Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived

I enjoyed this book from the start through my joy and tears. It is a believable and moving description of how humans can intertwine their minds and love with animals, and in this case it was an elephant. I highly recommend it.

Im 60 and have been obsessed with elephants for many years. An avid reader, I enjoy reading a lot of non-fiction related to their abilities, behaviors etc. they amaze me! As a result I read this book about a year or ago and loved every bit of it. Modoc was an amazing elephant and his and Bram’s relationship was something out of a dream for an elephant lover. In addition to the story there was so much interesting information about India, the people and culture, the geography, the beliefs and language. That alone was well worth the read. My 9 gr old grandson has been reading to me daily for 30 minutes since he started school and reading books was something he and I loved doing together even before he entered school. It was time for a new book after completing The Magic Tree House and Merlin’s Missions series and his reading skills were above the 95% percentile in his testing so I knew he could handle a challenge. After hearing about the book he was excited and willing to read Modoc although the size and complexity of the book was a little worrisome to him. Me too actually but I knew if he got into the book the story would pull him along into it. So, we began to read. Almost every page had a word or two or more he wasn’t familiar with forcing him to use his dictionary to look it up. Many words especially about ships, and India required using the internet to not just explain the meaning but also view photos to better understand the word. Often these inquiries resulted in lengthy discussions/explanations of world geography or some other topic. It took 3 months but he finished! And he loved it! He has happily told Modoc’s story to several family members. He choose another, not as challenging book but it’s another elephant story! “The Elephant Girl”. Didn’t realize it but it’s about a baby elephant that’s mom is killed and is rescued by The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Which is a charity we support monthly and have adopted 4 baby elephants that are being raised there. Turns out the baby elephant in the book is an actual orphan at Sheldrick’s and My grandson used part of his savings to adopt baby Mbegu himself! How cool is that! Anyway, if you love elephants, or animals or animal/human relationship stories, or stories about a foreign culture you will love Modoc. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

My daughter first picked this book off the library book mobile. She loves animals, so we sat down to enjoy what we assumed was to be another "nice" simple animal story! Well! We got to the end of this most beautiful story and I was in tears!!!!!!!! My kids were only in preschool when we first found that book from the library book mobile and they LOVED it and stayed with it -- it's not as short or simple as other little animal stories. Long story short -- we returned our library copy, and I found it on Amazon, ordered it for my kids, and have read it over and over and over. . . and have since given it to their friends as birthday presents, and everyone has loved it! I also found the adult version of this compelling true story of life, love, friendship, overcoming obstacles for myself and given it to the mom of one of the friends we gave this children's version to. . . When my kids (girl/boy twins) were in preschool, I even brought it in to read to their class. The class and their teacher loved it and copied the title to order it for the class. (When the kids were real young like that, I skipped some of the details reading to the class, for time constraints. but now they are in kindergarten and I hope to be able to bring it into their kindergarten class and read the whole thing!)

I think anyone who reads this book will both fall in love (with the story and elephants in general) and feel disappointed after when they find out that it's probably not even loosely tied in to a real tale. Like so many other people I started googling the unfindable "facts" in the story -- and also dug a little deeper into elephant-based stories as well. I have always felt sorry for the captured elephants who eventually go beserk in some circus ring or village square, while assuming their breakdown has come from human cruelty around them. Naturalists remind us of the reality of wild elephants, pointing out how warm and fuzzy their community life is with one another and toward their young -- but making it clear that if the gaping tourists in the Land Rover get too close the dinosaur-sized creature will knock over a vehicle with ease and step on some human body parts as well. Without hesitation. I imagine with the elephants intelligence and family loyalty there are as many personalities and attitudes as there are situations elephants have found themselves in, whether it be a zoo, a circus, a form of daily transportation or a sanctuary. In the end I think the truth of this book is that a Modoc is possible. Haven't we all heard of or read touching stories about close unique relationships between an elephant and a person? Coming to that conclusion made me feel better about the question of whether or not this story of a boy named Bram and his soulmate Modoc really existed. While I read the book they felt real and, fictional or no, they awakened me to a deeper appreciation of elephants.

A lot of people who have reviewed this book dont think it can be true because they could not find Bram or Modoc when they searched in Google!! I just read this book and I see no reason it isnt true. I hope it is! I have met a number of people with amazing, unbelievable lives and experiences. And you know what, when you search for them by name, none of them shows up on the internet!! The lesson here is - NOT everything is true only if you find it on the internet. Amazing feats have gone undocumented before. They do specify that Modoc and Bram were born in 1896. Besides, Ralph Helpher heard this story in the 1970sand wrote the book over 20 years later, so it is understandable if he did not have exact dates for everything. Also, I am sure there have been people, and animals, in the 1970s that were special and NOT photographed all that often. They couldnt know they would be written about years later and needed to collect documentation to prove they existed. Someone also mentioned that the book was fiction because Asian elephants dont have tusks. I am from India and I know they do! Ivory poaching has been an issue that was finally resolved a few years ago! (Ivory comes from elephant tusks, for those that didnt know)...besides, Modoc didnt grow them (according to the book) until way after the photos in the book were taken Now that the authenticity of the book I believe in, I must say it touched a chord in my heart...love this book...has made me look at elephants with renewed love and respect!!

A wonderful tale from a man who clearly understands elephants and the bonds they share with their elephant families and human supporters. Wrenching at times but ultimately uplifting. Having experienced elephants in a South African preserve earlier this year it is clear the author understands thoroughly their wisdom, sense of family and community and their genuinely gentle nature.

I have to admit to something. I was very skeptical about Modoc's history... it was all too perfect, in its own way. So I had to double check to see if this animal really was real. She was! You will be enraptured with all the ways she is affected by and affects others, especially her best friend, Bram. I don't know how much credence you can give to the first person narration of Bram in his travels (which in some way are a story in and of themselves), but when I finally gave in to my skepticism and checked on the internet to see Modoc really was a real elephant with all this history, I began to have a new appreciation for Modoc. You will love the story, and you will really enjoy the way it is presented here by Ralph Helfer. I could really "see" the chains in Modoc's leg, and the pain and agony, both mental and physical, that Modoc must have been in. You will enjoy this book. And I bet you too at one point will say, "No, this is a made up story!" Trust me, Modoc existed, and is acclaimed for the special relationship with Bram and the other people in her life. Read the book. I know you will be glad you did.

Great story for young and old! Incredible animals!!