Bandoola: The Great Elephant Rescue

Description

When a world war comes to Myanmar (Burma), one special elephant becomes a hero. As people are forced to leave their home in the Burmese jungle, Bandoola, his keeper Po Toke and war veteran James Howard Williams (Aka Elephant Bill), undertake a journey that will test their courage, taking trust, understanding and bravery to the very limit. Together, they lead a group of 53 elephants and over 200 refugees to safety, scaling 6000ft mountains as they trek from Myanmar to northern India. In this moving tale based on a true story, award-winning William Grill's stunning illustrations show the majesty of Myanmar's forests and mountains, the backdrop to a heart-warming tale about empathy between humans and animals, and the strength that can arise from working together when the world is full of danger.

William Grill is a Bristol based illustrator whose main interest lies in narrative illustration and publishing. He draws most of his inspiration from the natural world, and enjoys working in coloured pencils and relief printmaking; his first book, the best-selling Shackleton's Journey won the 2015 Kate Greenaway award and has been translated into over 14 languages. As well as running art clubs, William has given workshops at The Design Museum, Southbank Centre, schools and universities.

Skilfully illustrated by a Greenaway medal winner, full of miniatures and landscapes, this is an elegant, astonishing story of elephants in Myanmar, their human allies and a heroic wartime journey. -- Nicolette Jones * The Sunday Times * Grill's art - from maps of the terrain to illustrated elephant commands - is distinctive and the story is stylishly told. -- Alex O'Connell * The Times * Bandoola and war veteran James Howard Williams undertake a journey that tests their courage to the limit in the exceptionally beautiful new book from Kate Greenaway Medal-winner Grill. -- Fiona Noble * The Bookseller * William Grill's stunning depiction of a deeply inspiring story of kindness and bravery might be his best book yet. * BookTrust * Retelling the emotional and stirring story of Asian elephants is no easy task, but Bandoola: The Great Elephant Rescue does it with simplicity, care and sensitivity. -- Ayla Angelos * It's Nice That * What I have always loved about Will's work is the feeling that you can see every stroke of pencil. This feels as if Will has lived and breathed this story -- Matthew Tobin, Literature Academic and Klaus Flugge Prize Judge for 2021 Bandoola is such a remarkable book, I love the way history, geography, culture, conservation and compassion are woven together so skilfully and with such heart throughout. It really is a remarkable - and quite exquisite - book! -- Jake Hope, CILIP Not only does it tell a compelling story, full of tension and emotion, every page is a visual delight, inspiring children to experiment artistically. Poignant and powerful in both illustration and content! * North Somerset Teachers' Book Award * Fans of his debut will not be surprised to find within: a gripping historical narrative; beautifully presented information; and spreads that are just glorious works of art. William Grill's distinctive and deceptively simple crayon-style illustrations show the majesty of Myanmar's forests. -- Achuka A beauty for the eyes, and a feast for the mind - a perfect non-fiction book for adults and children alike. -- Paul Watson * The Great British Bookworm * Prepare to fall in love with this story, these illustrations, and, more importantly, Bandoola himself. -- Imagining History It beautifully illustrates how amazing elephants are, what courageous creatures they are and how important. William Grill writes this story with passion, understanding and sensitivity. It is a truly moving reimagining of the story of Elephant Bill and Bandoola. -- Jennie * Edspire * It is a majestic book about the most majestic of creatures and would make a wonderful gift for families to share. * The Little Literary Society on Instagram * The story of one special elephant from Myanmar and his role in a wartime escape is sensitively told in this beautiful book highlighting the importance of our relationship with animals. -- Anne Thompson * A Library Lady * I've always been a fan of William Grill's non fiction books. He's managed to find a way to re-tell heroic, and sometimes tragic stories in a way that leaves you not just deeply moved, but a little changed too. * S.e_sussed on Instagram * A large, slim book, the perfect format for his simple, graceful illustrations. * The Spectator * Bandoola is visually and literarily compelling, powerful, and thought provoking; one not to miss for any age. * BooksforTopics * There is a real tenderness here, and a strong message that humans need to more to better support and respect the animal kingdom. -- Stephen Connor * In The Twelve * I love the illustration style and each page is beautiful. * What_emmy_Read on Instagram * The book is factual, yet elicits discussion and empathy. * The Values Bookshelf * Grill's narrative is interspersed with panels depicting deeper context. Colored pencil illustrations in a limited palette render the sheer scope of this environment with acute clarity. * Booklist, Starred review * absolutely stunningly illustrated. * @kidsbookstolife on Instagram * This picture book will sweep you off your feet, bring you to tears and ignite a fire in your heart to do something about saving elephants! * inclusive_childrens_books on Instagram * Bandoola's story deserved an exceptional book: told with elegance, artistry and sensitivity. And this book does justice to that. * BookBairn on Instagram * Grill tells this story with empathy and respect. -- iBBY UK Bandoola: The Great Elephant Rescue expertly blends narrative and expository text to give readers a more in depth understanding of Bandoola's story than they would get from just the story itself. * @kidsreadtheworld on Instagram *