Viku and the Elephant

In a forest in India, a boy named Viku kills a snake to save an elephant. Viku and the elephant, Haatee, become good friends. Haatee communicates with only two sounds, but the two understand each other very well. In the first book, Viku and the Elephant, they thwart the evil plans of ivory poachers and leave their leaders on a tiny island surrounded by crocodiles. In the second book, Viku to the Rescue, Viku frees his elephant friend from the elephant catchers. This book continues their first story. This time they defeat ivory thieves and make the forest a safe place for animals. These stories of friendship and adventure tell us about life in another culture.

This book works well as a read-aloud story for young children, is suitable for early readers (2nd and 3rd grades), and is an excellent chapter book for 4th and 5th graders.