Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun, exciting tale of Thai girl who rescues an elephant.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Ten-year-old Tua (her name means \"peanut\" in Thai) is at the night market in her home city of Chiang Mai as usual one evening while her mom, a waitress, is at work. By chance she finds herself in an unfamiliar part of town, where she comes upon an elephant being abused by her owners. The next thing Tua knows, she and the elephant are on the lam, being pursued by the bad guys and looking for a place where Pohn-Pohn (as the elephant is soon named) will be safe. Friends, relatives, and perfect strangers get involved in the cause, to thrilling and comic effect.
Is It Any Good?
Besides the appealing title heroines, this is a gratifying tale of doing the right thing, with a lot of help from interesting characters and quite a few moments to tickle young readers' funnybone. The simple, engaging illustrations by award-winning artist Taeeyun Yoo and first-time author R.P. Harris' literary style give the book a pleasantly retro feel -- a good fit for a moral universe in which perils abound, but so do clever friends who save the day.
Harris, who lives in Shanghai, China, does a great job of immersing the reader in the sights, sounds, customs, and cuisine of Thailand, and includes common Thai phrases in the dialogue. (The book would have benefited from a glossary and pronunciation guide.)
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Tua does what she knows is right -- even though she isn't always sure what the next step is, like what to do with the elephant you've just rescued. Can you think of other stories about following your heart and doing the right thing?
Have you ever eaten Thai food? From the descriptions in this book, would you like to?
Do you think Tua has more freedom in her life than a 10-year-old in the United States? Why do you think this might be? Do you think you'd like her life?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Taeeun Yoo
- Genre : Animals
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Chronicle Books
- Publication date : April 18, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 204
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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