Baby Elephant Joins the Herd

Wildlife photographs document the life of an elephant on the African savannah from newborn calf to 15-year-old adult. A gentle narrative details the calf’s early years spent protected by the herd, drinking her mother’s milk, and learning what it is to be an elephant. Photos show the elephants on the move (“the herd has to keep moving to find enough leaves, roots, grasses, fruits, and bark for all to eat”), greeting and playing with one another, and forming a united front in the face of a predator lion. Facts about elephant behavior and anatomy are integrated throughout the descriptive text: “made of almost 50,000 muscles, including two ‘fingers’ at the end, an elephant’s trunk is a very useful tool.” When the elephant is a full-grown adult, the story comes full circle with the birth of a new calf: “Together, with flapping ears and loud trumpet sounds, they welcome their newest member.” Ages 3–9. [em](Jan.) [/em]