August 12 “Working for Peanuts here”

August 12th is World Elephant Day. And…

August 12th is International Youth Day.

Why not combine these two celebrations today, in the library. Kids love elephants! Let me take you on a quick safari. When you first walk into the library, one does not see a Barrel of Monkeys, one sees an elephant crock full of elephant hanging toys. That sets the mood for my young library visitors.

My first children’s book on elephants is “Stuck in the Tub” by Marguerite Van Hulst, 1987. As the title implies, our elephant friend gets stuck in the bathtub. He decides to take showers now instead.

Have you ever heard of a flying elephant. Of course, “Dumbo” the Disney elephant. This edition was printed in 2014. As strange as it may seem, Timothy the mouse, helps Dumbo to fly.

I remember checking this book out of the library! Everyone should read “The Travels of Babar”, by Jean De Brunhoff, my edition is 1962. The King and Queen of the elephants, Babar and Queen Celeste, get married and take a balloon trip (They couldn’t fly. Their ears were not nearly big enough.) This is their wonderful adventure.

Another elephant, that had some real and true travels, is Jumbo the P.T. Barnum circus elephant. Jumbo was captured in Africa, taken to a zoo in Paris, then sold to a zoo in London, and then sold to P.T. Barnum. He took Jumbo to New York. Jumbo toured throughout the U.S. and Canada. This signed book “Jumbo: King of Elephants” by Edmund Lindhop, is from 1960.

As kids get older, so does their taste in reading. This is “Elephant Walk” by Robert Standish, 1949. This is a wonderful novel set in Ceylon. It was then made into a movie of the same name, starring Elizabeth Taylor.

I have a set of elephant bookends on my desk that have held these unusual titles for years.

I also have this curious little box with an elephant sitting on the top. This item just sits on a shelf, until someone wants to pick it up and open the top.

The top does not lift up. You have to grab the elephant and pull the top backwards. When the lids slides back, a snake lifts up and trys to bite you.

I remember all of these elephants books and toys. So do my kids, and now grandkids. You see, elephants are not the only animals that don’t forget. I want all the youngsters that visit, to remember my library, and the fun they have had here.

What’s large, grey, and wears glass slippers? Cinderelephant.

How do you make an elephant float? Combine two scoops of ice cream, soda, and an elephant.

What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence? Time to get a new fence.

Why do elephants paint their toenails red? To hide in cherry trees.

Ever see an elephant in a cherry tree? See, it works.