In this moving tale, join war veteran James Howard Williams as he encounters Bandoola, a working Asian elephant, and his keeper, Po Toke for the first time. A valuable story that captures the realities of deforestation, elephant endangerment, and the exploitation of nature. The perfect kids history book for ages 9-12. "This remarkable book is a must-read." -- Booklist STARRED REVIEW Working together on a teak plantation, Williams and Bandoola develop a rare friendship, which even today set standards around elephant care and conservation. When another war forces them to leave their home in the Burmese jungle, the two undertake a journey that will test their friendship, taking trust, understanding and bravery to the very limit. Together, they lead a group of refugees and over 70 elephants to safety, scaling 5000 ft mountains as they cross the border from Burma into northern India. Parents on the search for fact and animal books for kids ages 8-12 will be excited by the rich trove of information this lovely book hosts.