The Elephant and the Sea

The Elephant and the Sea is about an old elephant reminiscing about his youth. When he was young, he dreamed of being on a lifeboat. At first, he was told by others that he was too small then told he was too big. If he hadn’t believed in himself and stayed true to his dream, things would have ended in tragedy for his fellow villagers. This story speaks to the dreamer in us all and of course, it ends up being a lifesaving decision that the Elephant never gave up his interests. This inspiring story reaffirms that no one else should dictate what our heart is calling us to pursue. I do think there may be some slight translation differences in this book. I did not realize that a lifeboat was not like a life raft attached to a bigger boat. In this context, it was more in line with what a rescue boat Coast Guard would have. This felt like a tribute to someone in the author’s life by staging it as an elderly elephant remembering how it all began. Overall, this conveys an inspirational message of staying true to yourself that young readers can appreciate.