Book Detail

Faithful Elephants: A True Story

Publication Information
Author:  Tsuchiya, Yukio Illustrator:  Lewin, Ted
Title:  Faithful Elephants: A True Story Date:  1988
Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin City:  Boston
ISBN, paperback:  0-395-46555-9 ISBN, hardback:  

Recommended audience:
ABE/ABLE:   Yes ESOL:  
Family:   Yes Young Adult:  
Picture:   Yes

General Information:
Book Type(s):    historical fiction, true story

HSE Descriptor(s):    social studies

Summary:
During WW II many zoo animals starved, by order of the Army, or had to be killed. The story, set in a Tokyo zoo, shows animals' helplessness in the face of human destruction.

Teaching Ideas:
This makes a logical part of a WW II unit. It is especially interesting because it shows another side to war, one not often considered. It may provoke thinking about and discussion on how the Japanese and Germans suffered during WWII. It could be used in conjunction with a family literacy picture book, Hanna's Cold Winter also about animals but set in Hungary during WW II.

Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
bullet Emotions-Personal Issues > emotions > compassion
bullet Emotions-Personal Issues > emotions > death
bullet Geography > locations > countries > Japan
bullet History > topic > war > World War II
bullet History > topic > war > World War II > atom bomb
bullet Science > biology > zoology > animals
bullet Ethnic Groups > Japanese
bullet History > region > Japan


Ohio Aspire

Contact us

Ohio Aspire
p: 800.765.2897 option 2
p: 330.672.2007 option 2
f: 330.672.4841
ohiopdn@literacy.kent.edu

Explore more resources at:

Ohio Aspire
PDN Library