Ella

Ella written by Nicole Godwin and illustrated by Demelsa Haughton (Tusk Books) HB RRP $24.99

ISBN 9780994531407

Reviewed by Brook Tayla

Those that know me well, know that my greatest love is children’s literature – particularly picture books, but running second is being a bit of an animal activist.  I also have a love of elephants that is inexplicable but that has been ever present in my life from early childhood – so there was something that instantly drew me to the combination of these two things when I saw Ella by Nicole Godwin and Demelsa Haughton.  I knew this book was going to have an important message told in a tender way: you can see it on the front cover.

Nicole Godwin’s story is based on her real life experiences with elephants in Thailand, where she experienced both sides of the elephant industry, from cruel and harsh training for the purpose of tourism, through to volunteering at an elephant sanctuary, where the best is done to give mistreated rescue elephants a dignified place to live out the rest of their days.  ‘Ella’ takes us on a quintessential representation of this experience.

It is a brave journey that presents the truth.  Children want to know the truth and as adults we have a responsibility of care to teach facts in an open and accurate way, ensuring that we are contributing to empathetic and compassionate future generations.  Of course, we don’t want to frighten children, and that is a tender balance that Nicole Godwin masters with her words and Demelsa Haughton supports with her beautiful illustrations. Ella, the baby elephant in this story, has a sad, heart-rending story to tell - but she has strength, courage, persistence and determination that lead her towards an ending with a happy outcome.

Picture books need to engage adult storytellers and this book will definitely do that and will initiate conversations with children on different levels depending upon their age.

I feel saddened at the amount and extent of animal cruelty in the world – which is why more books like this are needed.  I recommend that every household, pre-school, kindergarten and primary school keep a copy of this serious but beautifully told story on their shelves.

Congratulations Nicole and Demelsa  - you handled the difficult with tender tenacity xx

Brook Tayla writes a blog called telltalestome@wordpress.com and would love you to drop by, read some reviews, leave a comment and subscribe.

One Step at a Time

One Step at a Time by Jane Jolly, illustrated by Sally Heinrich (MidnightSun Publishing)

HB RRP $27.99

ISBN 9780987380951

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

The cover of this picture book immediately grabs one’s attention as it is bold and attractive, showing that the artwork is obviously the result of print-making. Opening it, one is amused by the fly pages showing an elephant trudging across the page in line after line. The illustrator, Sally Heinrich, has been recognized through various fellowships and this book, the first picture book from an Australian publishing company which established in late 2014, is pictorially stunning.

Set in Thailand and based on fact, the story is of a boy, Luk, who is keeper of Mali an elephant; together they help Luk’s grandmother drag timber from the forest. However, disaster is moments away when Mali steps on a landmine and is downed. Saffron-robed monks from a temple chant ‘aged-old blessings’ on Mali and the small boy tends her. Happily, a practical solution is found to help the crippled elephant and all ends well.

The publisher claims this is a ‘ground-breaking story’ and portrayed in picture book form, it most likely is as it draws a child reader’s attention to the dreadful problem of more than 110 active mines scattered in over 70 countries around the world – a fact mentioned in a post-script.

That Jolly is a fine writer is evidenced by the fact she has won three CBCA Notable mentions for her picture books. This is a beautifully designed book with illustrations which are dramatic in parts and tender in others. The illustrator makes frequent use of border illustrations that are in keeping with the oriental feel of the book. Jolly and Heinrich and MidnightSun Publishing ought to be well-pleased with this special book for children aged 6 years and up.