Elephants can Paint Too! by Katya Arnold

Review by Kirsten Cutler:
When Thailand recently began to conserve trees that previously would have been harvested, domesticated elephants lost their jobs hauling lumber. Subsequently, many died of neglect because they could no longer earn their keep. This book highlights an unusual project implemented by the author. In simple text, she explains that she teaches art in two schools, one urban and one in the jungle, and that some of her students have hands. Others have trunks. Then tells how she trains elephants to paint and compares the work of her human and elephant pupils. The spare narrative is easy to understand and reads like a picture book. Additional facts about the elephants and techniques are provided in boxed sections. This title demonstrates animal behavior in a similar style to Ron Hirschi's Dance with Me (Penguin, 1995) and Bert Kitchen's Somewhere Today (Candlewick, 1992; both o.p.). Arnold's amusing and colorful photographs–of elephants and children at work–will have readers laughing as they view them side-by-side. This fun-to-share offering would make a creative segue into a discussion about the plight of endangered species. An author's note provides information about the project and explains that the paintings are sold under the auspices of the Asian Elephant Art and Conservation Project to obtain revenue that can support the efforts to save these wonderful creatures.