No one in his village denies that. And while his mother may wish that he'd spend more time on schoolwork than on training his elephant, she knows that it takes a great deal of courage and calm to handle elephants the way that Y'Tin does. He is the best handler in the village - and at 13 years old, the youngest. Maybe he'll even open up his own school someday to teach other Dega how to train wild elephants! That was the plan, anyway - back before the American troops pulled out of the Vietnam War, back before Y'Tin's village was attacked by North Vietnamese forces, back before they had to start digging a massive, menacing pit, back before Y'Tin watched his life change in a million terrible ways.

Now, his bravery is truly put to the test: He can stay in his village, held captive by the North Vietnamese, or he can risk his life (and save his elephant's) by fleeing into the jungle.

Newbery Medal-winning author Cynthia Kadohata brings us close to a world few people know about -- but will never forget. Heartbreaking yet full of hope, Y'Tin's story is one of lasting friendships, desperate choices, and all that we lose when we are forced to change.

Listening Length

4 hours and 42 minutes
Author

Cynthia Kadohata
Narrator

Keith Nobbs
Audible release date

January 5, 2010
Language

English
Publisher

Simon & Schuster Audio
ASIN

B0032Z3LGK
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	4 hours and 42 minutes
Author	Cynthia Kadohata
Narrator	Keith Nobbs
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	January 05, 2010
Publisher	Simon & Schuster Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0032Z3LGK
Best Sellers Rank	#89,921 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #5 in Audiobooks on Elephants for Children #49 in Military & Wars Historical Fiction for Children #252 in Children's Elephant Books (Books)

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Mrs. Farr

Disappointed.

Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2015

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Having read other of Cynthia Kadohata's books, I was expecting more. The story seemed under-developed and disjointed... I would have liked to see more in-depth writing about any of the many plots in the book... more about the elphants, more about the invasion of the North Vietnamese Army, more about the villagers' collaboration with the Americans, more about the reasons for the boys' changing relationsip but in the end, I was left disappointed and underwhelmed.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Bernie GourleyTop Contributor: Fantasy Books

A boy's dream torn asunder by war

Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2015

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This young adult (YA) novel is set in the Central Highlands of Vietnam during the last few years of the war. The lead character, Y’tin, is an adolescent whose life ambition is to be an elephant handler, a dream which he’s well on the way to achieving and which he’d be a shoo-in for if he didn’t live in war-torn times. His life is complicated by the fact that his father has worked for the American Special Forces (as a tracker), and the war is turning in the favor of the North.

When US forces withdraw and South Vietnamese forces are overrun, Y’tin escapes into the jungle with a couple of other boys and their elephants. Almost immediately a fault line freezes out Y’tin. The three boys had been close friends in the village, but under the stress of jungle life, the other two resent that Y’tin’s father worked for US Special Forces and that Y’tin, himself, had once gone on mission with the Americans. They believe that this is what has brought the war to their village. On the other hand, they recognize that Y’tin is more gifted in jungle craft than they, especially tracking, because of the education of his father.

Because of these skills, Y’tin is chosen to go back on a mission to reconnoiter their village, and he finds it’s been bombed out and nobody is to be seen. This leaves it unclear how many of the villagers escaped versus being executed by the North Vietnamese forces—but he does know many were killed. [Incidentally, the title comes from Y’tin’s view of the jungle after seeing the remnants of his village—i.e. instead of being a million shades of green, all he can see is gray.]

Besides telling the story of Y’tin’s adventures in surviving the war, the novel pivots on Y’tin’s role as a mahout—and ultimately as a protector of the elephants. Y’tin finds himself in a position in which his dream is no longer tenable, and he must decide whether take a heroic risk to save the elephants or hold on to his dream in the face of unfavorable odds.

The book is only a little over 200 pages arranged into 14 chapters, and—as would be expected of YA fiction—is readable. The book’s strength is in building a lead character who’s interesting by virtue of his mix of worldly naiveté and jungle [local] wisdom and giving him intense challenges and dilemmas. Weakness? The strict chronological progression results in a slow start in which the author spends a chapter establishing that the lead character loves elephants without anything interesting happening. However, if one gives the book til the second chapter, things start happening.

I’d recommend this book for readers of fiction, and particularly those interested in YA fiction and stories of war.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Ruth heeder

beautiful and poignant

Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2015

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This is a beautiful book about the love of a boy for his elephant. It also shows the effects of the U.S. Pull-out from Vietnam on a group of friendly Vietnamese. Their entire existence was threatened because they had aided the Americans, but later the Americans did not uphold a promise to aid these people when the Vietcong and North Vietnamese came after them. It exemplifies the one more sadness of this useless but costly war.

One person found this helpful

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Sunflowers in Bloom

She Does it Again!

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2017

Verified Purchase

Cynthia Kadohata sets the bar high for writing and never disappoints a reader. This book is a fantastic read for upper elementary and middle school students. It will become one of my book club choices!

Helpful

Lyn

exactly right

Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2012

Verified Purchase

as a young person during the Viet Nam war I have been trying to get that information to my grand children and this book ws a great help. One of them has a lovely Thai mother and it was nice for her to be able to offer some insights onher homeland.

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Joanie at Bayside

Great book for teen boys especially with the protagonist facing ...

Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2017

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Great book for teen boys especially with the protagonist facing many challenges as he transitions from a boy to a man.

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brailah

Great

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2019

Great

Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2014

Verified Purchase

This book was touching it gets you in the position that you know it is real, Cynthia Kadohata has also written one of my favorites also, Cracker , but this book is going in the top three

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Top reviews from other countries

Book chatter

Didn't quite deliver

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2012

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The story of Ytin, a member of the Dega tribe of the highlands of Vietnam, whose only aim in life is to be an elephant herder for his village. It starts in 1973 when the Americans are still involved in the Vietnam War, but are pulling out, leaving the North Vietnamese and the VietCong to fight it out. In 1975 the war comes back to Yting's village and they're forced to flee, taking the elephants with him, but when they meet up with a wild herd, Lady, his elephant wants to join them and he lets her go. Eventually being re-unite with his family in a new village, he realises he doesn't want to fight, but he doesn't see how his old life can be sustained and the book ends with him deciding to go to Thailand to continue to be a herder. Somehow the book never reached its potential. It tells alot about the struggles of the boys, but doesn't really go anywhere with it. Not sure what the title means, as it's mentioned as a phrase one, and that's it. Suitable for 10+. I can't see many finding it exciting enough.

SHWETA CHAWLA

Good

Reviewed in India on February 20, 2021

Verified Purchase

Ok, not the best, but different, a unique story. I can’t say I loved or I hated it. It’s good.

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