lara_lleverino's review against another edition
4.0
The best part of this may be the author and illustrator's notes at the end of the book. Book illustrates the concept of humility, listening to others and universal truth.
rainbowbookworm's review
3.0
Are you familiar with the tale of the blind men and the elephant? Rumi’s version is set in a small village, the elephant is in a dark barn, and all the villagers end up fighting because they can’t agree on what they felt.
libraryjen's review
4.0
A simple retelling of Rumi's poem about the blind men and the elephant, this book is easily accessible to the preK crowd. A great read aloud to a group and a great conversation starter, this book is beautifully illustrated and I definitely recommend it.
maeka's review
4.0
This is a really fun take on the story of the blind men. The villagers are all fighting and whatnot, while the reader knows whats inside. I think this would be a fun read aloud and also a teaching opportunity for how people may come to different conclusions when dealing with the same content. Sometimes one thought is right, sometimes another, and sometimes no one has a clue!
crystal_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Review copy: ARC from publisher
Many people are familiar with the story of the Blind Men and the Elephant. This is a fun new way to experience that tale. Mina Javaherbin has retold the story based on a poem written by Rumi about 750 years ago. The message is timeless and will have readers chuckling too.
The first thing I noticed about the book was the rich illustrations. To see several samples, visit Eugene Yelchin's page here. Yelchin used a wide variety of patterns and textures in each spread. There are so many things to see. I found the many different textures to be fascinating. There are also pages that are simple and streamlined. When the text focuses on one aspect of the elephant, the illustrations are narrowed in to that one thing and the background is plain. There are no distractions on those pages.
In the illustrator's note at the end Yelchin explained that he got his inspiration from Persian miniature painters. His own style is there, but the illustrations are clearly influenced by Persian art work from years past.
In their notes at the end, both the artist and writer speak of the meaning of this story and how it relates to their own lives. That is the best part about this story. It can speak a truth to readers of all kinds. This book will be one many people can easily connect with and share. Teachers could also use it effectively during fable units or when discussing point of view.
Elephant in the Dark is an upbeat and fun way to discuss different perspectives and points of view. I look forward to sharing it with staff and students.
Many people are familiar with the story of the Blind Men and the Elephant. This is a fun new way to experience that tale. Mina Javaherbin has retold the story based on a poem written by Rumi about 750 years ago. The message is timeless and will have readers chuckling too.
The first thing I noticed about the book was the rich illustrations. To see several samples, visit Eugene Yelchin's page here. Yelchin used a wide variety of patterns and textures in each spread. There are so many things to see. I found the many different textures to be fascinating. There are also pages that are simple and streamlined. When the text focuses on one aspect of the elephant, the illustrations are narrowed in to that one thing and the background is plain. There are no distractions on those pages.
In the illustrator's note at the end Yelchin explained that he got his inspiration from Persian miniature painters. His own style is there, but the illustrations are clearly influenced by Persian art work from years past.
In their notes at the end, both the artist and writer speak of the meaning of this story and how it relates to their own lives. That is the best part about this story. It can speak a truth to readers of all kinds. This book will be one many people can easily connect with and share. Teachers could also use it effectively during fable units or when discussing point of view.
Elephant in the Dark is an upbeat and fun way to discuss different perspectives and points of view. I look forward to sharing it with staff and students.
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