Kristin Davis was kind enough to share her reading list with us! Being an animal rights activist, Kristin works with The David Sheldrake Wildlife Trust to combat elephant poaching, and she is serious about preventing elephant extinction. To get kids involved and excited about elephants, she suggests reading them stories about these kind and gentle creatures. These are her favorite elephant books that she reads to her daughter, Gemma Rose. Find out why she loves them!
Kristin Davis Elephant Books
-
The Story of Babar: The Little Elephant
Author: Jean de Brunhoff
This is definitely the first book I remember reading that had an elephant as it's main character. The illustrations are so beautiful and classic, they brighten up the sad story of an orphaned little elephant who must live in the city and wear human clothes!
-
Horton Hears a Who
Author: Dr. Suess
Here's another classic from our own childhoods! Horton is so cute and funny as a character, and the language so wonderful that this book is just fun for all ages.
-
The Saggy Baggy Eelephant
Author: K. Jackson and B. Jackson
A sweet book about not fitting in, being orphaned, and finally finding family. It's really interesting to read classic books with elephant characters and discover how many of them are orphaned! I think this is because the elephant family reflects the human family and elephant personalities also reflect our personalities. So, it's easy for children to relate to a little elephant who lost his Mom.
-
African Safari with Ted and Raymond
Author: Rhonda Patton
I think it's great to open your child's eyes to other parts of the world at an early age. This book does that with cute pictures of all of the animals one would see on a safari.
-
Elmer
Author: David McKee
I just love how this book teaches kids the value of being themselves. In this book, we join this brave elephant who wants to blend in but soon finds that being unique is even better.
-
My Friend is Sad
Author: Mo Williams
This is a clever and endearing book about an unlikely friendship between a happy pig and a sad elephant. I think it's great when books encourage kids to think about how they feel and to understand the feelings of others, as well.
-
Dumbo
Author: The Walt Disney Company
I debated putting this book on the list, but the whimsical element of a flying elephant is hard to leave out. This book is surely memorable to all of us. The theme of not fitting in because of something about you being different is universal and well told through cute little Dumbo.
-
The Magician's Elephant
Author: Kate DiCamillo
This is a book for older children, and frankly, I am still reading it myself! It has a magical quality that is different than most children's books and the illustrations are very evocative and beautiful. It's kind of spooky but also hopeful. This book is really interesting and different!
