Masaai girl comes of age in powerful, inspiring story.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Poachers and rangers carry and use guns. An adolescent character is beaten by his father. There's a tense confrontation between characters who are armed with guns, spears, and rocks. An adult character dies in a tragic accident. Two elephants are shot and killed in separate incidents. A juvenile elephant is injured when people attack it in retaliation for a villager's death.
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Jama's friends talk about boys they like and who they will marry. When Jama is an older teenager, she has a romantic relationship. She mentions getting her period.
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Jama is smart, brave, and caring. She loves and takes pride in her family and Maasai community. She's true to herself and her values despite criticism and opposition. She shows great compassion for elephants. Her friendship and empathy for Mbegu are life-saving. In turn, young adults in the conservation community provide Jama with the support and friendship she needs in order to overcome tragedy and rejection.
Diverse Representations
a lot
Jama is a 12-year-old Maasai girl living in a lively, tight-knit village. Characters in her community vary in age, gender, and personality. Some live a more traditional life than others. Jama's mother is strongly independent, starting a business to support her family in the aftermath of her husband's death, despite community pressure for her to marry again. In the conservationist community, Jama works with people who are Kenyan, of other African descent, and a White man.
Readers learn about elephants, wildlife rehabilitation, and conservation. They also learn about the Maasai people and their customs and traditions.
Positive Messages
a lot
Courage, compassion, and perseverance are important themes. Be true to yourself, your interests, and your dreams. Stand up for what's right even in the face of opposition. It's important to respect and conserve elephants and other endangered wild animals.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Elephant Girl -- by bestselling author James Patterson (Ali Cross) and award-winning Zambian author Ellen Banda-Aaku, with Sophia Krevoy -- is a powerful, inspiring coming-of-age story. It centers on Jama, a 12-year-old Maasai girl in Kenya who loves her family and community. She also loves the elephants she meets when visiting a secret hiding place near the watering hole. The story focuses on Jama's relationships with people and animals, the fate of the elephants, and wildlife conservation. Important themes include courage, compassion, and perseverance. Expect some violence and upsetting scenarios: Park rangers and poachers carry guns, and there's a tense standoff between characters armed with guns, spears, and rocks. Two elephants are shot and killed in separate incidents. Another elephant is badly injured. An adult character dies in a tragic accident, and an adolescent character is beaten by his father. There' also a bit of romance/talk about boys, and Jama mentions getting her period.
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What's the Story?
In THE ELEPHANT GIRL, Jama is a 12-year-old Maasai girl living with her mother in their Kenyan village. Jama has grown distant from her best friend, who seems to be focused only on boys and marriage. Jama is more interested in freedom, education, and nature. When her father died four years ago, Jama found refuge and happiness in her secret hiding spot near the watering hole. She especially loves the elephants who visit there. After witnessing the birth of baby elephant Mbegu, Jama develops a strong relationship with the animal. When poachers arrive, events spin out of control, and a terrible tragedy occurs. What will Jama do in the face of great loss and rejection? Will she find the courage to defend the elephants she loves and to follow her heart and her dreams?
This powerful, engaging, and suspenseful coming-of-age story is inspiring and heartwarming, despite some heartbreaking moments. At the center of The Elephant Girl is Jama, a smart, brave, and caring girl who perseveres despite challenges and tragedies. Jama's Maasai village and the wildlife rehabilitation center where she later works are vivid and interesting settings. Jama's relationship with the elephants, especially Mgebu, is beautifully portrayed. There's lots of interesting information about Maasai culture and traditions, elephants, and some aspects of wildlife conservation. Readers will also be inspired by Jama's courage, tenacity, and compassion as she stays true to herself and finds her way.
More sensitive readers may struggle with the level of tragedy, death, and cruelty, involving both humans and elephants, in the story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the relationship of Jama and her childhood best friend in The Elephant Girl. Why have Jama and Nadira become distant? Have you ever grown apart from a friend? Why, and how did it feel?
Wildlife conservation, and especially the care of orphaned elephants, is a major theme in The Elephant Girl. What did you find most interesting about elephants or wildlife conservation that you didn't know before?
Jama is Maasai and lives among her people in a village in Kenya. If you weren't already familiar with Maasai customs and culture, what did you learn from reading the book?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Mary Krawczyk
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
