Africa is not an easy place to live, even for the enormous elephants that call it home. Foraging for food and water and fighting off predators are only a few of the many skills that these giants must acquire as part of the long learning process that begins immediately after birth. Thankfully, they have a large familial network in place to teach them how to wash and drink and whiffle and roar – everything they need to know about how to be an elephant. Award-winning author-illustrator Katherine Roy’s How to Be an Elephant delves into the intricate family dynamics at play in a typical African herd. Emphasizing the latest available research with lush watercolour illustrations and detailed diagrams, Roy vividly portrays the life and development of an elephant from an uncertain 220-pound newborn into a majestic, 7,000-pound matriarch. As informative as it is beautiful, this unique portrait of an elephant’s life will captivate young explorers and their parents alike.