When Aaron rescues a baby elephant from the lodge swimming pool, he does so with hesitation. Elephants eat their crops and trample their fields, robbing them of their income. When the manager of the lodge, his boss, praises him and suggests he visit the nearby elephant sanctuary to check on the rescued elephant, Aaron again has mixed feelings. He visits anyway and seems to be the only one who can get the baby elephant to eat. The sanctuary offers him a job and so begins Aaron's career as an elephant keeper in Zambia. (Spoiler - the baby elephant lives!) This is a very interesting look at a different way of life with elephants in your backyard on a regular basis!

A touching, wonderful and heartwarming story! What an amazing person! I love elephants and this was an excellent book!

The Elephant Keeper is a very thorough picture book with beautiful illustrations of Zambian landscapes, people, and of course elephants. This book is based on a true story about a boy named Aaron who finds an orphaned elephant struggling for its life in the pool of his workplace one morning. After rescuing it, he becomes invested in what happens to it, but also has to wrestle with his own fears as he has been taught that elephants are very dangerous creatures.

This book constructs a detailed narrative that follows Aaron to an elephant orphanage where he continues to observe and care for baby Zambezi (named after the river). The story is interspersed with an occasional informational section with photos and facts about elephants and their environments, as well as the organizations and systems in place to help orphaned elephants.

There is a lot of information here, and this is an element of conservation I did not know much about, so I appreciate the opportunity to read this story and especially to get a glimpse into the lives of these "elephant keepers."

Margriet Ruurs and Pedro Covo give a fresh look at some of the planet’s largest land mammals – the elephant.

Ruurs brings to the pages the real-life story of a Zambian boy Aaron who discovers an infant elephant in the Lion’s Lodge swimming pool. Thanks to Aaron’s attentiveness and efforts, the young elephant is rescued and taken to a local elephant orphanage.

While this children’s book, great for readers ages 5-9, tells a real-life story, it also includes double-page spreads with helpful information. These pages teach children about elephant biology, the orphanage, and the endangered status of these majestic animals.

Covo’s mixed-media paintings are truly works of art. In addition to the great African landscapes, the art communicates alongside the narrative.

The Elephant Keeper is a moving story is a great addition to any library, at home or school. It is a helpful teaching tool in helping children understand the negative impact humans’ choices have on wildlife.

Read more at http://jasoncstanley.com/book-review-elephant-keeper/

When a young man named Aaron finds a young elephant in danger in a swimming pool, he jumps to the rescue even though elephants are viewed as pesky and dangerous creatures by his village. It turns out the little elephant is an orphan so workers from an elephant orphanage are called in to take care of the exhausted little pachyderm. Curious, Aaron goes to visit Zambezi at the elephant orphanage and finds himself offered a job caring for Zambezi and other new orphan elephants. Can a boy who was raised to hate elephants help save them? Interspersed with the story are facts about elephants, elephant orphanages, and rehabilitation practices. In the back of the book is further information on the real Aaron and Zambezi and how readers can get involved themselves to help orphan elephants and other endangered wildlife.

What makes this story all the more powerful is the fact that Aaron is a real person and Zambezi is a real elephant (though their story may not have played out exactly as portrayed in the book). They definitely provide great inspiration to help endangered animals in the world, and Aaron’s perspective helps readers understand a little bit of the other side of the poaching issue. I liked the illustration style for the story parts, and it really helps that the factual tidbits on elephants between chapters of the story are done with real photos so readers easily transition back and forth between the two. I especially appreciate that the book includes ways for readers to get involved themselves. Hand this to animal lovers, those studying modern Africa or endangered species, and especially those who can’t get enough elephants in their lives. I’ll definitely be adding Aaron & Zambezi’s story to our school library.

Aaron is just trying to help his family by going to work when he comes across a baby elephant drowning in a resort swimming pool. After he rescues the baby, he can't stop thinking about it. When he goes to visit it at the orphan elephant rescue sanctuary, he finds that he has a gift for helping elephants. I really loved the compelling story, but even more I loved the non-fiction pieces in between that helped to anchor the story. I can't wait to get this one in my library.

This book is a joy. Beautiful illustrations capture this heartwarming story of a boy bonding with an orphaned baby elephant. Perfect for younger readers with notes and information on elephants and elephant rescue groups. I loved it.

In Aaron's village, elephants are seen as dangerous and a threat to their crops. When Aaron rescues a baby elephant he begins to question what he has been taught. With the help of experts at an elephant orphanage, he learns to care for the baby and gains a different perspective.

The book has gorgeous illustrations, which follow Aaron's story, interspersed with photographs of elephants and facts that support the story. I loved this book and the beautiful message of compassion and caring for elephants.

There are so many endangered animals in our world today, there need to be more books like this one. When Aaron, a young boy finds a young elephant trying not to drown in the pool at the lodge where he works, he jumps into action. The baby elephant is flailing around and will surely drown if he isn't helped. Aaron gets some help and together with some men and another boy, they rescue the baby elephant. The elephant is taken to a local elephant orphanage to be taken care of. When Aaron goes home, the villagers who have heard of the rescue are angry at Aaron. In their village, elephants eat their crops and kill humans. They do not understand why Aaron save one of them. When Aaron visits the young elephant at the orphanage, he is surprised to see them playing and the humans around them are not afraid of them. He sits with little Zambezi, feeds him from a bottle and sits with him. When the other keepers see how natural he is caring for this little elephant, they offer him a job. This story is based on a true story about a boy and the elephant that he rescued. There are also many facts included about elephants and the dangers from poaching and destroying their habitat. There are resources included at the back as well as a glossary. A great book for any school library and to be used as a resource when learning about endangered species. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.
When a young boy comes across a young elephant sinking in a pool he is surprised. The baby elephant is flailing around and will surely drown if he isn't helped. Together along with some men, the boy helps rescue the elephant. The elephant is taken to a local sanctuary where he is cared for. Elephants in the boys country are thought to be dangerous and bad for crops. When the boy visits the young elephant he learns about elephants and good. Based on a true story about a boy and the elephant that he rescued.

Stories such as the Elephant Keeper that are inspired by true events quickly melt my heart. The story of Aaron and Zambezi told the tale of friendship, hope and seeing situations from a different perspective. The factual information interspersed with the story was well done. I also loved meeting the real characters at the end of the book. I can see using this book in many different ways in the classroom.