An Elephant in the Garden

An Elephant in the Garden, Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo, bestselling author of War Horse, does it again in this unusual tale inspired by a true story. The bombing of Dresden is still fresh in Lizzie’s mind decades later, while as a nursing home patient she recounts her experience. Morpurgo allows the reader to determine, alongside Lizzie’s audience, whether or not her remarkable drama is true.

16 year old Lizzie, whose father is fighting the Russians, worries what her friends will think when her mother brings home an elephant to stay in their garden. Her mother, who works at the zoo, was especially concerned for the welfare of Marlene, a young elephant, when the zoo keeper related to the employees that if and when the bombs come, all the animals would be shot in order to prevent tigers and other dangerous animals from roaming the streets. When the bombs do finally come, Lizzie and her family are in the park walking Marlene, and are compelled to escape the fiery town, in the middle of winter, without supplies, and with an elephant as a companion. The war was hard for everyone, but Marlene allowed Lizzie to learn things she can’t forget, to meet someone who changed her life forever, and to distract strangers long enough to keep her family alive. Intermediate and Young Adult readers will be enthralled with Lizzie’s intriguing story, come away bigger and better people, and become acquainted with a peculiar piece of history.