An Elephant in the Garden is written by Michael Morpurgo. You may know him as the author of
War Horse, which was recently made into a movie. This story is set in World War II Germany, in the city of Dresden, right before it is bombed by the Allied forces. It is a tale of a family fleeing the city accompanied by an elephant, a young elephant, named Marlene, whom the family took home from the zoo to protect her from the bombing they knew was about to happen. Along the way they come across a Canadian bomber who ejected from his plane when it was hit by the Germans. Will they be able to help each other survive despite the positions their countries have taken as enemies? I have always been fond of World War II stories. I began reading them in school as a child, and have never really stopped. This is a wonderful story inspired by true events. Yes, the elephant really happened... Enjoy!
Reviewed by Mrs. Castro
