Elephant Park product reviews

For anyone who grew up in Christchurch near the Bishopdale playground, this book provides an immediate blast of nostalgia. Before the children had had the opportunity to read it, their mother was engrossed in leafing through the illustrations and recalling happy memories from her own childhood. It had been her favourite place to meet friends and spend time on the equipment while the adults caught up knowing that their children were safely playing within the fenced area. The highlights were the elephant slide (known as Elly) and the flying fox, both of which feature in the story.

Miss Seven was taken there when she was a toddler, and although she enjoyed the visit, her mother was sad to see how worn the poor elephant was looking and how much in need of restoration. Miss Seven and her brother were both delighted to read about the little boy who could not leave the unfortunate elephant in her dilapidated state, and came to the rescue with the help of his father. The idea of combining a restoration project with a "health spa" vacation appealed to Mr Five, who found the picture of the elephant wearing a face mask extremely funny - especially the cucumbers over her eyes! Miss Seven was very glad that Elly felt much better after the break, and the family has already planned to revisit the park during the school holidays.

The text of the story is highly accessible to young readers. Mr Five, who is now starting to read on his own, was able to read the entire book with only minimal assistance from his parents and older sister. The clear font and informative illustrations helped of course, but the story itself, with its connections to his mother's childhood, was the main drawcard. The whole concept is charming, with appeal for children and adults alike, and the underlying themes of conservation and honoring the past contribute to reader enjoyment.

I would love to see more children's books like this. Stories that evoke the childhood of older family members resonate with children and create a familial bond with the shared memories. When my own children were young, I took great pleasure in introducing them to places and events from my own childhood and relating the stories from that time. Miss Seven and Mr Five have appreciated sharing their own mother's stories about Elly; that is something they will remember as they grow up. In the meantime, this book will certainly take pride of place on their bookshelf!