World Elephant Day: 12 books children must read to learn more about the pachyderm

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Little Vinayak
Meet a little elephant who is different from other elephants (his trunk is very very long), and how he learns to accept this difference.
Karadi Tales, Shobha Viswanath, illustrated by Shilpa Ranade

The Elephants who liked to dance
The storyline is about how the sound of a dhol gets elephants to dance, while outlining the overall need to create boundaries for animals in the forest.
Pratham Books, Munda Writers' Group; illustrated by Pradip Kumar Sahoo, Sou Kimsan and Sugrib Kumar Juanga

Speaking to an elephant and other tales from the Kadars
This book looks at lesser-chronicled folk tales from this indigenous community in South India, as well as relays the need for conservation starting from the younger generation.
Tara Books, Madhuri Ramesh and Manish Chandi, illustrated by Matthew Frame

Uncle Nehru, please send an elephant
This award-winning book retells the story of how the then Prime Minister Pandit Nehru responded to letters from children in Japan who wanted to see a live elephant.
Tulika Books, Devika Cariapa, illustrated by Satwik Gade

Elephants never forget!
What happens when a little elephant gets lost in a forest and is adopted by a herd of buffaloes? Does it behave like an elephant or a buffalo?
Tara Books, Anushka Ravishankar, illustrated by Christiane Pieper

Fierce-Face the tiger and Kari the elephant
Read the celebrated story about a captive elephant and a young boy who is its friend and mahout, and their adventures in the jungles and big cities.
Talking Cub, Dhan Gopal Mukherji

Lai Lai - The baby elephant
This bilingual book is a captivating title with stunning visuals by an award-winning photographer that will invite wonderment for the young reader about not just elephants but the entire forest.
Tulika Books, Shekar Dattatri, photographs by Shekar Dattatri

Tipu, Sultan of the Siwaliks
This memoir by Asiatic elephant researcher, Amirtharaj Christy Williams, recalls his years of hope and desperation as his team struggled against encroachment and human-animal conflict.
Talking Cub, Amirtharaj Christy Williams

When a forest wakes up
Themed on animism, this beautifully crafted book will engage your young mind to be curious about the wonders of the forest.
Pratham Books, Sudarshan Shaw

Gajapati Kulapati
This is a series of four books with a gentle jumbo Gajapati as the central character and tracks his journeys through the ups and downs of a temple elephant's life.
Tulika Books,
Ashok Rajagopalan

A pair of twins
A story about a girl (Sundari) and her elephant (Lakshmi) who beat all odds and become the first females to lead a Dusshera parade (usually led by a male mahout on a male elephant).
Karadi Tales, Kavitha Mandana, illustrated by Nayantara Surendranath

Parvati the elephant's very important day
Follow how a temple elephant has a memorable day during festivities where she meets with royalty and trumps over challenges that come her way.
HarperCollins Children's Books India, Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan, illustrated by Tanaya Vyas

Also Read

. Baby Bahadur series (Tulika Books)
This forms part of a set of six books with forest animals, with Baby Bahadur (baby elephant) as one of its main characters.

. Ranganna (Tulika Books)
This is a story about a nail polish-loving baby elephant!

. An elephant in my backyard (Karadi Tales)
This story is about a little girl who spends the day with an elephant in her backyard, but no one else in her family believes there is one at first.

. Why the elephant has tiny eyes (Tulika Books)
Told in verse, this folktale from the Tai Phake people of India's northeast is gentle and funny.

. Magnificent Makhna (Tulika Books)
This is a story about an iconic elephant who protects the forests from timber traders, tree-cutters and poachers.