Once Upon an Elephant

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.