Inspired by true events, this book about Jama and her special connections with elephants will warm your heart. With Baba gone, Jama goes to the elephants for comfort. She names the leader Shaba and watches her have a baby whom she names Mbegu. One day while Jama and her mom are out, the elephants charge because they have been threatened by poachers. Shaba tramples Jama’s mom and kills her. The village wants revenge and start hurting Mbegu. Jama goes to protect to try to save her. The wildlife trust is called, and Jama goes with them in hopes of helping them save Mbegu. Jama wonders what will happen to both the elephant and herself.

What an amazing YA book that is beautifully written to show not only another culture but a heartwarming story of elephants. It was well written where any reader would be able to connect with the main character. It will leave the reader with tears in your eyes.

James Patterson has made his name by using his name to highlight the work of his coauthors. The Elephant Girl, a story about a young African girl who protects elephants from poachers even at the expense of being kicked out of her village, is no different. Ellen Banda-Aaku is an award-winning Zambian author whose passion for African literature is clear through the corpus of her writing. Sophia Krevoy, an elephant conservation activist, is also credited as an author.

The Elephant Girl is a children’s novel intended for mid to upper elementary students. It follows the story of 12-year-old Jama, who has always been a bit socially aloof. Considered odd by her peers, she discovers better companions in the elephants who drink at the watering hole outside the village. Jama is portrayed as someone connected to nature, but disconnected with her community. The former is fine, but the latter is quite scandalous in African communities. Jama’s favorite elephant is a baby she names Mbegu, Swahili for “seed.”

Things become dire when poachers scare the elephant herd, causing Mbegu’s mother to stampede. When the dust settles, the elephant is dead…but so is Jama’s mom. The people cry out for vengeance—not against the poachers, but against the elephants—and Jama is left to grieve her mother while defending her beloved Mbegu. From here, the story takes an unexpected twist. Jama and Mbegu are flown out of the village to an elephant sanctuary, where Jama—still just twelve—is given charge of Mbegu. There is a bit of a plot regarding the poachers, but I won’t spoil any elements of that story.

The Elephant Girl is fine. There are a few uses of harsh language—one “damn” and one “hell” respectively—that seemed out of place for children’s literature. The story is straightforward and simplistic, with the pivotal point of Jama and Mbegu going to live at an elephant sanctuary seeming more fantasy wish fulfillment than even trying to seem realistic. It fits its target audience and the conservation motif is one that is very important.

This was another enjoyable read from James Patterson (and Ellen Banda-Aaku). Great story, along with great characters that you will care about. #TheElephantGirl #NetGalley

5 stars
This book broke me, then fixed me.
It is a beautiful story, with so much heart. I loved everything about it.