Editorial Review

The complexity of elephants is explained in simple, easy to read text, accompanied by large photos throughout this book. Separate sections are headed by questions, such as ‘Do Elephants Live Alone?’ and ‘What Are Baby Elephants Like?’ Interesting facts are shared, such as how elephants use their trunks to suck up water, then spray it into their mouths to drink, rather than drinking the water through their trunks. Both Asian and African elephants are described where appropriate, and both are depicted throughout the photographs. All of the photographs have captions, providing information about where the elephant pictured lives, or pointing out something specific, such as the elephant’s skin texture. Elephants’ habitat, diet, and much more are described, including their endangered condition, due to the value of their ivory tusks. However, it also points out that progress is being made to protect this animal. This book has a glossary with key words such as habitat, nomadic, and herbivores. There is also an index and a short list of web sites for reference. This title is part of a six-book ‘Naturebooks’ series about animals, which also includes books about giraffes, hippos, rhinos, wildebeests, and zebras, all written in a similar style.