Have You Seen an Elephant? - (Alex's Field Guides) by Elina Ellis (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Alex is sure it'll be easy to find an elephant. She meets a snake, a rhino and even a lion along her journey -- asking them if they've seen an elephant and explaining what to look for -- and yet, the largest land animal eludes her. But has the very animal she's looking for been there the whole time? Packed with pachyderm facts, this first book in the Alex's Field Guides series is an allegory on the disappearance of one of the world's most iconic animals, told in a charming, kid-accessible way."--

Book Synopsis

A girl's hilariously unsuccessful search for elephants serves as a clever allegory for the disappearance of these iconic animals. The first book in a series focused on endangered animals.

Meet Alex. She's an explorer who LOVES elephants, and she's decided to see one for herself. How hard could it be? It turns out, pretty hard! Alex asks one animal after another for help, but none of them has seen an elephant. Not the giraffe. Not the snake. Not even the lion! Where are all the elephants?

Keen-eyed readers of this charming picture book from author-illustrator Elina Ellis will chuckle as they spot the elephants hiding in plain sight on every spread. Alex's difficulty finding an elephant is meant as a subtle reminder that elephants actually are disappearing in the wild. The story is told in dialogue, interspersed with loads of elephant facts presented as two-page spreads from Alex's journal. The sly humor in Ellis's mostly earth-toned illustrations will keep readers fully engaged with the pages. Instructions in the back matter show budding explorers how to make their own animal journals. This is the first book in a series that will serve as an excellent accompaniment for discussions on endangered animals and conservation, as well as life science lessons on the characteristics of living things.

Review Quotes

... learning is made fun through humorous illustrations that will have readers pulling for Alex to look thoroughly and see the elephants right there on the page. An entertaining introduction to elephants, this title will be enjoyed by elementary students and hopefully inspire young researchers to create their own research journals.--School Library Journal

Definitely, an entertaining book which teaches the reader not only about elephants but about endangered species as well.--Children's Literature

... a great introduction to non-fiction books, animal conservation, and allows readers to explore their love of animals. Highly Recommended.--CM Magazine

Delightful watercolor like illustrations in earthy tones are engaging and will have kids eagerly pointing out everything that Alex misses---make room for this one at storytime.--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Elina Ellis was born in Ukraine and has a master's in children's book illustration from Anglia Ruskin University. She has illustrated several picture books, including Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind and This Is the Path the Wolf Took. Elina loves wildlife, cooking and a good joke. There is no greater reward for her than a smile on the face of her reader. She lives in Cambridge, United Kingdom.