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An Elephant in the Garden

Michael Morpurgo

4.17 · Rating details · 6,087 ratings · 770 reviews

With Lizzie’s father fighting in World War II, her mother takes on the job of a zoo keeper to provide for her family. Lizzie, her mother, and her eight-year-old brother Karli have become especially attached to an orphaned elephant named Marlene. The bombing of Dresden is imminent and soon, so the zoo director explains that as a precautionary measure all the animals must be ...more

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Hardcover, 199 pages

Published October 25th 2011 by Feiwel & Friends (first published 2009)

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Apr 15, 2018 Ana Ovejero rated it liked it

The story happens in Germany in 1945. The war is ending and the terrifying Red Army is coming closer and closer to Dresden, the city where Elizabeth, the protagonist, lives. She shares her home with her mum Mutti, her dad Papi and her little brother Karli.

Papi is sent to the front and the family has to survive in a time when food becomes scarce. Mutti works in the zoo and her favourite animal is Marlene, a young elephant, named after the singer Marlene Dietrich, When the bombs of the Allies star ...more

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Feb 22, 2019 Karina rated it liked it

Light and easy YA read. I liked how the story was about an elephant and a family determined to save her. It wasn't a typical WWII story which made it more interesting. It became a sweet love story. Older ppl have fantastic stories of their younger days and we should definitely be better listeners.

My 3.5 stars is only bc I felt there was more details missing. The characters also seemed ignorant in believing they (as in country of residence) can start a war and kill innocent people but when they g ...more

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Nov 20, 2020 La Tonya Jordan rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to La Tonya by: One 'N Done Book Corner on GoodReads

Shelves: favorites

A delightful read of a German family during the end of WWII. Their city of Dresden was decimated in bombing. They trekked through the countryside with Marlene, a four year elephant, who Mutti saved from the city zoo. This journey bonded them as a family in the struggle against the snow, cold weather, hungry, the sounds of bombing and rifle shots in the distance behind them, and other refugees. First making it to Uncle Manfred and Auntie Lottie's farm and finding Peter, the Canadian navigator. Pe ...more

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Aug 07, 2014 Skip rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical

Inspired by two true events described the afterword, this novel is narrated by an elderly woman (Lizzie) in a nursing home telling the story of her youth in Dresden Germany during World War II. Her mother was a zookeeper, who brought a young elephant home nightly to their private garden out of fear for the mammal's safety. When the bombing begins on a snowy winter night, Lizzie flees with her mother, younger brother, and Marlene, the elephant. They flee to the country, only to find a Canadian na ...more

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May 27, 2014 Book Concierge rated it it was amazing

Shelves: survival, war, strong-women, library, world-war-ii, children-s-literature, nature, concierge, animals

A frail and elderly Lizzie tells the story of her youth in Dresden Germany during World War II. Her father was fighting on the Russian front. Her mother was a zookeeper and fearing for the safety of the young elephant, she brought the animal home each night to their private garden. But the war is taking a toll on everyone and when the bombing begins on a snowy February night the family must flee the burning city. How can they possibly evade enemy troops with an elephant in tow?

What a wonderful a ...more

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Sep 07, 2020 Jammin Jenny rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: zz-2020-books, adventure, audiobooks, animals, nature, historical, tragedy

I really enjoyed this book where a woman relates her story from during WWII (she was a young woman). They were escaping through the countryside with Marlena the elephant. It was a touching and inspirational stories.

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Mar 04, 2013 Heather Johnson rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 23, 2012 Sonja Arlow rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, war, magical-realism

This was a children’s book (probably for ages between 9 and 12) verrrry loosely based on real events during WW2 where an elephant was rescued from a Belfast zoo.

It was a sweet story that only lightly touched on the horrors of the war and gave the perspective of Non-Nazi German citizens and their struggles with becoming fugitives in their own country. The characters felt a little flat and the story predictable but then again I am not the target reader.

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Dec 21, 2012 Anne Hamilton rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: children, pseudo-kid-books

Despite the intriguing title and the promise of a mystery revealed, this is a very slow book to start. I've read a lot of Morpurgo and none has the almost interminable creep of the first half of this book.

Morpurgo tries a variation on his usual framing device in this story and, rather than a tale of youth bookended by an adult narrator's musings, the reflections are interspersed throughout.

Lizzie is a solitary old woman in a nursing home who often speaks of the time she had an elephant in her Despite the intriguing title and the promise of a mystery revealed, this is a very slow book to start. I've read a lot of Morpurgo and none has the almost interminable creep of the first half of this book.

Morpurgo tries a variation on his usual framing device in this story and, rather than a tale of youth bookended by an adult narrator's musings, the reflections are interspersed throughout.

Lizzie is a solitary old woman in a nursing home who often speaks of the time she had an elephant in her garden. The staff are convinced she is delusional. But one day, a small boy felicitously named Karl winds up in her room. Her younger brother was Karl too and, over sixty years previously, looked much like the little rascal she finds in her bedroom.

And so she tells him the story of Marlene the elephant. During the Second World War, her mother helped at the Dresden Zoo and became attached to a young elephant. Lizzie's mum is determined that, should the allied bombers come to Dresden as they have to other cities, Marlene will be safe. The director of the zoo has decided all animals will be shot in case they escapes and terrify the citizens after the raid. Each day she takes the elephant to the zoo and each night she brings it home to the garden. One bitter winter night, the elephant charges after an alsatian that harasses her and the whole family chase after it.

It is only because they are out near the country that they escape the firestorm that engulfs Dresden when the allied bombing raid begins. They flee on foot, heading for a relative's farm a dozen kilometres out of the city, cutting across country to avoid the refugees on the main road. When they finally reach the farm, it seems to be deserted. Then they find an allied airman, a Canadian navigator, who is hiding out... German soldiers are seeking him and it's unlikely he'll make it to a prisoner-of-war camp. Everyone's seeking vengeance after the firestorm...

As I said, the first half of the book drags. Too much telling. Way too much. Too much reporting. The story picks up immensely with the introduction of the Canadian. For the first time in the story, there's real tension, bubbling conflict and a much smarter pace.

An okay book, but certainly not up to Morpurgo's usual standard. ...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Carrie Dye rated it really liked it

Shelves: children-and-young-adult-books

According to Michael Morpurgo (War Horse), “An Elephant in the Garden,” was inspired by a true story of an elephant rescued from the Belfast Zoo during WWII. The story begins in a nursing home in Canada with Lizzie, an aging woman who feels compelled to tell her life story to a 9 year old boy, the son of one of the nurses. Lizzie describes her life in Dresden, Germany during WWII. Lizzie and her younger brother are generally content until their father is sent to fight on the Russian front. The w ...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Linda Lipko rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, history

I loved this book! It is yet another wonderful example of Young adult genre transcends a specific age category.

During WWII Dresden Germany was blasted/bombed unmercifully. This is a tale of an older woman, now in a nursing home, who recounts the story of her brave mother who worked in the zoo and fearing that an elephant she had tended since its childhood would die in the war, brought the animal home.

When Dresden was bombed the family left the ruined city and made a trek westward with the elepha ...more

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Jan 15, 2021 Connie rated it really liked it

Shelves: childrens-books, owned, read-in-2021

I own this book.

This book is told from the point of view of Lizzie, an elderly woman in a care home who knows nobody but little Karl believes that during the war, she had an elephant in her garden. When Karl's mum allows her to tell her whole story to Karl, she tells a story of her and her siblings and their survival in 1940s German with an elephant in the garden. Like my previous reading of Shadow, this book seems whimsical, but it was actually a thing where elephants lived with their zookee ...more

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Feb 23, 2019 The Dusty Jacket rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult-historical-fiction

Lizzie is eighty-two years old and is idly spending her days in a nursing home. But today is February 13th and on this particular day, she has a story to tell. It’s a rather sad story because on this day, in 1945, the bombers flew over Dresden, Germany and set the city on fire. Lizzie, her brother, and her mother are forced to flee their home. The Red Army is coming from the east and the allied forces—the Americans and British—are coming from the west. They would go west, but they would not be g Lizzie is eighty-two years old and is idly spending her days in a nursing home. But today is February 13th and on this particular day, she has a story to tell. It’s a rather sad story because on this day, in 1945, the bombers flew over Dresden, Germany and set the city on fire. Lizzie, her brother, and her mother are forced to flee their home. The Red Army is coming from the east and the allied forces—the Americans and British—are coming from the west. They would go west, but they would not be going alone. They would be bringing Marlene, a four-year-old elephant that Lizzie’s mother rescued from the zoo. It would be this wonderful, gentle companion that would keep their spirits up, open unexpected doors, and ultimately save their lives.

Michael Morpurgo proves once again what a gifted and compassionate storyteller he is. An Elephant in the Garden is a beautifully told and compelling story that transports the reader into war-torn Germany as thousands of refugees struggle for survival during World War II. His characters leap off the page and we are there to share in their daily quest for food, shelter, and obscurity from the encroaching Russian soldiers. In his Author’s Note, Morpurgo writes that his story was inspired by an actual female zookeeper who saved one young elephant from certain death. The zoo’s director had given orders that all animals were to be killed rather than risk their release into the town should the city fall under attack. If you Google “Belgium, Zoo, Elephant, WWII”, you can see actual photographs and the story which inspired this heartwarming book.

At my library, this book is shelved in the young adult section; however, I think children as young as nine would appreciate and benefit from this story. Stories about war are often dark and bleak, but the overall message of courage, resilience, friendship, and hope spans across all age groups and garners mutual appeal.

When Lizzie was conveying a moment in her youth, she recalled an instance when she was talking to Marlene, desperate to find some comfort and understanding from her silent friend. She said, “For an answer she wafted her ears gently at me, and groaned deep inside herself. It was enough to tell me that she had listened, and understood, and that she did not judge me. I learned something that day from Marlene, about friendship, and I have never forgotten it. To be a true friend, you have to be a good listener, and I discovered that day that Marlene was the truest of friends.” Morpurgo reminds us that true friends not only listen with their ears, but also with their hearts and sometimes the best friends need not offer words in return, but simply just offer themselves. ...more

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Sep 08, 2015 Lauren Stoolfire rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, war, young-adult

During WWII, Lizzie's mother works as a zookeeper to help provide for her family while her husband is away fighting. Lizzie, her mother, and her younger brother become especially attached to a young orphaned elephant named Marlene. With the bombings of Dresden imminent, the zoo animals are going to be put down as a precautionary measure, but Lizzie's mother gets permission to let the elephant stay in family garden. As the bombs begin to fall, city residents, including Lizzie's family along with ...more

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Mar 17, 2017 Meyers Cooper Debbie rated it really liked it

It's always a great day when books unexpectedly show up in your classroom. It becomes an even better day when this book is nestled contently within the confines of that box waiting for you to discover it. The title instantly attracted me to this book. How does an elephant just casually live in the garden? Once I read the brief synopsis on the back, it didn't take much convincing that I needed to read this book. Within the first few chapters of Lizzie's story, I realized that this story needed to ...more

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Aug 09, 2013 Don rated it it was amazing

I had a Barnes and Noble email the other day that mentioned "An Elephant in the Garden" as a listing in the children's books, then went on to say it was by Michael Morpurgo the author of "War Horse." I thought I would check it out. Found it in the children's section at Central Library.

In this story a German family escapes the Dresden bombing with the young elephant the mother has been taking care of at the zoo. The odd group of refugees form a family escaping towards the Americans and away from ...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Alexis Travers rated it really liked it

An Elephant in the Garden is about a family of three that lives in Dresden. Lizzie, Karli and their mom Mutti. Their father is fighting in World War II. Mutti works at a zoo, and has a very close relationship with this elephant. When they hear that Dresden is going to be bombed and they have to kill all the animals, Mutti forces the head of the zoo to let her keep the elephant Marlene in the garden. Unfortonaly Desden ended up getting bombed.Their family escaped just like may other families in t ...more

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Dec 30, 2015 Ken rated it really liked it · review of another edition

With Michael Morpurgo you know exactly what your getting, a tale with an animal set around a war. This time an Elephant in Germany during the Second World War.
As soon as you slip into this tale you know your in great company, a perfect read.

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Nov 05, 2018 Jessica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A YA WW2 Story with a truly unique POV

The American book market is, its fair to say, absolutely saturated with WW2 fiction for both children and adults. There are many good stories out there - starting with Anne Frank, of course, and moving on through contemporary classics such as Number the Stars and The Book Thief. This sweet tale deserves a junior status alongside the greats.
Based loosely on the dual true stories of zookeepers who saved their charges during the war and the Feb 1945 devastati A YA WW2 Story with a truly unique POV

The American book market is, its fair to say, absolutely saturated with WW2 fiction for both children and adults. There are many good stories out there - starting with Anne Frank, of course, and moving on through contemporary classics such as Number the Stars and The Book Thief. This sweet tale deserves a junior status alongside the greats.
Based loosely on the dual true stories of zookeepers who saved their charges during the war and the Feb 1945 devastating fire bombing of Dresden, Germany by Allied forces, The Elephant in the Garden delivers the shattering history of the Allied destruction of Dresden with the sweet touch of an elephant named Marlene. Marlene, orphaned during the war and looked after by “Mutti,” comes home to the spend the evenings in the family garden to help the young (4yo) elephant cope with the loss of her mother. Her handler, known only as Mutti, has two children and has been working at the zoo to help make ends meet while her husband is fighting at the Russian front.

Marlene, with her elephantine wisdom and kindness, brings much joy to the family as 1945 begins, and through a series of events, unwittingly helps her adopted family escape the firebombing of Dresden over the weekend of Feb 13-15, 1945. Now homeless and without any resources, the family begins an astonishing journey across southern Germany as they first try to escape the Dresden attacks and then decide that they would do anything not to fall into the clutches of The quickly advancing Soviet Army. Their flight westward is filled with unexpected adventures, a bit of suffering, and encounters of the most unexpected kind. All along, Marlene provides comfort, friendship, and transport for the youngest child, Karli, who suffers from asthma and a leg deformity.

All in all, this is a sweet but not saccharine tale that introduces a horrific event of the Second World War for which the “good guys” are entirely responsible, offering middle grade students an opportunity to think about the costs of war, the meaning of sacrifice, and whether and how to label “good guys” and “bad guys” even in the midst of the last “good war” America fought. Definitely worth a read and discussion. I do wish there had been more specificity regarding events and timelines - to show where the family traveled and when events occurred would have been helpful - and really brought home the fact that the family fled a great distance fearing not only the bombing runs but also the actions of the Soviets as they advanced towards Berlin, setting up the historical context for understanding some of the key factors that explain how and why the US and the Soviets went from wartime allies to bitter enemies in less than two years.

A well written and engaging tale. Perfect for early middle grade students or those who really want to learn about the war but can’t handle the death and destruction that accompanies most sources; The Elephant In the Garden has a feather light touch when it comes to key moments of death and destruction, which I know will be greatly appreciated by my own middle grade reader. ...more

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Oct 25, 2016 Robinson Y7 rated it it was amazing

This story is probably a true story. 1940, England, Lizzy, her mother and her eight year old brother, Karli, are in deadly World War ii. They live in a small village, and have experienced various traumatizing bombings from the Nazis. When their village's zoo is getting bombed, no one helps the helpless animals in despair, except for empathetic Karli and his family. They try to save all the animals but they don't manage to save all of them, except an adorable elephant named Marlene! They have to ...more

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Apr 15, 2020 Candy rated it it was amazing

Easy to read and a beautiful heart warming story and family togetherness during the difficult time of war. And the elephant well read it to find out 💖

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Feb 02, 2018 Room 204 rated it it was amazing

I think the book was great. I wrote a essay on it so here it is.

There are many different ways that characters were self centered. Just some of the characters who were self centered at times were: Mutti,Lizzie, and Hans. They were self centered in different situations. Although, they all cared about themselves at first,but then came to care more about others. Michael Morpurgo uses the craft technique symbolism in An Elephant in the Garden. I inferred that Marlene running away the second time. is ...more

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Mar 06, 2019 Faizan rated it it was ok

Am is supposed to enjoy this or what...
I don't know why I brought so many Michael Morpurgo.. I was thinking private peaceful.. but they all are turning too childish for me..

..

Oh no..

I am old now.. 😓😓😓😓 ...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Annie rated it it was amazing

By the author of War Horse, Michael Morpurgo. Inspired by a true story. (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/no...) One of the best historical novels I've read this year. As he writes in his author's note, Mr. Morpurgo was inspired by not only historical facts, but by his admiration for the animals he calls "the noblest and wisest, and most sensitive of all creatures." This is a story of kindness and love woven into the travesties of war. 9780312593698 ...more

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Jul 10, 2019 Sophie Crane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: animals, history

This is one of the best Michael Morpurgo's book I have ever read. (though I say that ever time ;-) I would rate this 10/10 and definitely recommend this to a friend. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. the emotions were real and felt true bringing me in to the story and the shoes of the characters. I will read this over and over again and I think Michael morpurgo is amazing ... keep writing ! ...more

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Dec 11, 2019 Tiffany Martin rated it liked it

Enjoyable story about a lady who works as a nurse in a nursing home and her son, Karl, and how he befriends one of the elderly ladies who stays there, named Lizzie. Lizzie wants to tell Karl about her past and she tells both Karl and his mom about how she had a brother named Karl (Karli) and how they were affected by WWII and had to leave home and travel, by foot, with an elephant her mom had rescued from the zoo she worked at. All the other animals were shot because the bombs were soon to come ...more

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Dec 31, 2018 Rebecca rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ks2

An Elephant in the Garden sees an elderly Lizzie telling the unbelievable story of her childhood in war-torn Germany. With a father away fighting and a mother terrified for the safety of the animals she cares for at the local zoo, Lizzie is an ordinary child with completely relatable feelings.

Things soon become more unusual when her mother brings Marlene, a young elephant, home to ensure her safety in the bombings. With the war evident all around them, the family must escape to safety. But, with ...more

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Aug 07, 2020 Odith Senerath rated it it was amazing

Germany,1945.Elizabeth, Karli and their mother are in Dresden when the allied bombs begin to fall. Their home destroyed, they must flee the ruined City through the perilous, snow-covered landscape, all the while avoiding the Russian troops, who are drawing ever closer. It would be hard enough to do without an elephant to look after...

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Jan 17, 2021 17sikoraz213 rated it really liked it

This book is about people who are in Germany in 1945, when the Allied bombs begin to fall. Their home is destroyed and they had to leave the destroyed city, however the ground was covered in snow. They had to avoid the Russian troops who are coming closer to the city. However, through all of this, they have to look after an elephant. This book is very gripping because it makes you feel like you are in the book, as the emotions of the people make you connect to the characters. However, I would im ...more

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Sep 29, 2017 Delaney rated it really liked it

Interesting view of a world war two story.

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About Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo

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Sir Michael Andrew Morpurgo, OBE, FRSL is the author of many books for children, five of which have been made into films. He also writes his own screenplays and libretti for opera. Born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1943, he was evacuated to Cumberland during the last years of the Second World War, then returned to London, moving later to Essex. After a brief and unsuccessful spell in the army, ...more

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