Jumbo

by Rhoda Blumberg, Jonathan Hunt (Illustrator)

Provides a portrait of Jumbo, a huge elephant purchased from the London Zoo by P.T. Barnum for his circus, who became a sensation in nineteenth-century America

Genres: Animals

40 pages, Library Binding

First published October 1, 1992

About the author

Rhoda Blumberg has written about the opening of Japan (1853-1854) in Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun, a Newbery Honor Book, which also won the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award and the Golden Kite Award. Her acclaimed histories also include The Incredible Journey of Lewis & Clark, The Great American Gold Rush, and The Remarkable Voyages of Captain Cook, all ALA Notable Books. She is the winner of the Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for her overall contribution to nonfiction.

Rhoda Blumberg says that while doing research for Commodore Perry, "I read about the ordeals and strange adventures of Manjiro, then spent years replaying his life story in my mind until I felt impelled to write about him."

The author and her husband, Gerald, live in Yorktown Heights, New York.

Reviews

[Mrs. Cubby Culbertson]

Good picture book/quick read to add more info to PT Barnum book/movie

[Abby]

Jumbo was an elephant who belonged to the London Zoo and later was part of Barnum's Greatest Show on Earth. The only reason we use the word "jumbo" as a synonym for "big" is because of this elephant. This book tells the story of Jumbo and his keeper Matthew Scott. It is an interesting, informative story with enjoyable illustrations.

[Elizabeth Brobeck]

This book tells the true story about Jumbo, the famous circus elephant. The book included a lot of researched facts, but almost seemed to focus too much on the minor details versus the extraordinary relationship between Jumbo and his caretaker. The illustrations added much to the story, as they were beautifully done and helped readers get a better visual understanding of this time in history.