The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan – Book Review

Title: The Elephant in the Room Author: Holly Goldberg Sloan Publisher: Dial Books Release Date: March 2, 2021

Almost a year ago, Sila’s mom left for Turkey to track down the immigration paperwork required to return to the United States and to her family. Throughout the year, Sila has had to navigate life without one of her life’s most important people. She retreats into herself, but Sila’s life changes when she joins her father on a weekend auto repair job. Gio, a quirky and wealthy lotto winner, takes to Sila right away. Their unique friendship leads Gio to buy Veda, a retiring circus elephant. Sila’s excitement about Veda leads to a blossoming friendship with classmate Mateo. By the end, young people and adults alike will find the hope they need to embrace the future and leave the past behind.

The Elephant in the Room is a tender-hearted, compassionate story of family, friendship, and humans’ relationship with the natural world. Holly Goldberg Sloan writes a compelling narrative, imbued with rich characters, complex problems, and captivating themes. Oftentimes, brief switches in point of view, as Sloan orchestrates from time-to-time, contribute to the primary story, providing a productive amount of extra detail. Readers will also be delighted to see Sila approach Mateo’s autism from a stance of compassion and understanding. One aspect of the text that may raise questions is the author’s choice to take on the perspective of a Turkish-American young person. At times, this decision reads more like a convenient plot device than purposeful choice to give voice to a marginalized perspective. Similarly, convenience seems to drive the narrative toward a conclusion that arrives too soon and too quickly. Still, The Elephant in the Room is a hopeful read, and readers will be enchanted by the joy Veda and the other animals bring to the lives of their caretakers. They will surely wonder what the next chapter of their story will be.

Fans of The One and Only Ivan will enjoy using The Elephant in the Room as a companion text or alternative read. Extension possibilities abound with connections to numerous topics, such as animals, animal rights, immigration, and the lottery. From Math to Science to STEM, The Elephant in the Room offers myriad of ways to extend the delight it is capable of bringing students.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Dial Books, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

• Cross-curricular Study – Teach the novel in conjunction with a nonfiction study of animals, animal rights, or immigration.
• Book Pairing – Teach this book in conjunction with a novel about animals or animal rights.
• Literature Circles – Use novel for small groups or choice reading with a variety of novels that include the theme of immigration.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• Animals
• Caring for Animals
• Animal Rights
• Immigration

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with The Elephant in the Room. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
• Front Desk by Kelly Yang (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
• Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)

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