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 enlarge | Author: Roland Smith
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Category: Book
List Price: $15.99
Buy New: $8.49
You Save: $7.50 (47%)
New (28) Used (10) Collectible (2) from $8.48
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 58792
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.9 x 1.4
ISBN: 1423104021
EAN: 9781423104025
ASIN: 1423104021
Publication Date: September 25, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: New Publishers Overstock, May have a Remainder mark. FAST SHIPPING WITH EMAILED USPS DC # ! All addresses welcome...
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-8 of 8 | | « PREV | | |
Exciting WWII historical fiction for middle-grade readers February 13, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
ELEPHANT RUN is an exciting, historical adventure novel that will appeal to all middle grade readers (and their parents!). In 1941, Nick Freestone joins his estranged father at the family plantation in Burma to escape the bombs falling on England. Instead of finding refuge, he is plunged into the Japanese invasion of Burma. With the help of his young friend, Mya, Nick tries to learn more about the timber elephants trained on the plantation. Mya, a girl who hopes to become an elephant trainer, or "mahout," barely has time to show Nick around the plantation before Nick's father is taken prisoner by the Japanese. With Japanese soldiers in charge of the family home, Nick becomes an unwilling servant of the Japanese. But there are hidden passageways in the house, and soon Mya and Nick have found a way to escape into the jungle, riding on the back of a much-feared rogue elephant named Hannibal.
For readers who've already exhausted the many books about WWII in Europe, this book offers a view of the war in Asia. While the book is mainly about Nick and Mya, readers will see multi-dimensional Japanese, Burmese, and British characters and learn more about life in Burma before and during the war. Issues of colonialism, foreign exploitation, and the desire for Burmese independence are introduced by the various characters who people the story, but the novel is focused primarily on Nick and Mya's need to escape from their Japanese captors. The elephants are part of the story as well, with Hannibal and Miss Pretty representing some of the many elephants trained to work British plantations in Burma.
Fast-paced action drives this story forward, with historical details supporting the action. Nick's father is sent to work on the infamous Japanese railroad, and the story provides a look inside the labor camps. History never slows the action, but information about the Japanese invasion and Burmese reaction abound in the story. Teachers may want to use this story to draw reluctant readers into learning more about World War II in Asia. Be sure to have a map or atlas handy as you'll want to look up the places named in the story. Readers will be sure to want to learn more about elephants and "mahouts" after reading this novel. War Elephants makes good companion reading.
If you like fast-paced adventure novels, stories of World War II, or historical novels, you'll enjoy this exciting novel. My only complaint was the quick resolution at the end -- I would have liked to read more about Nick's actual escape and journey to Australia, but that would take another novel. Let's hope the author is planning to write more about Nick and Mya!
Great Book January 18, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Roland Smith is a great author. I love this book, although i do like Peak better. This is a cool book and gives you an understanding of what it was like to the war captives. You can really understand the main character.
Elephant Run December 27, 2007
1 out of 7 found this review helpful
The book arrived in great shape. It arrived in a short amount of time. There were no problems or complications. I enjoy ordering books on line. I haven't had a bad experience yet!
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