• Age: 10 to 14
• Grade: 5 to 9

Part of the "5 Animals" series!

Elephants are truly remarkable, unmistakable animals. Their huge size, giant ears, amazing trunk and incredible intelligence make them unique in the natural world. They are highly active, complex, wideranging animals who play a key role in the ecosystems they inhabit.

5 Elephants will provide you with some fascinating elephant facts and figures, as well as introduce you to some of the serious challenges that wild and captive elephants face. To truly understand elephants, though, we must also get to know them as individuals. We must learn their stories.

In 5 Elephants, you'll read the stories of five famous elephants:

• You'll meet Echo, a wild elephant who thrived in her natural environment, surrounded by her family.
• You'll also read about Lucy, an elephant living alone in a Canadian zoo, and
• Tarra, an entertainment elephant who is now living out her days at a sanctuary.
• You'll discover why Tusko, a travelling entertainment elephant, had such a tragic life,
• and you'll meet Thandora, a zoo elephant who was given a new life in the wild.

Explore the lives of these elephants:

• Understand what elephants need to be happy and healthy.
• Examine the differences between zoos and sanctuaries.
• Learn about the challenges of captivity and endangerment in the wild.
• Discover what you can do to become an Elephant Guardian.

For more than thirty years, Rob Laidlaw has devoted his life to protecting animals. He is the founder of several animal protection organizations, including Zoocheck Canada, a wildlife protection group. His special interest in dogs has led him to visit dog shelters, pounds, and rescue centers in North America, India, Thailand and Japan and several other countries. Rob started a project to bring humane dog control to remote First Nations communities in Canada, was Chief Inspector for a major urban humane society, was Project Manager for World Society for Protection of Animals. Rob resides in Toronto, Ontario.

Rob Laidlaw's profile page

"It's a delicate balance, given the author's obvious passion for elephants and his zeal to protect them, to present the information in such a way that it inspires activism rather than alienates with proselytizing, and for the most part, he succeeds. Part of this success is due to the book's upbeat design, it's full of color photos and includes featurettes titled "Good News for Elephants." A worthy book that encourages ethical thinking about elephants."
— Kirkus Reviews

"5 Elephants is an exciting nonfiction title. . . Amazing stories."
— Midwest Book Review

"The stories are simultaneously inspiring and heartbreaking, highlighting elephant' uncanny memory and capacity for emotion, while still imparting loads of fascinating trivia."
— Booklist

"This is an excellent resource that will introduce kids to or get them talking about animal protection, the challenges of captivity and the endangerment of elephants in the wild. Laidlaw has written a comprehensive book that will help children understand more about these magnificent creatures and their way of life.

"The layout and design of the book have been well thought out and beautifully presented. . . This is a resource that should adorn the shelves of classrooms and libraries everywhere."
— Canadian Children's Book News

"The stories are written in an engaging style, and the alternate factual chapters address any questions that arise from them. Young animal lovers will see opportunities to become involved with wildlife conservation and protection activities to improve the plight of the world's remaining elephants. Top quality photos help the reader gain insight into elephant lives and challenges and to feel empathy for these amazing animals.
Highly Recommended."
— CM Magazine

"Discover what you can do to help and become an Elephant Guardian. Anyone who loves animals will love this book!"
— National Science Teachers Association

"This book is geared to younger readers but anyone who loves reading about animals and their role in nature will enjoy this book also."
— Shelf Life