In the Forest with the Elephants - Softcover

New York Times best-selling author Roland Smith is the author of 28 young adult novels including Peak, The Edge, Beneath, Above, Sasquatch, Elephant Run, Zach’s Lie,Shatterproof (39 Clues), the Cryptid Hunters series, the I,Q series, and the Storm Runner series. His novels have garnered dozens of state and national book awards. He speaks to over 50,000 children and adults every year at schools and conferences all over the world. He lives in Portland, Oregon. www.rolandsmith.com.

Grade 4-7?In a unique relationship, "Timber" elephants and their oozies (trainer/handlers) have been working together in the forests of Myanmar for generations, snaking the logs of culled teak, padauk, and other valuable woods to jungle rivers and roads for transport to the outside world. This photo-essay, carefully researched by two experts, depicts this ecologically minded industry, describing the intensely personal relationships between the humans and elephants, the years of patient training, the care taken to maintain the animals' health and well-being, and the traditional lifestyles of the oozies and their families. Also included is specific information on climate, habitat, and logging methods. A uniting thread running through the book is a particular relationship between a majestic bull and his oozie of 20 years as they go about their daily routines, move a set of large, dangerously situated teak logs, and assist in the capture and preliminary training of several destructive wild elephants. In these days of increasingly mechanized logging operations that can cause immeasurable harm to entire ecosystems, this window into a world in which elephants are prized not for their ivory but for their strength, intelligence, and cooperation, and an industry that seriously fosters preservation may be an eye-opener to most readers. An informative and rich cultural experience.?Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
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