An Elephant in the Garden

by Michael Morpurgo

Hardcover, 2011

Status

Available

Genres

Children's Books

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

Feiwel & Friends (2011), 208 pages

Description

1944. Elizabeth's mother works at Dresden Zoo, where her favorite animal is an elephant named Marlene. When the zoo director tells her the dangerous animals must be shot to prevent them running amok when the town is bombed, Elizabeth's mother moves Marlene into the back garden to save her. And then the bombs start to fall ...

User reviews

LibraryThing member Whisper1

I loved this book! It is yet another wonderful example of Young adult genre transcends a specific age category.

During WWII Dresden Germany was blasted/bombed unmercifully. This is a tale of an older woman, now in a nursing home, who recounts the story of her brave mother who worked in the zoo and

fearing that an elephant she had tended since its childhood would die in the war, brought the animal home.

When Dresden was bombed the family left the ruined city and made a trek westward with the elephant in tow.

This is an insightful story of an elephant who was saved and in turn saved a family.

Highly recommended.

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LibraryThing member shazzerwise

Not Murpurgo's best, but a good, solid story that mixes the fantastical animal relationship with the devastating hardships of war. The structure of the storytelling could have used some work, but the magic is in the story itself, in its heart, with an ending like a warm smile.

LibraryThing member edspicer

Morpurgo, M. (2011). An elephant in the garden. New York: Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends. 199 pp. ISBN: 978-0-312-59369-8. (Hardcover); $16.99.

Newspaper accounts in Belfast mention a woman who takes an elephant home with her during the war to live in her garden. Historians note that zookeepers in

Dresden had orders to shoot all the larger zoo animals should the city come under attack, as did zookeepers in Belfast. Dresden was destroyed during World War II, bombed repeatedly until it was nothing but ruin. We also know that many German refugees marched west, toward the allies, thinking that was the safest course of action. From these historical facts, Morpurgo morphs together these elements to create a fictional story of an elephant in Dresden during the time of the bombings. Lizzie’s mother is a zookeeper in charge of Marlene, a young elephant at the zoo. Lizzie and Karl, her brother, help tend to the elephant in their garden. When the bombs start dropping, they are forced to flee during the middle of a snowy and very bleak winter. Morpurgo, who is no stranger to World War fiction (read Private Peaceful for a brilliant account of World War I), crafts a story that does not shy away from the horror of war and bombing and, yet, still manages to convey a feeling of hopeful, loving, resolve. This book is an excellent choice for middle school libraries and the writing is strong enough to force high school readers to add it as well.

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LibraryThing member ken1952

Michael Morpurgo's latest (originally published in the UK last year) is a touching tale of a family trying to survive the fire bombing of Dresden with the help of a young elephant. I enjoyed the novel but was a bit disappointed. Certainly not as stunning as War Horse.

LibraryThing member Sullywriter

A wonderful, moving and inspiring story from a brilliant storyteller.

LibraryThing member larasimmons2

I was very attached to Marlene by the end of the book. I really enjoyed this book. The big picture of the book was to depict the lifestyle of refugees during World War II. The book also takes on the themes of compassion for enemies and animals during this time period. This book is based on actual

events. Mopurgo does a great job of documenting the events, but making it his own.

I really liked most of the characters. For example, Mopurgu really made Marlene, the elephant, a humanistic quality. Marlene is an Elephant from the Dresden Zoo. The zoo had orders to kill any animals if there was a bombing. Instead, Marlene's keeper convinces management to allow her to take her home at night. She bonds with the family, and after running away, saves her "family's" life. Her loyalty as an elephant is typical behavior for the animal. She certainly makes the story more of an driving force.

I did not like the flashback method of the story. Marlene, the Royal Air Force Pilot and Marlene's family are strong characters. I feel like the nurse and her son did not help direct the story in any manner. They are not significant characters, but also do not really add anything of real interest to the story. They just serve as people to share the story with, which just does not any significance. Overall, I enjoyed the story

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LibraryThing member JanaRose1

Dying in a hospital bed, Lizzie tells her story to a nurse and her young son. During World War II, Lizzie's mom brought home an elephant, Marlene, from the local zoo. Karli, Lizzie's brother instantly fell in love with Marlene. Forced to flee the city when it was destroyed by bombs, the family

takes the elephant with them. Often, the elephant acted as an ice breaker between the family and other refugees.

This was a fast paced quick read. I think it is perfect for pre-teens and young teenagers. The characters were well designed and were very realistic. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

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LibraryThing member Smiler69

An Elephant in the Garden is another wonderful war story based on real life events, as only Morpurgo can tell them. An 80-something year old woman in an old folks home recalls her girlhood days living in Dresden, Germany during WWII, when her mother brought back an elephant from the zoo she was

working at to keep in their garden just before the allied forces bombed the city to smithereens. Through a series of circumstances, the elephant who had run off to charge at a barking dog ended up rescuing the girl and her mother and brother from the bombing, and accompanied them on a long march to safety (their father was meanwhile fighting on the Russian front). The elephant was called Marlena, after Marlena Dietrich, and something tells me I'll never forget this story or Marlena, in part because I'm crazy about animals in general and elephants in particular, in part because I cherish stories about how essential to life animals are, and in part because it's so rare to hear stories about the war from the point of view of the Germans. For all these reasons, I've just now decided to upgrade my original rating from 4 to 4.5 stars. I might have rated it the full 5, but was a bit annoyed that they chose an English narrator to tell the tale in an unconvincing German accent on this audio version instead of casting a native German speaker, but that's me being finicky.

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LibraryThing member mannet

A very touching story of a young girl and her family trying to survive amidst the war. A heart-warming story that gives you inspiration to keep on going in life...

LibraryThing member BookConcierge

A frail and elderly Lizzie tells the story of her youth in Dresden Germany during World War II. Her father was fighting on the Russian front. Her mother was a zookeeper and fearing for the safety of the young elephant, she brought the animal home each night to their private garden. But the war is

taking a toll on everyone and when the bombing begins on a snowy February night the family must flee the burning city. How can they possibly evade enemy troops with an elephant in tow?

What a wonderful and heart-warming story! Inspired by true events, Morpurgo has crafted a tale of courage, perseverance, and kindness in the face of horrific deprivation. The author doesn’t dwell on the horrors of war, but he doesn’t skip them either. He shows that while nations may be enemies at war, individual people can (and do) disagree with their leaders. Morpurgo also takes the opportunity to show people doing what they believe is best and morally right despite the difficulty and even personal danger in doing so.

I had previously read War Horse by the same author, and did not warm to it. So I was a little hesitant to read this one, but I’m glad I did, because I loved this book. I think the difference, for me, was the narrator. The earlier book was told from the animal’s point of view and I found that awkward. In contrast, I was easily able to connect with Lizzie. I’m sorry there are no young children in my life because I kept wanting to read it aloud; I could easily imagine a teacher capturing the attention of a class with this story.

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LibraryThing member Karin7

A story within a story, an elderly nursing home patient, Elizabeth (Lizzie) tells a caretaker and her son about the escape of her family from Dresden in winter of 1945 with an elephant in tow. Along the arduous trek they surprise a wounded Canadian RAF navigator, who joins them on their journey.

The

story is based on two different true accounts, one of an Irish woman who saved an elephant in WWII and the other of a character met somewhere on the journey. Three unikely sets of friendship form during this book as well. It is nicely paced and keeps the reader interested throughout.

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LibraryThing member Msnem

This story begins in a nursing home with the narrator and her son, Karl, speaking to a resident of the home named Lizzie. Lizzie has often told people that there had been an elephant that lived in her garden when she was younger. No one ever believed her until Karl did. So Lizzie tells her

incredible story to Karl and his mother.

Lizzie grew up in Dresden, Germany. Her father, Papi, went away to fight in the war and left Lizzie, her mother Muttie, and her younger brother Karli to fend the best they could during wartimes. Muttie worked as a zookeeper and became enamored with an elephant she named Marlene. Because Marlene lost her mother suddenly, Muttie took it upon herself to help Marlene through her grief. Everyday after work Muttie brought Marlene home where she stayed in the garden until Muttie returned to work in the morning. Marlene became a cherished member of the family and ultimately saved their lives.

After their town was destroyed by bombers, the family, with Marlene in tow, headed through the countryside away from the approaching Russians and toward the American soldiers. Soon into their journey they met a Canadian RAF soldier named Peter who, with his invaluable compass, helped lead the way to safety.

There are no illustrations within the book, but the cover illustration shows the family walking away from their home with Marlene on a cold winter night.

Inspired by a true story, this book tells the incredible story of a German family making their way to safety with their beloved elephant.

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LibraryThing member wichitafriendsschool

The author, Michael Morpurgo, says this book is inspired by historical truths and by his admiration for elephants, "the noblest and wisest and most sensitive of all creatures." Lizzie and Karl's mother is a zoo keeper in Dresden, Germany. The family has become attached to an orphaned elephant named

Marlene, who will be destroyed as a precautionary measure so she and the other animals don't run wild should the zoo be hit by bombs. The family persuades the zoo director to let Marlene stay in their garden instead. When the city is bombed, the family flees with thousands of others, but how can they walk the same route when they have an elephant in tow, and keep themselves safe? Along the way, they meet Peter, a Canadian navigator who is their "enemy" in this war and yet risks his own life to save the family.

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LibraryThing member kemilyh1988

I read this as an adult and found it to be a very engaging and well written story for all ages. I recommended it to various family members and friends.

LibraryThing member SusanGeiss

Great historical fiction for kids grades 4-6, maybe 7. based on a few true stories that he mashed to make this one, it is the journey of Elizabeth and her family as they leave their home during the bombing of Dresden, taking an orphaned elephant with them. It is uplifting and interesting in the way

that Lowery's Number the Stars is. I can see this on some school lists...the one the kids will enjoy!

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