Small As an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Small As an Elephant

Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Candlewick Press · Paperback · April 9, 2013

"A deeply perceptive look at the universal fear of abandonment." — Booklist (starred review) Ever since Jack can remember, his mom has been unpredictable, sometimes loving and fun, other times caught in a whirlwind of energy and “spinning” wildly until it’s over.

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Who it’s for
A child’s urgent journey makes room for hard questions about trust, abandonment, and where belonging begins.
Themes
Abandonment, Trust and loyalty, Belonging
Genres
Depression & Mental Health, Runaway Stories, Big Feelings

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About this book

"A deeply perceptive look at the universal fear of abandonment." — Booklist (starred review) Ever since Jack can remember, his mom has been unpredictable, sometimes loving and fun, other times caught in a whirlwind of energy and “spinning” wildly until it’s over. But now she is gone, leaving him all alone on a campsite in Maine. Can he find his way back to Boston before the authorities realize what happened?

Continue reading

With nothing but a small toy elephant to keep him company, Jack begins a journey that will test his wits and his loyalties — and his trust that he may be part of a larger herd after all.

On Unsteady Ground

A child’s urgent journey makes room for hard questions about trust, abandonment, and where belonging begins.

Come here for

  • A realistic story shaped by family uncertainty and survival
  • The quiet weight of a small companion on a difficult journey

Expect

  • An emotionally perceptive look at abandonment
  • A sustained journey testing wits, loyalties, and trust

Where it sits

Runaway Stories68%
Depression & Mental Health49%
Big Feelings21%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Parent-Child Stories
  • Homelessness & Poverty
  • Depression & Mental Health
Authors
Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Publisher
Candlewick Press
Published
April 9, 2013
Format
Paperback
Theme
Abandonment · Trust and loyalty · Belonging
Reading lane
Parent-Child Stories