Soul-Stirring Non-Fiction Picture Book: The Elephants Come Home

 Just to be clear, the actual title of this astounding new non-fiction picture book is:

THE ELEPHANTS COME HOME: A True Story of Seven Elephant, Two People, and One Extraordinary Friendship, written by Kim Tomsic and illustrated by Hadley Hooper. 

Every word of that title matters. First and foremost is the notion of HOME, which has been an element in several recent reviews of animal books: PERDU and THREE. If you missed them, I urge you to click and read, but not just now, please. This books are about domesticated animals, dogs, each seeking a place to call home. Both, you'll not be surprised, end happily, but not without some tension along the way. 

In this case, the animals in question are far from domesticated, and the story itself is not a product of someone's imagination. It is, as the title says, a TRUE STORY, but it shares the truth of all three titles: every living creature is seeking a safe home. 

This story is launched with a brief introduction to Lawrence, who loves animals, and Francoise, who loves Lawrence. Rightfully, even Max, the dog, is introduced on that opening, despite being overlooked in the title.The page turn introduces THULA THULA, the wildlife sanctuary of African busk, savannah, and forest that they created to preserve life. 

Take a breath. Take it in. That much alone deserves a moment of appreciation and awe, as do the next several turns indicating what a vast, natural, and SAFE home THULA THULA is. 

The terrifying tragedy arrives suddenly, as a matriarchal elephant leads her herd of seven in seeking a safe home from encroaching human habitat, only to be frightened, angered, and confused into earning labels of DANGEROUS, OUT OF CONTROL, and THREATENING. hey were considered rogue, and efforts were underway to destroy them.

THULA THULA welcomes them, but that is only the beginning of some terrifying adventures, patient adjustments, and one of the most heartwarming stories you will ever read. 

I want to call the illustrations in this exceptionally long picture book luminous. Aspects and hints and washes of light are deftly applied throughout the oversized double spreads, suggesting various times of day with glowing expanses of landscape and lifeforms or slim lines of backlighting or uplighting. The effect is cinematic, and yet  the matte paper and carefully blended earthy tones are drawn from naturalistic settings of water, dust, fields, and woods. Within those scenes, fine black lines identify realistic and expressive creatures, human and otherwise. Their minimally portrayed body postures, orientation to the other, and lift of brow or knee hint at a fully animated enactment of the story of how a bond of friendship formed, remained, and was sustained even after death. 

When you finish the main text you may still wonder if such a story could be true, or not. back matter offers details of the verifiable events, characters, and reliable resources to explore further. You could be forgiven for doubting, though, because this TRUE story has deeper meaning and more ehawr than even the richest of fairy tales.

Please read this book.