Elephant Garden Inspired True Story Reviews Summary

Storytelling and Writing Style

Pros:

• "Well written and uplifting story of good things that can happen in very bad times."
• "It's a quick, engaging read and very informative about life in Germany during the final days of World War II."
• "Michael Morpurgo based this novel for children on three actual events and managed to weave a lovely tale about responsibility, character, and coming-of-age."
• "Morpurgo has a talent for engaging the audience from the earliest pages, all the way until the very last syllable."
• "Like all Michael Morpurgo's books, it is accessible and well written."
• "Michael Morpurgo is a truly fantastic author and I would definitely read all more of his novels."
• "I love the way the author uses just the right amount of verbage to keep the story going while painting a brilliant picture."

Cons:

• "The characters were a little two dimensional, but appealing."
• "The story is so preposterous that it is hard to believe; but it did happen or did it?"
• "The ending was a sham because it was very cheesy."
• "The story was interesting, albeit predictable."
• "However sometimes I do feel that the book was a little slow at times."
• "Filled with historic facts that young readers might not 'get'."
• "Honestly, I thought this was a kind of dull and boring at first."

Historical Context and Educational Value

Pros:

• "It makes a great introduction to World War II history."
• "It's particularly interesting to get under the skin of a German family caught in Dresden in the final months of the Second World War as the British bombers firebomb this historic city."
• "This is a great tale of WWII set in Germany. It gives insight into the daily life and feelings of one ordinary German family during that time."
• "I've read numerous novels based on WWII and the Holocaust. Both are parts of history I hope will never be forgotten."
• "It captures the spirit of the times from the Non-American side of war."
• "This story gives a peek into the thousands of German citizens who stood in defiance of the Hitler monstrosities."
• "I learned a lot about what it must have been like in Germany, for the innocent civilians who were caught up in the war they didn't want or have anything to do with."

Cons:

• "What I did not like is that Marlene ends up in a circus. Circuses are notoriously abusive to elephants."
• "Warning: early on in the book, the word 'bastards' is used by a character and near the end, a soldier yells, 'What the hell is this?' If you don't want your child to read this, you could read it aloud and skip that."
• "However, the condemnation of the Allied, American, British, and Canadian forces was difficult to read."
• "I do wish there had been more specificity regarding events and timelines - to show where the family traveled and when events occurred would have been helpful."
• "It may not be appropriate for very young children; you may need to go into what was going on at that time."
• "Dad notes: pg 100 author puts forward their ideology that ALL killing is wrong. I clarified that to be all murder is wrong in the margin."
• "A fair account of a war story. Easy to read. Not very descriptive or elegant."

Appeal to Different Age Groups

Pros:

• "I would highly recommend this book to people of all ages."
• "A good book even for younger (mature) children if read to by parents/grandparents."
• "Book for all ages. An easy read that quickly pulls the reader into the story."
• "This book may have been for the younger group, but I enjoyed reading it."
• "I bought this book for my 12 year old granddaughter. She’s on her iPad a lot and I wanted to get her into reading stories."
• "I am considering using it as a book study for my fifth graders and tying it into a history study on WWII."
• "I recommend this to all that enjoy a 4th-6th grade level book that opens our eyes to another experience & viewpoint on WWII."

Cons:

• "I agree with the recommended age of 10-14 as a silent reader as the book does have some dark elements."
• "I would not let children/adolescents below 13 or 14 read this, as it does detail some of the events that happened."
• "Also romance is included, although clean, it may not be suitable for young readers."
• "Perfect for early middle grade students or those who really want to learn about the war but can’t handle the death and destruction that accompanies most sources."
• "It may not be appropriate for very young children; you may need to go into what was going on at that time."
• "I did not realize this was a children's story when I ordered it."
• "Kids in 3rd grade and older would be able to read this book."

Emotional Impact and Engagement

Pros:

• "A wonderful tale of survival in spite of tremendous challenges."
• "This story has several heart pounding cliffhangers, will give the reader chills, and make them cry."
• "It was a remarkable journey for me with this book."
• "She told me there were so many 'cliffhangers', she couldn't put it down."
• "Loved it sooooooooooooooooooooooo much It was inspiring and I will tell all to read it."
• "This book is great! It's moving and has so much meaning!"
• "It was emotional, and magical with the addition of this ‘Gentle Giant’, Marlene the elephant that really kept this family alive and together."

Cons:

• "The story is so preposterous that it is hard to believe; but it did happen or did it?"
• "The ending was a sham because it was very cheesy."
• "However, the condemnation of the Allied, American, British, and Canadian forces was difficult to read."
• "I became very concerned about Marlene, the elephant, and how she, a warm climate animal, was surviving in a cold, wintry Germany without any noticeable adverse detail."
• "What a beautiful tale, running the full gamut of action, adventure, War, hope, the frailty & strength of humanity, courage, tragedy..."
• "If you love stories of animals and of human survival this story will leave you with a smile on your lips and a tear in your eye."
• "This incredible book has suspense, sadness, happiness and one incredible part of this is that it is inspired by a true story."