“Toka, Iringa, and Thika, three female elephants at the Toronto Zoo, showed signs of illness, people became concerned about their living in a cold climate with so little room to roam. In a clearly written narrative, Laidlaw explains how the three elephants were moved from the zoo to an animal sanctuary in California. Led into crates that were loaded onto a flatbed trailer, the elephants made the long journey west, where they were greeted by other elephants and released onto an 80-acre preserve of grasslands with hills, trees, and streams. Based on photos of the elephants’ journey, Deines’ oil paintings illustrate the text very effectively. An animal-rights activist and the author of children’s books such as Saving Lives and Changing Hearts: Animal Sanctuaries and Rescue Centers (2013) and Wild Animals in Captivity (2008), Laidlaw mentions his personal involvement in the project in the four-page appended section. Illustrated with color photos, this section comments on elephants in general as well as the facts behind the narrative. An appealing animal-rescue book.”
— Carolyn Phelan
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