Saving H’Non superbly employs a graphic-novel format to inform the true story of an animal rescue and devoted human stewardship.

*Saving H’Non: Chang and the Elephant by Trang Nguyễn and Jeet Zdũng. Dial Books for Younger Readers, 2023, 126 pages.

Studying Degree: Center Grades, ages 8-10

Advisable for: ages 8-12

Chang loves volunteering on the wildlife rescue middle close to Yok Don Nationwide Park in Vietnam. She passes alongside what she’s studying to teams of schoolkids, and the animal that fascinates them essentially the most might be the elephant. Who doesn’t love elephants?

However Chang is aware of too properly the darker aspect of those majestic animals: that for hundreds of years they’ve been exploited in work gangs and vacationer sights, and their abuse continues right this moment. Chang is thrilled when she has the chance to assist Dionne, the middle director, rescue a 60-year-old feminine named H’non. It’s the standard unhappy story: after a strenuous profession hauling timber and concrete, H’Non was compelled into service carrying vacationers in a heavy and ill-fitting howdah, with devastating penalties for her well being.

Dionne negotiates a value to buy H’Non from her grasping proprietor for 18 months of rehab, which is able to embody instructing her to be methods to be an elephant within the wild. Wat, a hyperactive and distractable boy, proves excellent for the job of mahout (coach). Slowly H’Non adjusts to her new people and her new freedom.

“Chang” is the much-younger alter ego of writer Trang, a real-life conservationist in Vietnam. H’Non’s story is true: a feminine elephant captured on the age of 4 and compelled to work in development and later tourism till her well being was nearly damaged. The define of the story is actual additionally—H’Non was rescued by Trang and different conservationists who supplied her proprietor compensation for 18 months of rehab. Readers will probably be fascinated by the method of instructing an elephant methods to forage for meals, cool and groom herself, and at last work together with different elephants (together with “adopting” a younger obstreperous bull). The textual content doesn’t equate animals with people, and grants that the elephants can serve people usefully if handled with respect and care. Our accountability for stewardship is evident and superbly acknowledged. Although there’s no point out of a creator, there’s no point out of evolution, both.

The graphic-novel format is ideal for this story, with artwork starting from slapdash humor to lovely lifelike portrayals. Animal-lovers will devour details about the wildlife of Southeast Asia.

Total Ranking: 4.5 (out of 5)

  • Worldview/ethical worth: 4
  • Creative/literary worth: 5

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