In 2013, people across North America were riveted by the story of Toka, Thika, and Iringa, the last three elephants at the zoo in Toronto, Ontario. Lonely for a larger herd, sick from the cold climate, and weak from standing for long days in a too-small concrete enclosure, the elephants desperately needed a change. The zoo and animal activists agreed that they should be moved to a healthier home, but the best option--the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) sanctuary in distant California--seemed like an impossible dream. In Elephant Journey, leading activist and award-winning author Rob Laidlaw unfolds the journey of how that impossible dream was realized. In clear, straightforward prose, he describes the elephants' experiences on the journey of three days and 4,100 kilometers that brought them to the sanctuary at last. Celebrated illustrator Brian Deines' oil paintings, based on actual footage of the trip, provide an intimate window into the experiences of Toka, Thika, and Iringa as they braved their long road to a new life. Extensive back matter includes an index, photographs, and further information about this miraculous Elephant Journey.
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Pajama Press
Published: 04/01/2016
ISBN: 9781927485774
Pages: 40
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 9.70h x 11.30w x 0.40d
Review Citations: Kirkus Reviews 02/15/2016
Publishers Weekly 03/21/2016
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 05/01/2016
School Library Journal 07/01/2016