So I was not expecting to be crying over elephants this morning but here I am.

Because of the mature subject matter please be sure before you read this book with your children. Picture books can be a good way to introduce hard things.

Much like Betty Doll by Patricia Pollacco I did not go into this knowing what was coming.

This tells the story of desperate choices with no good solutions.

For my family I rated this 13+. ( )

Like Break-in Stalin's Nose, this story reminds of the horrors of war, but it focuses so much more on the individual impact on civilians and innocent people and animals. You can feel the anguish the zookeepers are feeling through the illustrations and the word choice and the format is a great conversation starter for middle schoolers talking about WWII. It is definitely not suitable for young children.

I think that this book is an amazing representation of the pain that people feel during wartime. Even though there is no historical documentation of this story actually happening, I think that this book can be very metaphorical to the pain of losing family and friends to war. Sometimes, that topic can be a little too dark for students so using this book instead can help not make it as heavy. A great book to use to start a discussion. ( )

A beautiful story that really brings home the tragedies and consequences of war. ( )

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, this is the most depressing book I have read in quite some time. Originally, I heard of it when Young et al. listed it in the back of Chapter 13 (p. 184). I figured that since I like elephants, I would read a lighthearted story about the bond between these creatures and their owners; boy was I wrong. Having never heard of the Japanese government ordering the euthanasia of animals at the Ueno Zoo during World War II, this book really tugged at my heartstrings. Reading about the slow death of the elephants was sad enough, but it became even more heartbreaking when research I did afterwards suggested that there was no danger to the animals to begin with, and the killings were going to be used as propaganda against the Allied forces. All in all, even though this book’s overall message about the depravity of war is powerful, I would recommend reading it only if you are looking to have a good cry. ( )