The Elephant in the Garden

by Michael Morpurgo

Luxury hardback collector's edition of a powerful, moving novel by the best-selling author of War Horse.It's 1945. Elizabeth's father is fighting with the German army on the eastern front. Her mother works at Dresden zoo, where her favourite animal is a young elephant named Marlene. When the zoo director tells her the dangerous animals must be shot to prevent them running amok if the town is bombed, Elizabeth's mother moves Marlene into the back garden to save her... and then the bombs start to fall.Their home destroyed, Elizabeth and her family must flee the bombed-out city and through the wintery landscape, all the while avoiding the Russian troops who are drawing ever closer. It would be hard enough, without an elephant in tow.

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 1, 2049

About the author

Sir Michael Andrew Morpurgo, OBE, FRSL is the author of many books for children, five of which have been made into films. He also writes his own screenplays and libretti for opera. Born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1943, he was evacuated to Cumberland during the last years of the Second World War, then returned to London, moving later to Essex. After a brief and unsuccessful spell in the army, he took up teaching and started to write. He left teaching after ten years in order to set up 'Farms for City Children' with his wife. They have three farms in Devon, Wales and Gloucestershire, open to inner city school children who come to stay and work with the animals. In 1999 this work was publicly recognised when he and his wife were invested a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to youth. In 2003, he was advanced to an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL) in 2004. He was knighted in the 2018 for his services to literature and charity. He is also a father and grandfather, so children have always played a large part in his life. Every year he and his family spend time in the Scilly Isles, the setting for three of his books.

Reviews

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by my 9 year old. Gotta love that she's a reader. It takes a true story that occurred in Ireland, but then sets it in Dresden, Germany, taking the connection between animals and humans to the Axis' experience - a testament to the humanity within all. I found out another story spun off from the true event was made into a film in 2017: Zoo. We're planning on watching that sometime soon.

[Mary Keen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great author--and wonderful person --i read about his service toward the English people, even awarded an OBE!!

This could almost be a true book with all its war details and day-to-day travel n food difficulties. Even the elephant seemed possible! A very true-to-life children's book --the author has a knack for making readers wonder....

The destruction of Dresden brought back a clear memory for me of a tourist tour a few years ago with a mixed-nation audience. Our group was standing on a steep hill overlooking Dresden and the tour guide described what our bombers had done to the beautiful city and its inhabitants. She was quite accusatory toward the Allies, so doesn't quite fit with the story of the Russian bombs getting there first? War is horrific, whatever.

RECOMMEND book and author too!

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A loving and touching WWII story written for YA readers, but appeals to all ages.

[Ry W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, very beautiful and fun to read. Would recommend