The Elephant in the Room
Heartwarming tale of friendship, kindness, and healing.
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Based on 1 review
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Holly Goldberg Sloan's The Elephant in the Room is an upbeat, heart-filled tale set in Eugene, Oregon. Twelve-year-old protagonist Sila is struggling, because it's been almost a year that she and her immigrant dad have been on their own while her mom is stuck in Turkey dealing with visa issues that never end. Also struggling: Veda the elephant, ripped from her mom while still nursing two decades ago and sold to a traveling circus that used hooks and electric shock to "train" her. Also Mateo, Sila's classmate, who has autism and no friends. Also Gio, the older, widowed spouse of the kids' second grade teacher, who won the lotto and has no one to share his good fortune with. Their lives come together, to the ultimate joy of all. The vast quantities of manure Veda produces become an element of the plot as the kids are hired to deal with it: Local ecosystems love the stuff, and a mini-business is born. The pain of family separation is a strong theme, as is the beauty of nature and the outdoors. And there's an indomitable message about determination, hard work, friendship, and kindness winning the day over lots of difficulty.
Community Reviews
Enjoyable tale of friendship
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What's the Story?
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM is Veda, unexpectedly freed from an abusive life with a sketchy traveling circus by Gio, a kindhearted guy who has won the lotto and suddenly has more money than he knows what to do with. Bonding with her at first sight is 12-year-old Sila, who's having a hard time because her mom is stuck in Turkey dealing with a visa issue that's gone unresolved for almost a year. She and her dad are doing their best, but struggling. As part of a program at school, she becomes friends with Mateo, a longtime classmate who's very smart and has autism. Soon the two tweens are spending the summer out in the country at Gio's place helping him care for Veda -- and also helping him deal with the vast amounts of manure she's producing. And Sila discovers that she and Veda have something in common: They're both missing their moms something awful.
Is It Any Good?
Holly Goldberg Sloan's tale of two kids, a widowed man, and an elephant transforming each other's lives tugs the heartstrings and insists that acts of kindness make things a whole lot better. The Elephant in the Room intertwines a lot of compelling issues -- family separation, immigration, animal abuse, autism, loss -- in a lively, relatable, poignant, often funny story. Happy coincidence -- starting with the fact that pretty much none of the story would happen if Gio didn't win the lottery -- plays a large role in the unfolding events, but it's all in aid of a strong message that empathy, and acting upon it, changes lives in ways you never imagined. Even if you're not a gazillionaire.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of families separated against their will in The Elephant in the Room. Here, the issue is immigration problems -- which in today's world is just one of the things that keep families apart. What other stories do you know where the characters are dealing with the separation of their families? How do they cope?
If, like Gio, you suddenly found yourself rich beyond your wildest dreams, what would you do? Is there anyone you especially want to help, or share your good fortune with?
What do you know about the history of Turkey -- and why families like Sila's fled to the United States?
Book Details
- Author: Holly Goldberg Sloan
- Genre: Friendship
- Topics: Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, Science and Nature, Wild Animals
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Dial
- Publication date: March 2, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 14
- Number of pages: 256
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: April 26, 2021
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