balanced thinking about and drawing elephants.
His two friends don't really get it, but they love and support Ben no matter his quirks. Then an elephant, Sala, comes into Ben's life. Ben and that elephant, Sala, have something of a spiritual connection, and that connection is worked out in this story.
Lovely, gentle; a read that felt good in my spirit.
This is a lovely, gentle, read. It's the story of a lonely boy, Ben Laughinghouse Barks, with two friends, Robin and Dunk, and a fascination with elephants. That fascination came through his mother who died of cancer. Ben is still grieving the loss of his mother, but he keeps himself balanced thinking about and drawing elephants.
His two friends don't really get it, but they love and support Ben no matter his quirks. Then an elephant, Sala, comes into Ben's life. Ben and that elephant, Sala, have something of a spiritual connection, and that connection is worked out in this story.
Lovely, gentle; a read that felt good in my spirit.
February 3, 2020
More confusing than anything.
March 11, 2013
BEWARE OF SPOILERS. I DON"T HIDE OR PROMOTE MY REVIEWS.
This book was by no means trite, but I fear my review will be trite. It's hard to describe being deeply moved.
Maybe I'm remembering this off the book jacket, but it's still true if not original ... the story is dappled, showing how a preteen child moves between happy and sad after his mother dies.
Story takes place in the days when small circuses still traveled with tents from small U.S. town to town.
The child had shared with his mom a love of elephants. He now lives alone with a hard-working but grieving dad.
The story builds till the boy gets to go to a circus so small that he fears it won't have elephants. How he prepares, who he decides to invite, what he does after are, what he's willing to out loud about are all important choices for him to make.
Every detail seems fresh, exquisite, lovingly told.
This is one of those special books I categorize with other emotional favorites about growing up, including: The Education of Little Tree, The Velveteen Rabbit, A Separate Peace and Stillwater.
This book was by no means trite, but I fear my review will be trite. It's hard to describe being deeply moved.
Maybe I'm remembering this off the book jacket, but it's still true if not original ... the story is dappled, showing how a preteen child moves between happy and sad after his mother dies.
Story takes place in the days when small circuses still traveled with tents from small U.S. town to town.
The child had shared with his mom a love of elephants. He now lives alone with a hard-working but grieving dad.
The story builds till the boy gets to go to a circus so small that he fears it won't have elephants. How he prepares, who he decides to invite, what he does after are, what he's willing to out loud about are all important choices for him to make.
Every detail seems fresh, exquisite, lovingly told.
This is one of those special books I categorize with other emotional favorites about growing up, including: The Education of Little Tree, The Velveteen Rabbit, A Separate Peace and Stillwater.
July 19, 2011
It is a touching story and good to read out-loud as Tony, Siggy and I just did on our trip to Chilasco yesterday to pick up some pine needle product and visit with the artisans there. Benjamin Laughinhouse Barks' friendship with a circus elephant, Sala, reminds us of the precious and healing connections we can make with animals if we just sit still and listen to our hearts--and theirs. Thanks for the recommendation, Francie!
October 1, 2010
This is a great story of one little boy's feelings toward elephants. The story is short and sweet but the feelings and thoughts he shares last a lot longer. The effect his mother has on him after she dies is so strong that it carries over into everything he does and thinks about. I don't think parents realize just what kind of effect they can have on their children.
July 8, 2009
It's a heartfelt and simple read about the bond between two friends in turbulent times. Many thanks to my best friend for recommending. :)
March 25, 2021
memories of years ago
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews