For a number of years I have heard the story about the elephants in South Africa who go and visit a widow every year on her husband’s death anniversary. It is a story that is both sweet and incredible, how do these elephants know it the death anniversary and what made them so loyal to this man that every year they go and mourn his death. So when I heard that he had written a book (before his death) about these elephants and his journey with them I immediately knew that my son and I needed to read it. Luckily our local library had a copy and we managed to get out hands on the gem that is The Elephant Whisperer.

My son read it first and every day he would come down to tell me the latest adventures and we would chuckle and marvel at the goings on of all the animals at this game reserve. (He did get great satisfaction telling me about the black mamba that was chilling in their house for a few days – because honestly he knew that I would have died if I found out I had been living with a black mamba in my house.) To say this book gripped my thirteen-year old and to say that he loved every bit of it is an understatement. Everyone who could possible listen was told story after story. He loved both the stories about the African wildlife and the ones about the dogs who lived with the couple on this reserve. He found the stories about the tribes in the area fascinating and even quizzed me if some of the goings on could actually be true (I think he found a little bit of it was just too much to believe – but as I grew up in Kwa-Zulu Natal I reassured him that no, this all sounded very reasonable for that part of the world).

Once he had finished it I immediately started and I LOVED every page and every word. Okay possibly I am biased as it did remind me of home but honestly what a man, what a family, what an adventure and what incredibly luckily elephants they were to have found their way to this home. But really who can not be moved by a story that involves elephants who were badly treated but then find a home where they are understood and respected and in turn they help out another orphaned elephant, they protect the man who saved them and they even help some buck escape by opening the gate of the boma.

The story of his journey with this herd of elephants is incredible and it restores your faith in human nature.

I don’t want to give away the stories and adventures that are in this book because I really believe it should be on every kids and every adults must read book list. It is about how humans can help, how humans can learn from animals and how if we treat an animal with love and respect you just might get it back. Give this book a try, you really will be transported back to a game reserve in South Africa and you will not be disappointed.

We RECOMMEND this book. In fact if there is one book that you need to read within the next year then this is that book.

Amazon link – The Elephant Whisperer or you can also get the three book set (My son is about half way through the Rhino book and absolutely loving it) Lawrence Anthony 3 Book set

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