Nhuyēn, Trang. Chang and the Elephant. Jeet Zdūng, Illus. Translation help from Vietnamese by Hoãng Duy. Saving H’Non. Dial, 10/2023. 128pp. Graphic. Trade $23.99. 978-0-5934-0673-1. Paper $13.99. 978-0-5934-0672-4. GRADES 4–7. OUTSTANDING.
A young Vietnamese wildlife conservationist, Chang, helps save an abused Asian elephant named H’non from a lifetime of cruel servitude. Exquisite, detailed, and expressive watercolor, pencil, and ink illustrations enchant, conveying accurate information about native species and revealing a gorgeous interconnected South Asian ecosystem. Pages of lush field notebook illustrations are interspersed among dynamic comic panels that tell the dramatic, moving, and occasionally humorous story of H’non’s reintroduction to the wild. Adding interest is the growing friendship between Chang and another young Vietnamese wildlife activist. Based on a true story.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired