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The Elephant Who Couldn't Forget
Young elephant learns that he must remember what to forget.
- GenresAnimalsPicture Books
64 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
24 people want to read
About the author
Faith McNulty
51 books21 followersFaith McNulty was an American nonfiction author, probably best-known for her 1980 book The Burning Bed. She was born "Faith Corrigan" in New York City, the daughter of a judge. Young Faith attended Barnard College for one year, then attended Rhode Island State College. But she dropped out of college once she got a job as a copy girl at the New York Daily News. She later went to work for Life magazine. She worked for the U.S. Office of War Information in London during World War II.
McNulty was a wildlife writer at The New Yorker magazine for several years. In 1980, a collection of her New Yorker work was published as The Wildlife Stories of Faith McNulty. For many years, she edited the annual New Yorker compilation of the year's best children's books.
She also frequently wrote children's books on wildlife, including How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World in 1979 and When I Lived with Bats in 1998. Her 1966 book The Whooping Crane: The Bird that Defies Distinction was written for adults.
Her husband, John McNulty, was also a writer for The New Yorker and with Thomas Wolf, Truman Capote, and Gay Talese, a major figure in the development of the literary genre of creative nonfiction, which is also known as literary journalism or literature in fact. After her husband died in 1956, she remarried, to Richard Martin, a set designer and an inventive designer of set props.
The Burning Bed told the true story of Francine Hughes, who set fire to the bedroom in which her husband was sleeping. Hughes defended herself by saying that her husband had been abusing her for 13 years. The jury at her trial ruled that she had been temporarily insane, and she was found not guilty.
"I can remember my father in his nightshirt, digging for worms for the baby robin in the bathroom. That's the kind of household it was; I had woodchucks in the bathroom, cats, squirrels, chipmunks," McNulty once said.
Toward the end of her life, she wrote a weekly column for The Providence Journal on a local animal shelter run by the Animal Welfare League. Her mother had founded the Animal Welfare League in southern Rhode Island. McNulty had long been known for taking in stray animals at her farm.
She suffered a stroke in 2004. She died at her farm in Wakefield, Rhode Island.
McNulty was a wildlife writer at The New Yorker magazine for several years. In 1980, a collection of her New Yorker work was published as The Wildlife Stories of Faith McNulty. For many years, she edited the annual New Yorker compilation of the year's best children's books.
She also frequently wrote children's books on wildlife, including How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World in 1979 and When I Lived with Bats in 1998. Her 1966 book The Whooping Crane: The Bird that Defies Distinction was written for adults.
Her husband, John McNulty, was also a writer for The New Yorker and with Thomas Wolf, Truman Capote, and Gay Talese, a major figure in the development of the literary genre of creative nonfiction, which is also known as literary journalism or literature in fact. After her husband died in 1956, she remarried, to Richard Martin, a set designer and an inventive designer of set props.
The Burning Bed told the true story of Francine Hughes, who set fire to the bedroom in which her husband was sleeping. Hughes defended herself by saying that her husband had been abusing her for 13 years. The jury at her trial ruled that she had been temporarily insane, and she was found not guilty.
"I can remember my father in his nightshirt, digging for worms for the baby robin in the bathroom. That's the kind of household it was; I had woodchucks in the bathroom, cats, squirrels, chipmunks," McNulty once said.
Toward the end of her life, she wrote a weekly column for The Providence Journal on a local animal shelter run by the Animal Welfare League. Her mother had founded the Animal Welfare League in southern Rhode Island. McNulty had long been known for taking in stray animals at her farm.
She suffered a stroke in 2004. She died at her farm in Wakefield, Rhode Island.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 30, 2018
The story of an African elephant named Congo who has a very good memory. While he prided himself on remembering all the things an elephant must know, his grandmother reminded him to also remember what is important. This book tells of the characteristics and behavior of elephants. It also provides a good life lesson when someone holds a grudge against another person, and the damage it can cause.
September 24, 2017
This is an older story, but I think students will still enjoy it. I was previewing it for my Letter E for elephants week with PreK, but it is just too long for a read aloud. I will probably move this to my beginning chapter book area. It's not exactly a chapter book but it is longer than most picture books.
April 11, 2019
Alissa said: He's having milk like I'm having milk.
May 5, 2022
I regularly think about this beautiful story.
June 28, 2014
The Elephant Who Couldn't Forget, or
Cover Small Offenses in Love, or
How to Be Free From Bitterness.
Good stuff here for helping kids see how to apply forgiveness in the little things.
Just don't get preachy about it and explain the story until it's useless and boring! Let it speak for itself. Unless the kid has questions- then answer them, of course!
Cover Small Offenses in Love, or
How to Be Free From Bitterness.
Good stuff here for helping kids see how to apply forgiveness in the little things.
Just don't get preachy about it and explain the story until it's useless and boring! Let it speak for itself. Unless the kid has questions- then answer them, of course!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews