Elephants Do Not Belong in Trees

The full colour, full-page illustrations in this picture book provide the backdrop for the story about Bird, Squirrel, and Monkey who happily share a home in a tree. Larry, the elephant has just declared his love for living in the tree. The view is beautiful, and the nuts are delicious. The other residents are not so sure about the newcomer. Bird wants to build a nest, Squirrel wants to store nuts, and Monkey wants to swing. Things are crowded with Elephant there. They make feeble attempts to oust the intruder. Bird pecks him, Squirrel throws nuts at him, and Monkey swings from Elephant’s tail. Elephant takes it all in stride.

Then one day, a bulldozer arrives to knock the tree down. Bird, Squirrel, and Monkey rush in to stop the bulldozer by pecking at it, throwing nuts at it, and swinging towards it, but nothing stops it. Then Elephant tries. He uses his trunk to slurp up a huge amount of water and then shoots it at the bulldozer. It works! The bulldozer leaves, and all the animals rejoice. The animals’ feelings are unanimous. Elephants DO belong in trees.

The message for the reader is about accepting the differences in others and finding strength in them. It is about community and working together to solve problems. Young children will enjoy the author’s use of onomatopoeia throughout the book and the text which uses a variety of bolded and highlighted words for emphasis.

Elephants Do Not Belong in Trees is a delightful book to read to children or for some young readers to read alone.