I Dream Of An Elephant

From the author-illustrator of Abbeville's Big Cat, Small Cat comes another rhyme-completion concept book, teaching children about colors through bright landscapes of loveable elephants. I Dream of an Elephant takes readers through a wondrous world where they will encounter elephants of many colorful shades that sing, dance, and play. Each page's descriptive sing-song text leaves out the last word, allowing little ones to chime in and complete the rhyme while learning a range of colors. Amusing color-themed illustrations provide clues for the words that have been left out. I Dream of an Elephant teaches children about colors with a fun, fill-in-the-blank challenge that encourages participation. Accomplished illustrator Ami Rubinger once again turns his humorous and imaginative eye to an otherwise simple subject. His colorful elephants will make little faces smile, and the rhyming game will have them learning words and colors.

Rajiv Surendra was filming Mean Girls, playing the beloved rapping mathlete Kevin Gnapoor, when a cameraman insisted he read Yann Martel's Life of Pi. So begins his "lovely and human" (Jenny Lawson, author of Furiously Happy) tale of obsessively pursuing a dream, overcoming failure, and finding meaning in life. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I found myself standing dangerously close to the edge of a cliff. Far below me was an incredible abyss with no end in sight. I could turn back and safely return to where I had come from, or I could throw caution to the wind, lift my arms up into the air . . . and jump.” —From The Elephants in My Backyard What happens when you spend ten years obsessively pursuing a dream, and then, in the blink of an eye, you learn that you have failed, that the dream will not come true? In 2003, Rajiv Surendra was filming Mean Girls, playing the beloved rapping mathlete Kevin Gnapoor, when a cameraman insisted he read Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. Mesmerized by all the similarities between Pi and himself—both are five-foot-five with coffee-colored complexions, both share a South Indian culture, both lived by a zoo—when Rajiv learns that Life of Pi will be made into a major motion picture he is convinced that playing the title role is his destiny. In a great leap of faith Rajiv embarks on a quest to embody the sixteen-year-old Tamil schoolboy. He quits university and buys a one-way ticket from Toronto to South India. He visits the sacred stone temples of Pondicherry, he travels to the frigid waters off the coast of rural Maine, and explores the cobbled streets of Munich. He befriends Yann Martel, a priest, a castaway, an eccentric old woman, and a pack of Tamil schoolboys. He learns how to swim, to spin wool, to keep bees, and to look a tiger in the eye. All the while he is really learning how to dream big, to fail, to survive, to love, and to become who he truly is. Rajiv Surendra captures the uncertainty, heartache, and joy of finding ones place in the world with sly humor and refreshing honesty. The Elephants in My Backyard is not a journey of goals and victories, but a story of process and determination. It is a spellbinding and profound book for anyone who has ever failed at something and had to find a new path through life.

In the spirit of honoring the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., comes a heartfelt debut picture book filled with hope and inspiration from author Bena Hartman and illustrator Shelly Lipscomb. "My Elephant-Sized Dream" captures the imagination of a young girl named Bree as she ponders the significance of Dr. King¿s "I Have a Dream" speech. Bree has a big imagination. Watching shooting stars race across the sky one evening Bree starts to wonder if peace and harmony exists in the world and puts King¿s speech to the test. Determined to satisfy her wonderment and continue the work that King had done, Bree is inspired to lasso shooting stars, place them in jars with special labels such as laughter and friendship, and pass them out to people who come to her star-aid stand. This story is for anyone, at any age level. It¿s a story to inspire you to dream big, to act upon your dreams, and then share your dreams with others. With beautifully water-colored illustrations, and spare, yet tranquil text, the story reminds us of the value of following one¿s dreams and finding peace within. Readers will find both encouragement and satisfaction in every encounter with this heartwarming narrative. This heartwarming and beautifully illustrated book will inspire us all to dream a little more and to remind us that the makings of peace and a better tomorrow are just a dream away. A must read to influence our next generation! What¿s your elephant-sized dream?

Laugh out loud - and learn! "If you want to catch an elephant, first you must find out where elephants live . . ." So begins this tale of a boy and his quest for a pet elephant. But maybe catching an elephant isn't as simple as it sounds . . . A delightful and compassionate story for elephant lovers ages 4 years and up.

A boy meets and plays with an elephant. It’s the best thing that could ever have happened to the boy. They become close friends, but to do what is best for the elephant, they ultimately must go their separate ways. 1

All of the animals in the forest can play an instrument, except Edward the Elephant. He tries, and he tries, but all he can do is make a terrible noise. So instead he became happy just listening, and so much so, that he became the band’s biggest fan! After walking up late for a performance one day, Edward runs though the jungle… DUM DUM DUM DUM…. and discovered that he was musical after all. He turns out to be the beat the band needed! This is a playful yet important story about individual differences and finding ways to belong.

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER "Malby-Anthony offers a book of great inspiration and wide appeal to nature-loving readers." —Publishers Weekly A heart-warming sequel to the international bestseller The Elephant Whisperer, by Lawrence Anthony's wife Françoise Malby-Anthony. A chic Parisienne, Françoise never expected to find herself living on a South African game reserve. But then she fell in love with conservationist Lawrence Anthony and everything changed. After Lawrence’s death, Françoise faced the daunting responsibility of running Thula Thula without him. Poachers attacked their rhinos, their security team wouldn’t take orders from a woman and the authorities were threatening to cull their beloved elephant family. On top of that, the herd’s feisty new matriarch Frankie didn’t like her. In this heart-warming and moving book, Françoise describes how she fought to protect the herd and to make her dream of building a wildlife rescue center a reality. She found herself caring for a lost baby elephant who turned up at her house, and offering refuge to traumatized orphaned rhinos, and a hippo called Charlie who was scared of water. As she learned to trust herself, she discovered she’d had Frankie wrong all along. Filled with extraordinary animals and the humans who dedicate their lives to saving them, An Elephant in My Kitchen is a captivating and gripping read.

After two decades in the study and practice of medicine, Sarah Seidelmann took a three month sabbatical to search for a way to feel good again. Having witnessed human suffering early in her career and within her own family, she longed for a way to address more than just the physical needs of her patients and to live in a lighter, more conscious way. Swimming with Elephants tells the eccentric, sometimes poignant, and occasionally hilarious experience of a working mother undergoing a bewildering vocational shift from physician to shamanic healer. During that tumultuous period of answering her call, Sarah met an elephant who would become an important spirit companion on her journey, had bones thrown for her by a shaman in South Africa, and traveled to India for an ancient Hindu pilgrimage, where she received the blessing she had been longing for. Ultimately, she discovered an entirely different way of healing, one that she had always aspired to, and that enabled her to help those who are suffering.