This is a lovely story of a determined elephant seal named Elizabeth. We loved the story! There were lots of gasps and worried looks when she'd crawl out on to the road to sun herself. We especially loved the picture of her when she returned back to the city again.
We had a great discussion about genre. This is based on a real story and so it has elements of non-fiction (facts) and elements of fiction (beginning, middle, end, parts are from someone's imagination, characters, setting and plot). We discussed what a book would be like if it was a non-fiction story about Elizabeth. It might have real pictures and you could probably start anywhere in the book and understand the information.
Signposts:
Again and again: She returns to her home despite numerous attempts to re-home her
Tough Questions:
Should someone really do this to an animal? Do we really know what is best?
Contrasts and Contradictions:
Elizabeth surprised everyone by not staying with other elephant seals they tried to re-home her with and instead, returning to the city to sun herself on the road.
Goodreads says:
World-renowned swimmer and bestselling author Lynne Cox and Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator Brian Floca team up to bring us this inspiring story of an elephant seal who knew exactly where she belonged.
Here is the incredible story of Elizabeth, a real-life elephant seal who made her home in the Avon River in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. When Elizabeth decides to stretch out across a two-lane road, the citizens worry she might get hurt or cause traffic accidents, so a group of volunteers tows her out to sea. But Elizabeth swims all the way back to Christchurch. The volunteers catch her again and again—each time towing her farther, even hundreds of miles away—but, still, Elizabeth finds her way back home.
Includes back matter with information about elephant seals.
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