Elephant in the Dark - Hardcover

Javaherbin, Mina

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0545636701 ISBN 13: 9780545636704

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2015

Synopsis

A bold, humorous rendition of "The Three Blind Men and the Elephant" illustrated by an award-winning artist!

A mysterious creature has been moved into the merchant's barn-and the villagers are dying of curiosity. What does it look like? What could it be? The impatient villagers can't wait until morning to find out.

One by one, each takes turns stealing into the dark barn.

And each is only able to feel one small part of the beast.

"It's like a hose!" says one.

"It's like a fan," says another.

"No, it's like a tree trunk!" says a third.

It's not until the elephant walks into daylight that the truth is revealed.

This well-loved story is based on a poem by the popular 13th century Persian poet, Rumi. The author, Mina Javaherbin, also from Iran, has translated and retold this resonant life-long favorite universal tale for contemporary readers of all ages. Eugene Yelchin, Newbery Honor book author/artist ofBreaking Stalin's Nose, has based his brilliant illustrations on Persian miniatures.

About this title

About the Author

Eugene Yelchin loves to create books that explore the boundaries of universal truth. He is the author and illustrator of the Newbery Honor book Breaking Stalin's Nose, as well as the illustrator of many distinguished, award-winning picture books. These include Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw, and Elephant in the Dark, retold by Mina Javaherbin. Born in Russia, Eugene now lives in Topanga, California, with his wife and their two children. Visit him at eugeneyelchinbooks.com.
Mina Javaherbin was born in Iran and immigrated to the U.S.A. long ago. She is fluent in both Persian and English. She now lives near a beach in Southern California with her husband and two children. This is her second picture book based on a poem by Rumi. Visit Mina at www.minajavaherbin.com.

Reviews

K-2—A merchant has brought a strange creature from India to a Persian village, and the locals are curious. The merchant puts off his neighbors because it is too dark in the barn and he wants to sleep. The villagers sneak in one at a time to figure out what is inside. Each one feels a different part of the animal, coming to a different conclusion about its identity. They are so busy squabbling among themselves that they miss seeing the elephant the next morning as the merchant leads it to the river. The villagers never see the wonder of the elephant because "they each knew only a small piece of the truth." This picture book is based on a poem by Rumi. Yelchin's illustrations are bright and colorful and filled with expressive faces. They take the story to an imaginative level. The story is told simply but with a meaningful impact. VERDICT Young readers and teachers who enjoy folktales with an entertaining moral will appreciate this story's message.—Kris Hickey, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH

Edition details

• Publisher: Scholastic Press
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0545636701
• ISBN 13: 9780545636704
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Yelchin Eugene
• Number of pages: 40