Elephant Talk: The Surprising Science of Elephant Communication (Nonfiction)

Elephant Talk: The Surprising Science of Elephant Communication

By Ann Downer

(Nonfiction/Advanced reader)

If you’ve ever gazed in wonder at an elephant and wondered about their trunks, the sounds they make, the way interact with one another, Elephant Talk is the book for you. While focusing on the science of elephant communication, this book delves into many facets of elephant life and is full of facts that are sure to astound you.

Elephant Talk is a nonfiction book; it presents information and facts about elephants (Galda, 2010, p. 304). There are several criteria for evaluating quality nonfiction works including accuracy, organization, design, and style. Elephant Talk includes an author’s note presenting Downer’s relationship with the information and personal investment in elephant conservation (a possible source of bias) as well as resources for readers get involved and help elephant populations. The book also includes a basic dictionary of elephant sounds, index, source notes, an extensive bibliography, and print and online resource for curious readers to learn more. This book presents much of its information as fact, which is why citing sources is important to its sense of accuracy. However, some information expressed is shown to be conjecture or theory only, for example, “At the beginning of the nineteenth century, scientists think there may still have been 27 million elephants in Africa” (Downer, 2011, p. 83).

Organizationally, the book is broken into chapters on specific topics including herd relations, elephant calls and sounds, infrasound, and body language, presenting a logical way to travel through the information. The author interweaves bits of narrative to present real scenarios so readers can understand the context of elephant behavior and life better. Interspersed within the chapters are pages that highlight facts (see image below), an interesting side note about elephants or a scientist’s research, and even matching games to test reader’s knowledge or guesses about elephant behavior. Occasionally, the placement of these one-off pages may interrupt the flow of the longer chapter, but readers can always come back to them after finishing the entire chapter. Cues from font color, size, and style help keep readers on track as they read through a chapter.  

The book is designed with many wonderful photographs of elephants in different settings, close-ups of their feet, trunks, and mouth, and of researchers and other humans interacting with them. These images help illustrate the information being presented. A close-up of the tip of an elephant’s trunk shows vibrissae, or whiskers, pairs with a discussion on what researchers are still learning about elephants’ trunks (Downer, 2011, p. 59). The book’s style reveals the writer’s enthusiasm for the subject (Galda, 2010, p. 308) Her inclusion of storytelling gives context and life to the information she presents. Subheadings often have a playful sound (“Elephants on tiptoe,” “A whole lotta shakin goin’ on”), encouraging readers to continue on. Elephant Talk also incorporates a great deal of scientific terminology which is defined and used in a way so readers can learn about the term or concept naturally. Still, the vocabulary level of this book places it at a more advanced reading level.

ACTIVITIES:

1. This book includes website links to listen to elephant sounds described in the text. Have students listen to these sounds together. In small groups, have students research an audio file of a more complex elephant call or conversation and identify all the different sounds they hear in the audio. Have them present their findings to the class.

2. This book focuses a lot on animal conservation. Along with information presented in the book, have students conduct additional research of their own to see other views of animal conservation. Students can write a short paper expressing what they found in their research and their own opinion, supported by sources, on elephant conversation.

These activities align with St. Leo’s core value of respect because they provide opportunities for students to express opinions and findings to a larger audience with the understanding that their exchange of ideas and any potential differences of opinion will be met with respectful dialogue rather than judgment. Activity two, in particular, seeks to explore varied viewpoints on the subject of animal conservation, recognizing that even in our differences of opinion, we can be unified by the respect we show one another.

READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS:

1. Elephant Talk describes ways in which elephants communicate through body language (Chapter 4). Identify any elephant cues described in the book that you as a human might be able to understand. Describe at last three examples from your own life of humans communicating through body language.

2. Chapter 1 talks about living in a herd. Compare and contrast aspects of elephant and human society.

3. Write 2-3 questions you have about elephants or animal conservation after reading this book. What information did the book offer relative to your questions and why do you want to learn more?

I found this book fascinating and learned so much about elephants, one of my favorite animals, from every page. I was especially drawn into the narrative portions of the book, the photographs, and the researcher highlights. Readers will be challenged by the academic, though accessible writing and come away looking at elephants in a whole new way!

Resources

Downer, A. (2011). Elephant talk: the surprising science of elephant communication.

Minneapolis, MN: Twenty-First Century Books.

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the child (7th ed.). Belmont, CA:

            Wadsworths, Inc

Images from https://www.lernerbooks.com/products/t/11278/9780761357667/elephant-talk