The Great Elephant is an allegory for children by Nik Ranieri. It has all the makings of a great story: the plot moves along nicely (without being too dragged out); the illustrations are excellent; and the message is clear without taking away from the story.
The story is pretty straight forward: Quinn, a small mouse, is ready to make his own way in the world, but when he sets out, things go very wrong. He decides to look for the Great Elephant (his dad had told Quinn stories about the Great Elephant when he was a child). Along the way, Quinn runs into a host of characters who are determined to steer him astray (while pretending to help). In the end, the Great Elephant comes along and saves Quinn from the jaws of death and gives him a new home.
Quinn seems like everyone who has ever set out into the world with a determination to do things his way and to be independent. His attitude and problems are realistic, as is his response when the meets the various characters and then the Great Elephant. The other characters are well developed and it’s easy to see them in the real world as they try to lead people astray from the truth. They ring true to anyone who has dealt with legalism, worldly wisdom, or any other false gospels. It’s a great way to introduce your children to errors that they may one day face or to see if they can recognize the errors in what the creatures teach, or just enjoy a good story together.
~ Miss Dorothy
