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lacernellarubra's review against another edition
4.0
I did not really like the present-time story, but the story Lizzie is telling is a sweet children's story and an enjoyable read.
cuppasbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
jenbsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I found a few physical copies of this book ... I can't remember if it was a library sale or a thrift store. Intended for the Little Free Library, I checked reviews, and saw they were quite high, so I figured I'd give it a read before putting it in the LFL. I've found quite a few great books this way :)
Audio and Kindle copy were readily available from the library, so I had this in all three formats. The text copies (Kindle and Physical) had an author's note, which was NOT included in audio ... and it really added a lot for me. The cover has the "inspired by a true story" and the author's note explained that, and I really appreciated having that extra info. It should have been included in the audio.
This reminded me just a bit of [book:West With Giraffes|56449476] ... with an older person telling a wonderous tale from the past, featuring a unique animal. There were two timelines ... the present, which is 1st person/past tense (did we get her name? Mom/Nurse) and the past, Lizzie telling her story, to Mom/Karl. That reminded me a bit of [book:White Bird|42898923].
I don't always comment on covers - the paperback/kindle cover was fine (the elephant, a person trudging through the snow). The Audible cover was my favorite, more of a silhouette (Karl on the elephant's back, mother/Lizzie and Peter). The audio cover in Storygraph also has Karl on the elephant, but I really love the silhouette version.
A quick read - one I'd recommend to most anyone, my boys. Good historical aspect. I've heard of animals in zoos being put down before (The Zookeeper's Wife), and while tragic, it does perhaps seem necessary during war, if the locales are bombed. Animals would either be trapped to die slowly, die in a bombing (again, perhaps injured and slow) or get out and be wild in a city already struggling after a bombing. The author's note tells of a news story he heard, which was the basic premise, a zookeeper bringing home a young hand-raised elephant, rather than having her put down. It was in Ireland, but the author changed the locale to Germany, to open up that perspective (as the same ordinance was true at zoos there). It IS interesting to get the POV of the common German people ... who are just trying to live, to whom the British/Russians and Americans are the bad guys, bombing them.
Single narrator, but the "voices" were so different, that I don't have my usual complaint of "maybe it would have been better if there had been two narrations." The first is just "American" in accent (although there were a few strange inflections) and then Lizzie's story was a very pronounced German-accent pronunciation. Almost too much so. At times it was a little difficult to understand.
Completely clean - G rated.
Audio and Kindle copy were readily available from the library, so I had this in all three formats. The text copies (Kindle and Physical) had an author's note, which was NOT included in audio ... and it really added a lot for me. The cover has the "inspired by a true story" and the author's note explained that, and I really appreciated having that extra info. It should have been included in the audio.
This reminded me just a bit of [book:West With Giraffes|56449476] ... with an older person telling a wonderous tale from the past, featuring a unique animal. There were two timelines ... the present, which is 1st person/past tense (did we get her name? Mom/Nurse) and the past, Lizzie telling her story, to Mom/Karl. That reminded me a bit of [book:White Bird|42898923].
I don't always comment on covers - the paperback/kindle cover was fine (the elephant, a person trudging through the snow). The Audible cover was my favorite, more of a silhouette (Karl on the elephant's back, mother/Lizzie and Peter). The audio cover in Storygraph also has Karl on the elephant, but I really love the silhouette version.
A quick read - one I'd recommend to most anyone, my boys. Good historical aspect. I've heard of animals in zoos being put down before (The Zookeeper's Wife), and while tragic, it does perhaps seem necessary during war, if the locales are bombed. Animals would either be trapped to die slowly, die in a bombing (again, perhaps injured and slow) or get out and be wild in a city already struggling after a bombing. The author's note tells of a news story he heard, which was the basic premise, a zookeeper bringing home a young hand-raised elephant, rather than having her put down. It was in Ireland, but the author changed the locale to Germany, to open up that perspective (as the same ordinance was true at zoos there). It IS interesting to get the POV of the common German people ... who are just trying to live, to whom the British/Russians and Americans are the bad guys, bombing them.
Single narrator, but the "voices" were so different, that I don't have my usual complaint of "maybe it would have been better if there had been two narrations." The first is just "American" in accent (although there were a few strange inflections) and then Lizzie's story was a very pronounced German-accent pronunciation. Almost too much so. At times it was a little difficult to understand.
Completely clean - G rated.
cangel33's review against another edition
4.0
Will I read it again? Unlikely
Star Rating (out of 10): 7
Thoughts/Review
This is a young adult book. It was a quick and easy read. It had light elements of history (WWII). Overall a good story that we read as a family and I'm very glad we did. It provided a very human element to the war and stories from older people.
Favorite Quotes
- I was angry back at her, hysterical almost, saying all manner of things I should not have said, about Papi going off and leaving us, about how parents always ruin the lives of their children. She took me in her arms then, and hugged the anger out of me, telling me how much Papi loved me, and she loved me, and how we had to survive to be there for Papi when he came home.
- "Whatever you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic. Begin it now." So, begin the new Germany my darling, help it grow. I know you will. I am sad I will not be there to see it in person, but I shall always be with you in spirit.
- It is the best compass in the whole wide world, I promise you. Because it has shown me the way all through my life
Star Rating (out of 10): 7
Thoughts/Review
This is a young adult book. It was a quick and easy read. It had light elements of history (WWII). Overall a good story that we read as a family and I'm very glad we did. It provided a very human element to the war and stories from older people.
Favorite Quotes
- I was angry back at her, hysterical almost, saying all manner of things I should not have said, about Papi going off and leaving us, about how parents always ruin the lives of their children. She took me in her arms then, and hugged the anger out of me, telling me how much Papi loved me, and she loved me, and how we had to survive to be there for Papi when he came home.
- "Whatever you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic. Begin it now." So, begin the new Germany my darling, help it grow. I know you will. I am sad I will not be there to see it in person, but I shall always be with you in spirit.
- It is the best compass in the whole wide world, I promise you. Because it has shown me the way all through my life
adaaawwwg's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jank_1023's review against another edition
3.0
Easy one-day read, YA book loosely based upon a real event and the bombing of the town of Dresden. A good break from the historical fiction books on WWII, this one is geared for a young audience but I enjoyed it.
common_household_mom's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5