Desley Grant

School Librarian

Paru: The True Story of an Orphaned Indian Elephant is a touching and beautifully told story of rescue, love, and connection. Paru’s journey from a frightened orphan to a cherished member of a family is both heart-warming and unforgettable. Full of gentle humour and deep emotion, this true story perfectly captures the intelligence and tenderness of elephants, leaving readers with a lasting sense of compassion and wonder.

Sandra Johnston

Teacher

Wendy Lawrence has beautifully brought her Paru’s incredible true story to life with warmth, compassion, and heart. Paru: The True Story of an Orphaned Indian Elephant is a touching and unforgettable read that captures the deep bond between humans and animals. Filled with love, adventure, humour, and emotion, this book will be an unforgettable read for both children and adults.

Sylvia Williams

WILVO (Wildlife Rescue Volunteer)

I absolutely loved Paru: The True Story of an Orphaned Indian Elephant. From the moment she fell into the pit, my heart was in my throat, and I found myself completely drawn into her journey. Watching her grow from a frightened, fragile calf into such a playful, loving companion was incredibly moving.

Susan Hancy

Buzzwords Magazine

Paru by Wendy Lawrence (Wild Publishing), RRP $25.00 Picture Book ISBN 9-780646-723846

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

Paru is a delightfully illustrated narrative non-fiction book that tells the story of a baby elephant, much loved by her mother and aunt, who tumbles into a deep pit and cannot escape. Her mother and aunt trumpet for help and do their best to reach her, but after two days, they must abandon their baby to avoid losing their herd. The pit had been dug by local tribesmen in the heart of dense Keralan jungle in southern India with the intention of snaring a wild boar or deer for food. Wanting to help the baby elephant, the tribesmen walk to a nearby coffee estate to seek help from the family running the estate.

From the first turn of the cover, Paru’s endpapers hint at a personal experience with this story. The family running the coffee estate is actually the author’s family, and the author, Wendy Lawrence, is the little blond girl in the photos riding the baby elephant, Paru, after they successfully freed her and restored her health.

The language and settings in this book transport the reader to a very non-mainstream life experienced in 1951 on a rural Indian coffee estate, where elephants played a working role, much like horses or bulls may be used on a farm today, and where a little girl’s best friend and guest of honour at tea parties was not a dog or a cat but a baby elephant. Wendy’s narrative captures the reader’s heart, and with her parting words, she left my heart much like Paru’s in the end: broken, but a happy sort of broken, marvelling at the impact this family must have had on Paru and at the impact Paru had on them. This story will resonate with any family that has pets, and with the life lesson that, at times, tough decisions must be made regarding our four-legged companions. The final fact-filled pages will pique the interest of young readers eager to learn more about Indian elephants and their conservation. I recommend this book for readers aged 5-8, and it’s available to purchase through Wendy’s self-publishing website.