Elephant Run facts for kids
First edition cover
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| Author | Roland Smith |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young Adult Historical Fiction |
| Publisher | Hyperion Books |
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Publication date
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25 September 2007 |
| Media type | Print Hardback/Paperback |
| Pages | 318 pp |
| ISBN | 978-1-4231-0402-5 |
| OCLC | 124031729 |
| LC Class | PZ7.S657655 El 2007 |
Elephant Run is an exciting historical novel written by Roland Smith. It was first published in 2007. The story mainly happens in a country called Myanmar (also known as Burma) during World War II.
The main character is Nicholas Freestone, a 14-year-old boy. He is sent to live with his father on a family teak wood farm. This farm is in Burma. Nick's mother sends him there to keep him safe from the bombings in London. But life on the farm needs a lot of toughness and strength. When the Japanese army invades Burma, they take over the farm. Nick's father, Jackson Theodore Freestone III, is sent to a prison camp. Nick must then try to escape and save his father. He gets help from friends, but also faces many dangers.
Elephant Run was recognized as one of the best books for young adults in 2009. It also received several awards.
Contents
What Happens in the Story?
Nick Arrives in Burma
Nicholas Gillis Freestone is sent to Burma. His mother's apartment in London was destroyed during the Blitz. This was a time of heavy bombing during the Battle of Britain. In Burma, Nick meets Nang, who manages the farm. He also meets Nang's daughter, Mya, and his son, Indaw. Indaw is a mahout, someone who works with elephants.
When Nick arrives, everyone is talking about the recent Japanese bombing of Rangoon. People believe that the British defenses in Burma will soon fail.
An Elephant Attack and a Secret
The next day, Nick is in the village. An elephant named Hannibal attacks him. Hannibal is a large timber elephant. He has a strong dislike for tiger Nats, which are forest spirits. Nick's ribs are hurt in the attack.
Nick feels embarrassed and tries to keep the incident a secret. But his father soon hears about it. He learns about it from Hilltop (Taung Baw in Burmese). Hilltop is a wise monk. He was one of the first mahouts to join Nick's great-grandfather. Nick's great-grandfather, Sergeant-Major Jackson Theodore Freestone I, started the Hawk's Nest farm.
Hilltop is Mya and Indaw's great-grandfather. Some people say he is over 100 years old. It is rumored that Hilltop knows a secret language that elephants understand. People also say he lived in the forest for sixty years before returning to the Freestone Plantation.
The Japanese Invasion
It's Christmas, and Nick, his father, Indaw, and Mya are traveling. They are going to nearby Freestone Island. Suddenly, the Japanese army invades. Japanese soldiers quickly take over the Freestones' camp. They capture everyone there. Nick and the elephants manage to hide in a safe place.
Soon after, Nick is captured by a Japanese soldier, Sergeant Sonji. Nick first thinks Sonji is strange. But Sonji takes an interest in Nick. He teaches Nick how to write haiku poems. He treats Nick quite well for a Japanese sergeant during wartime.
Life Under Japanese Control
Sergeant Sonji returns Nick to the elephant village. Here, Nick sees how harsh the Japanese conquest is. The Japanese flag now flies over the camp. Nang, the foreman, has been killed. Captain Josephs, a British officer, is also gone. Nick's father and Indaw have been taken as prisoners of war (POWs).
Nick is held at Hawk's Nest as a hostage. He works as a servant for Colonel Nagayoshi. Nagayoshi is the Japanese commander of Hawk's Nest. Nick stays there for ten months. During this time, an older Japanese man named Bukong often hurts Nick. But otherwise, the Japanese soldiers do not harm him.
A Secret Passage and Escape Plan
Later, Nick gets a letter from his father. His father writes that he was moved to a prison camp in Burma. One night, Hilltop shows Nick and Mya a secret passage. This passage is hidden inside the house. Everyone later thinks Nick and Mya escaped. But they are actually hiding in the tunnel. From then on, Hilltop shows them other passages that connect to Hawk's Nest.
On their escape day, Nick and Mya dress up as young monks. They escape Hawk's Nest with Hilltop and Hannibal the elephant. In a nearby village, they face danger from Captain Moto. Moto wants to find a famous thief named Kya Lei. Kya Lei is known as the "Tiger's Breath." He is like a Burmese Robin Hood.
Reaching the Prison Camp
The next day, Hilltop writes a letter. He says he visited the prison camp and will return. Kya Lei helps Nick and Mya get closer to the first camp. Each day, they move nearer to Jackson and Indaw.
When Hilltop returns, he tells Nick and Mya what happened. He talked to Indaw at the prison camp. They planned an escape. The escape day was during a festival. On this day, Japanese soldiers were busy buying goods. Because the guards were distracted, Indaw was able to escape. Later that day, Jackson pretended to be gone. Sergeant Sonji helped him escape too.
Journey Through the Jungle
The group travels into the jungle. But they are caught by Captain Moto, Bukong, and Japanese supporters. However, Hannibal attacks them. This happens because Moto's jeep has tiger skins. The group is then freed by Bernard and Kachin scouts. These scouts parachuted in to destroy the airfield at Hawk's Nest. Hilltop decides to stay behind. He feels responsible for Hannibal and loves Burma.
Life After the War
The book then jumps forward to 1945. The Freestone family has moved to the Australian Bush. They have opened a cattle ranch there. Nick Freestone and Mya become a couple. Nick's stepfather and mother are happy. Jackson Freestone, Hilltop, and Hannibal are all doing well. Most importantly, the land of Burma now belongs to the Burmese people again.
