An Elephant in the Garden

An Elephant in the Garden is another great novel by Michael Morpurgo.  This historical fiction novel is based on two true stories that are intertwined, which Morpurgo explains in the Author's Note at the end of the book.  The book consists of 4 parts - Ring of Truth, Ring of Fire, Ring of Steel, and Ring of Bells - and is just short of 200 pages.  The book begins in present day, but is interwoven with flashbacks to World War 2.

The book begins with a nurse at a nursing home.  Her young son, Karl, comes to work with her and sparks a connection with a resident there named Lizzie.  Lizzie is typically stubborn and somewhat rude, but has a soft spot for Karl, because he reminds her so much of her own little brother.  Lizzie opens up to Karl and his mother to share her experience in World War 2.  She tells them of her life in Dresden, Germany as a girl and how she remembers the start of the war.  Lizzie tells the two of how her father went off to war, first stationed in France.  Once he is gone, her mother, Mutti, begins working at the local zoo.  Mutti works there for years while their father is off fighting, and even is witness to the birth of one of the zoo's elephants, who she is given the honor of naming Marlene.  Mutti and Marlene form a very close bond, and when the small elephant's mother dies, Mutti begins staying at the zoo longer each night to be with Marlene.  When war breaks out and surrounding German cities have been bombed, the zoo director has to develop a plan for the zoo in the event Dresden is attacked.  The director shares with the Mutti and the other zoo employees that if the city is attacked, it has been decided that all dangerous animals - including the elephants - will be killed immediately to prevent them from escaping their enclosures and becoming a threat to the citizens of the city.  Mutti is heartbroken at this news.  So when the unimaginable happens - Dresden is bombed - Lizzie, Karl, and Muttie are forced to evacuate the city with thousands of others.  However, the three bring Marlene with them.  With very little to eat, no where to go, and the freezing cold of the middle of winter, the four set off across the countryside just trying to survive.  The four encounter a multitude of hardships along their journey, but their love for each other - including Marlene's love for her humans - keeps their hopes alive and their feet moving, despite their challenges along the way.

I would recommend this book for pre-teen and teen readers, both boys and girls. While it is a female narrator, which usually appeals more to female readers, I do think Lizzie's story will be enjoyed by all readers.  I would also recommend this book to animal lovers.  Marlene the elephant is just as important to this story as any of the other characters and the human-like attributes of an elephant are really shown through this novel.  While historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, I really enjoyed this one.  I love learning about historical events through the eyes of various characters and living their experiences.  This novel, however, really offers a different perspective of World War 2 and allows the reader to see what it felt like to be a civilian caught in the cross fire of war.  An Elephant in the Garden is a very touching story filled with love and danger and action and surprises.