Description
In this delightful tale combining culture with historical detail, the author skillfully recounts memories of earlier religious life in Burma with a tale of compassion for an endearing elephant. With the holiday of Purim approaching, our heroine Rachel encounters a much ornamented elephant, but she sadly notes that the poor animal’s feet are bruised and bloodied. Immediately, her heart embraces this creature as she wonders how to help her new friend. Fortunately, Rachel wins the bejeweled Purim crown, which she offers as payment for the animal, but the owner, reading the goodness in the offer and the animal’s age, gives the elephant to Rachel. She then names the elephant Ester, after the Purim queen, places the crown on its head, and takes it to the elephant sanctuary, where it will be loved and cared for. The story is filled with the lore of the Purim holiday, its foods and traditions, as was once practiced in Burma. The illustrations are lush with the rich, exotic colors of a jungle environment, and the message of empathy between child and elephant is eloquent. Young children will be enamored by the captivating drawings and the mystery of this unfamiliar terrain with its appealing message.