Once Upon an Elephant
By Linda Stanek; illus by Shennen Berdani
32 pages; ages 4-8
Arbordale, 2016
Once upon an
elephant, the sun beat down on the hot, cracked earth. Rivers ran dry. The
animals of the savanna risked dying from thirst. But the elephants were
there.
The elephants used their tusks to crack through the hard
soil and dig for water.
Elephants are a keystone species- a species that helps other
living things meet their basic needs. They dig salt for zebras, slow wildfires,
plant seeds, maintain grasslands – they help keep the African savanna in
balance. If something happens to a keystone species, the entire ecosystem is
hurt. So… what would happen if the elephants were gone, if they were only “once
upon a time”? That's what this book explores.
Back matter includes additional information about keystone
species and elephant facts.
Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and
resources. Review copy from
publisher.