The Secret Elephant: Inspired By a True Story of Friendship

While carefree monkeys dangle in trees, powerful lions quietly sunbathe, and majestic giraffes walk back and forth, a terrible war looms on the horizon and changes everything. People stop coming to the zoo and most of the animals huddle together with their mates in their different enclosures — except for one baby elephant that was all alone. As bombs shake the ground and flashes of orange light burn across the sky, the solitary elephant grows more and more afraid and confused. Her keeper understood and spends as much time with her elephant as she can. And when it becomes impossible to stay in the enclosure, the keeper makes the daring choice to bring the elephant home.

But it’s hard to hide an elephant, even a baby one, and it gets even harder as the elephant grows. After a time, the elephant is ordered back to the zoo. Still, the kind-hearted keeper could not abandon her friend, so she sets up house right alongside the elephant for the remainder of the war. Many years later, when the keeper no longer works at the zoo, she returns to visit her friend. Her friend, much older now as well, remembers the keeper and her brave kindness. This remarkable picture book, inspired by a true story at the Belfast Zoo during World War II, is perfect for fans of The One and Only Ivan.

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