Elephant Appreciation Day occurs during the month of September. What better time to read a book with one of these magnificent animals as a main character. Elephants, the largest land animals in the world, are intelligent, affectionate, and fiercely protective. Enjoy a story where they are front and center.

Chained by Lynne Kelly (2012)

After ten-year-old Hastin’s family borrows money to pay for his sister’s hospital bill, he leaves his village in northern India to take a job as an elephant keeper and work off the debt. He thinks it will be an adventure, but he isn’t prepared for the cruel circus owner. The crowds that come to the circus see a lively animal who plays soccer and balances on milk bottles, but Hastin sees Nandita, a sweet elephant and his best friend,  chained up when she’s not performing and hurt with a hook until she learns tricks perfectly. Hastin protects Nandita as best as he can, knowing that the only way they will both survive is if he can find a way for them to escape.

Interview with the author, Lynne Kelly.

An Elephant in the Garden: Inspired by a True Story  by Michael Morpurgo (2013)

During World War II, Lizzie and Karl’s mother is a zoo keeper, and their family has become attached to an orphaned elephant named Marlene. Marlene will be destroyed as a precautionary measure so she and the other animals don’t run wild should the zoo be hit by bombs. The family persuades the zoo director to let Marlene stay in their garden instead.

When bombs hit the city, the family flees with thousands of others, but staying safe isn’t easy with an elephant in tow. But along the way, they meet Peter, a Canadian navigator who risks his own capture to save the family.

An Elephant in the Garden is inspired by historical events, and by the author’s admiration for elephants, “the noblest and wisest and most sensitive of all creatures.”

The Elephant in the Room  by Holly Goldberg Sloan (2022)

It’s been almost a year since Sila’s mother traveled halfway around the world to Turkey, hoping to secure the immigration paperwork that would allow her to return to her family in the United States.

The long separation is almost impossible for Sila to withstand. But things change when Sila accompanies her father (who is a mechanic) outside their Oregon town to fix a truck. There, behind an enormous stone wall, she meets a grandfatherly man who only months before won the state lottery. Their new alliance leads to the rescue of a circus elephant named Veda, and then to a friendship with an unusual boy named Mateo, proving that comfort and hope come in the most unlikely of places.

Elephant Secret  by Eric Walters (2018)

Sam was born and raised in an elephant sanctuary. When a beloved elephant dies giving birth, Sam develops a connection with baby Woolly, who isn’t actually an elephant but was cloned from woolly mammoth DNA. And the billionaire genius behind the cloning experiment will stop at nothing to protect his investment.

Smart, determined, and loving, Sam stands up to this powerful adversary to protect the sanctuary and the herd. In the best tradition of child-animal friendship stories, Elephant Secret explores the strong and complex bond between Sam and her elephants while offering a fascinating, authentic glimpse into elephant—and human—behavior.

The Elephant’s Girl  by Celesta Rimington (2021)

An elephant never forgets, but Lexington Willow can’t remember her past. Swept away by a tornado as a toddler, she’s dropped in a nearby Nebraska zoo, where an elephant named Nyah protects her from the storm. With no trace of her family, Lex grows up at the zoo with her foster father, Roger; her best friend, Fisher; and the wind whispering in her ear.

Years later, Nyah sends Lex a telepathic image of the woods outside the zoo. Soon, Lex is wrapped up in an adventure involving ghosts, lost treasure, and a puzzle that might be the key to finding her family. Can Lex summon the courage to discover who she really is? And why the tornado brought her here all those years ago?

The Girl Who Stole an Elephant  by Nizrana Farook (2022)

Inspired by the lush terrain of Sri Lanka, this tale of friendship, risk, and reward is just right for middle-grade fans of fantasy and page-turning adventure.

Chaya, a nobleman’s rebellious, outspoken, no-nonsense daughter, can’t resist the shiny temptations the king’s palace has to offer.

But playing Robin Hood for an impoverished community doesn’t come without risks. When Chaya steals the queen’s jewels from a bedside table, a messy getaway jeopardizes the life of a friend. After an equally haphazard prison break, Chaya barely escapes … on the king’s prized elephant!

With leeches and revolution lurking in the jungle, Chaya leads her companions on a daring escapade. But after leaving her village as a thief, can she return as a hero? Or will Chaya’s sticky fingers be the beginning—or the end—of everything for this ragtag gang of getaways?

How to Hug an Elephant  (Here’s Hank series #6)  by Henry Winkler (2015)

When Hank’s class takes a field trip to the zoo, he gets lost after his partner (and nemesis) ditches him. Unable to read the map, Hank wanders and finds himself locked in a habitat with an elephant. Elsie is a rescue and must be kept isolated. He begins a game of soccer with her, and they become fast friends. But when Hank notices how lonely Elsie is, he’s determined to help her find her own animal friends.

The Magician’s Elephant  by Kate DiCamillo (2015)

When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene has questions that he needs to ask. Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true.

The Magician’s Elephant is a dreamlike and captivating tale told by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. In this timeless fable, she evokes themes of hope and belonging, desire and compassion with the lightness of a magician’s touch.

A Million Shades of Gray  by Cynthia Kadohata (2011)

Y’Tin is brave—no one in his village denies that. His mother may wish that he’d spend more time on schoolwork than on elephant training. But she knows that it takes a great deal of courage and calm to deal with elephants the way Y’Tin does. He’s one of the best trainers in the village—and, at twelve years old, he’s certainly the youngest. Maybe he’ll open up his own school someday to teach other Montagnards how to train wild elephants. At least, that was the plan before American troops pulled out of the Vietnam War. Now his village is occupied by Viet Cong forces seeking revenge. And Y’Tin sees his life change in a million terrible ways.

Now, his bravery is put to the test. He can stay in his village, or he can risk his life and his elephant’s by fleeing into the jungle. The Montagnards know their surroundings well, but Y’Tin knows how unsafe it can be and the danger he will face if he chooses to leave.

One Amazing Elephant  by Linda Oatman High (2017)

In this heartwarming novel, a girl and an elephant face devastating loss and slowly realize that they share the same powerful love.

Twelve-year-old Lily Pruitt loves her grandparents, but she doesn’t love the circus. But the circus is their life. She’s perfectly happy to stay with her father, away from her neglectful mother and her grandfather’s beloved elephant, Queenie Grace.

Then Grandpa Bill dies, devastating Lily and Queenie Grace. When Lily travels to Florida for the funeral, she keeps her distance from the elephant. But the two are mourning the same man and form a bond born of loss. And when Queenie Grace faces danger, Lily must come up with a plan to help save her friend.

Saving Lilly  by Peg Kehret (2002)

Erin Wrenn and her friend David are in big trouble. They refuse to go on a field trip to the Glitter Tent Circus. They wrote a report on the sad lives of circus animals and discovered that the Glitter Tent Circus is one of the worst animal abusers. Mrs. Dawson is determined to give her students the happy circus experience she remembers from her childhood. She won’t let Erin and David share their report or pass around a petition asking for a different field trip. Erin is determined to force Mrs. Dawson to change her plans … or she’ll stage a sit-in at school.

Then Erin sees an even bigger problem. Lilly, a mistreated elephant, is about to be sold to a hunting park. How can she save Lilly before it’s too late? It seems impossible, but can one girl — and a class of sixth graders — make a difference?

Thunder II: Footprints in the Sand  by Erik Daniel Shein (2017)

A search for adventure may get Thunder, the elephant, more than he bargains for. He never expects to find himself alone again, but the footprints left by his mother will be his guide to healing and finding his way. On his journey, he finds himself making some new friends. Razor, a grumpy lion. Dash, a speedy genet. Archie, a chatty lizard. And two whimsical gorillas, Harold and Neville. A trip back to the caves reunites Thunder with old friends, and together they join forces to save the day and help Thunder find peace.

What Elephants Know  by Eric Dinerstein (2016)

Abandoned in the jungles of Nepal, two-year-old Nandu is found living under the protective watch of a pack of wild dogs. From his mysterious beginnings, fate delivers him to the King’s elephant stable. There, he is raised by unlikely parents. The wise head of the stable, Subba-sahib, and Devi Kali, a fierce and affectionate female elephant.

When the king’s government threatens to close the stable, Nandu searches for a way to save his family and community. A risky plan could be the answer. But to succeed, they’ll need a great tusker. The future is in Nandu’s hands. He sets out to find a bull elephant and bring him back to the Borderlands.

Author Eric Dinerstein brings to life Nepal’s breathtaking jungle wildlife and rural culture, as seen through the eyes of a young elephant, struggling to find his place in the world.

The bookshelf has more elephant story suggestions, some of them oldies but goodies.