SuitabookTusk Tusk
David McKee
- Reading
- Read it together rather than rushing past the war scenes. Pause to name feelings, distinguish judging looks from judging character, and invite several possible futures for the grey elephants.
- Themes
- Appearance and prejudice: Black and white elephants dislike each other because they look different; later, grey elephants give one another strange looks. The book takes a critical view of this.
- War and violence: The black and white elephants’ hatred develops into war; weapon-like trunks and mutual killing are described. Violence is shown as catastrophic, ending in the apparent extinction of the elephants rather than resolving their disagreement.
- Peace and responsibility: Peace-loving elephants flee into the jungle, survive, and their grey grandchildren later emerge after the others have disappeared. The story preserves the peace-loving elephants but leaves open whether leaving was wise or whether they should have tried to help.
- Worth knowing
- The war is portrayed through frightening imagery: trunks become fists, guns and rifles, elephants kill one another, and the apparent extinction of the elephants follows. Some children may find the pictures or unresolved ending disturbing.