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Mother To Elephants: The Story of Daphne Sheldrick -A picture book celebrating the life of a pioneer in elephant care. It’s a wonderful story for Kids 6-9 (perfect for your nature loving child). Paperback – September 25, 2023

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 49 ratings

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Born free – living free! How young, orphaned elephants found a playful temporary home with a different kind of family. A true story filled with love and determination.

2024 Children's Book International Gold Award Winner
2024 Readers View Silver Award Winner
2023 Literary Titan Gold Award Winner


No doubt you’ve heard the saying, “Mother knows best!” But what if the baby is a six-hundred-pound elephant, and the mother is of the two-legged kind? Would the saying still hold true?

Mothering elephants is what Daphne Sheldrick did her entire life. As a young girl, she was put in charge of wounded or abandoned animals. As a grownup, Daphne and her dedicated team saved and nurtured countless elephants.

When a tiny, milk-dependent calf arrived, Daphne’s determination would be tested. No one had ever hand-reared an elephant baby this young, but what Daphne learned with Aisha would be the key to saving future orphaned elephants. What’s more, she had an elephant-sized dream of returning them to the wild!

This non-fiction biography picture book for kids is sure to inspire young budding conservationists and make the perfect gift for elephant lovers everywhere!

Includes a section with many ele-fantastic elephant facts!
The perfect choice for parents and teachers looking for:

  • Inspiring nonfiction narrative books
  • Biographies about women
  • Role model books for children
  • Kids STEM books


Buy NOW and receive the “Mother To Elephants” Extra Childhood Scene and Ice Cream In A Bag science activity for FREE
(details inside book)!

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Amazon First Reads | Editors' picks at exclusive prices

From the Publisher

This is the story of a girl who grew up to take care of young orphaned elephants.

Daphne dreams being among the wild herds

No doubt you've heard the saying, "Mother knows best!" But what if the baby is a six-hundred-pound elephant, and the mother is of the two-legged kind? Would the saying still hold true?

Elephant rescue!

elephant rescue

The Sheldrick team has been rescuing elephants for years. But one day, a milk-dependent elephant is found orphaned. Will Daphne be able to save her? No one had developed a milk formula for elephants before.

Making Ice Cream With Hailstones!

making ice cream

Included is an extra scene and fun ice cream in a bag science activity!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A wild animal is only borrowed. If you truly love it, you must set it free when nature calls." And nature does indeed call Daphne Sheldrick in this delightful and inspiring picture book by R.G. de Rouen...If you only grab one "animal story" for young readers this year, grab THIS ONE! A compelling true story, it's a definite WINNER!- Reedsy Discovery (5 stars)


"Mother To Elephants is a call to action and a celebration of the human spirit's capacity for compassion and positive change. I recommend this engaging and educational read, which has the potential to ignite a passion for wildlife conservation in the hearts of young readers and inspire them to be advocates for the voiceless creatures that share our planet. - Literary Titan (5 stars)
"While intended for children, adults will also benefit from reading Mother to Elephants. Author R.G. de Rouen has not only created a beautiful story around an incredible woman but also teaches the reader about the reasons for baby elephants losing their mothers as well as how to rescue and care for them." -
Readers' Favorite (5 stars)
"Love and nurturing, provided by Daphne and staff, allowed the young charges to successfully transition back to the wild. Elephant Fun Facts were an added delight. Did you know that an elephant can be right tusked or left tusked just as humans are right or left handed? A highly recommended read for young and old alike!" -
Fran, Netgalley and Goodreads reviewer (5 stars)
"A sweet and inspiring children's book that combines an amazing true story with lovely illustrations and interesting elephant facts. Perfect for young, aspiring conservationists."-
Tusk.org
"Thank you to Daphne Sheldrick and all those fighting to save our wildlife."
Reader Views Kids (5 stars)


About the Author

R.G. de Rouen is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature in Connecticut and writes fiction that inspires a love of reading with a pinch of humor along the way. Throughout his 25+ years as an elementary teacher throughout the world, he has also been an advocate of animal and nature protection which he brings into his nonfiction stories.Books For Benjamin, his first picture book, has been widely recognized and received several awards, including the Readers' Favorite Silver Medal. Like his fictional character Benjamin, R.G. de Rouen can't live without books! Mother To Elephants, a non-fiction picture book biography, portrays the life of Dame Daphne Sheldrick. Her dedication in rescuing baby orphan elephants in Kenya, serves as a great inspiration to children and adults alike. To find out more about the author, please visit him at rgderouen.com

Kateryna Rohotova (Kate) is an illustrator from Ukraine. She graduated from Luhansk State Institute of Culture and Arts as a digital artist. She worked for eight years as a 2D artist in the gaming industry, but in 2018 she became a freelance artist. Now her favorite part of her job is creating watercolors illustrations for children's books. Her hobbies include handmade crafts, photography, cooking, and aquariums... but drawing is the main passion of her life.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CJSQFDLP
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ R.G. de Rouen LLC (September 25, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986585499
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 12 years
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.08 x 11 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 49 ratings

About the author

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R.G. de Rouen
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R.G. de Rouen is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature in Connecticut and writes fictional books that inspire a love of reading with a pinch of humor along the way. Throughout his 25+ years as an elementary teacher throughout the world, he has been an advocate of animal and nature protection which he brings into his nonfiction books.

Books For Benjamin is his first book for children. Like his fictional character Benjamin, R.G. de Rouen can’t live without books! Please visit him at www.rgderouen.com or follow him on Facebook @R.G. de Rouen, author, Instagram @rg.derouen_author, or Pinterest @rgderouenauthor.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
49 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024
I cannot say enough good things about this story! Everyone should read it. If your children are old enough to read, ask them to read it to you. If they can't read yet, pile them in your lap or on the couch next to you and read it to them.

The story tells of a woman who learned to love animals as a young child because she lived in Kenya on a large farm her parents had where they cared for many animals. She grew up and married a man who shared her love of animals. In fact, he was the head manager of a large national park. They both loved all the animals but especially the elephants.

This is a beautiful story, and the illustrations are equally amazing. They help you see the animals as they are to their caregivers (real, loved, and very much alive) - NOT just as some distant creatures in a story.

At the end of the story there are more facts about elephants. I read most of them to my husband (even though he had to pause the show he was watching on TV), and we both learned some interesting, new things. Did YOU know elephants walk up to 125 miles per day? That they not only hear with their ears, but they also "hear" with their feet? None of the information was boring or something I tried to skip over: it was all great info to have!

Bottom line: read this to/with your children. You can thank me later, but I think you should thank the author and illustrator instead because they did an AWESOME job! THANKS AGAIN R.G. and Kateryna! WELL DONE! VERY well done!!
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2023
My daughter really enjoyed this book, It's a great bedtime Story. Good for kids who like elephant or nature stories.
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2024
I really enjoyed this story! Animals are so interesting and special. Elephants are very unique and I like how the author includes “Elefacts” at the end of his story because I learned quite a few things about them. This is a great source for kids to learn about elephants and get to know one very special one as well. It’s so warm and heartfelt. The illustrations are great and brings everything all together!
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024
This was a great story about Daphne that helps teach children that certain animals belong in their natural habitat. Although many rehabilitation centers and individual homes exist, these have an expertise and they consider the optimal care for the wild animal. These illustrations are adorable and fit the story perfectly! Recommend for older children that can understand the story and idea behind the book, 6+ years old
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2024
Easy reading with facts about wild animals. Good reading for kids and parents altogether reminding us about teaching our little ones to grow independence along the way.
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2023
This well illustrated biography is a perfect way to introduce kids to elephant conservation as well as to show them how Daphne Sheldrick became the elephant mom.
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2024
I absolutely LOVE this book. As a lover of both, animals and children this story deeply touched my heart. The Author makes you feel as if you are right there amongst the animals of all different species and the illustrations are amazing. Unlike the cereal TRIX, this book isn't just for kids. It's a treasure for any age.
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2024
Animal lovers and kids of all ages will appreciate the true story of one who cared enough to mother elephants. There is also a wonderful lesson about caring for one another - if one tactic does not work - try another! The book also has resources for kids and facts about elephants for curious readers.

Top reviews from other countries

Ay Ak
5.0 out of 5 stars Quite good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2024
The story is great, and even though there was a sad moment, this didn't dull the book. It teaches learning from mistakes and how elephants especially the orphans were cared for. Children will enjoy it.
Lalaland
5.0 out of 5 stars A charming book, which entertains and inspires
Reviewed in Germany on October 22, 2023
This true story of a remarkable woman and her special relationship from a young age with orphaned elefants is told by the author in a very charming and sensitive manner. The illustrations are marvelous and helpful, as well.

Showing how Daphne responds to the heartbreak of losing a very special elefant by making sure the animal's bonding to only one person doesn't happen again, is a valuable lesson for our children: The author shows how even a very young Daphne decided to make sure to always put the animal's best interests ahead of her own....regardless of how difficult it is.

This children's book reminds me of the biographies for kids of frontiersman like Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett, which got me hooked at a young age into reading books.

After R. G. de Rouen's first book "Books for Benjamin" with the very clever "copyright" idea to help get our youngest kids into reading books, this book is sure to delight our kids, who are a little older and inspire them just as much. We'll done!
Stewart M.
5.0 out of 5 stars A true story about a pioneering elephant carer
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2024
This book tells the true story of Daphne Sheldrick who lived in Africa and grew up to create an animal sanctuary to help orphaned elephants. The illustrations are soft watercolours. At the back of the book is some useful information about elephants.
MR I J WHITE
5.0 out of 5 stars An inspirational story of Daphne Sheldrick with great message about how to care for wild animals.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2023
This would be a good story to help children understand how emphasise with our environment and how they can take individual action.

I also particularly liked the watercolour-style illustrations by Kateryna Rohotova - very clear, with lots of depth and expression with both the humans and animals.
Nathan
5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely touching story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 14, 2023
An excellent read for children would highly recommend!!