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No one in his village denies that—his mother may wish that he'd spend more time on school work than on elephant training, but still she knows that it takes a great deal of courage and calm to deal with elephants the way that Y'Tin does. He is almost the best trainer in the village—and, at twelve-years old, he's certainly the youngest. Maybe he'll even open up his own school some day to teach other Montagnards how to train wild elephants? That was the plan anyway—back before American troops pulled out of the Vietnam War, back before his village became occupied by Viet Cong forces seeking revenge, back before Y'Tin watched his life change in a million terrible ways.
Now, his bravery is truly put to the test: he can stay in his village, held captive by the Viet Cong or he can risk his life (and save his elephant's) by fleeing into the jungle. The Montagnards know their surroundings well. After all, this is why Y'Tin's village had become loyal US allies during the war, having been tapped by Special Forces for their tracking skills and familiarity with the jungle. But that also means that Y'Tin knows how unsafe it can be—and how much danger he is in if he chooses to head out with no destination in mind.
At once heartbreaking and full of hope, Newbery Medal-winning author Cynthia Kadohata's exploration into the depth of the jungle and the not-so-distant past brings us close to a world few people know about—and none will ever forget. Y'Tin's story is one of lasting friendships, desperate choices and all that we lose when we are forced to change.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
January 5, 2010 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780743581974
- File size: 135778 KB
- Duration: 04:42:52
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 4.9
- Lexile® Measure: 700
- Interest Level: 4-8(MG)
- Text Difficulty: 3
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Reviews
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Newbery award winner Cynthia Kadohata's story begins as the American Special Forces ask Y'Tin's father to help with one last mission in the jungles of South Vietnam. Keith Nobbs tells this affecting story of the cost of war on the civilians left behind through the experiences of Y'Tin. Thirteen years old, Y'Tin is on his way to becoming the youngest elephant handler in his village when the American withdrawal changes everything. Nobbs has a calm delivery that holds the listener rapt as he describes the North Vietnamese invasion of Y'Tin's village and the horrors of war and occupation experienced by civilians young and old. His depiction of Y'Tin's journey to maturity celebrates the human ability to hope and survive in spite of unbelievable odds. N.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine -
Starred review from December 14, 2009
Newbery Medalist Kadohata (Kira-Kira
) shows that truth has as many shades of gray as an elephant in this emotionally taut survival story, set in war-torn South Vietnam. After American troops leave his village, Y’Tin, his family, and his neighbors are left to fend off their enemies themselves. But Y’Tin’s mind isn’t on war. It’s on his pet elephant, Lady, and his dreams of opening an elephant-training school. His hopes vanish when North Vietnamese soldiers devastate his small village (Y’Tin helps dig a mass grave at one point). Y’Tin manages to escape into the jungle with a friend, where he reunites with Lady, but separated from family and friends, his thoughts grow dark. As the days go by, he becomes angrier and less trusting, wondering “if he would ever feel safe again or if safety was gone from his life forever.” Illustrating the wisdom of Y’Tin’s father’s words—“The jungle changes a man”—Kadohata delves deep into the soul of her protagonist while making a faraway place and the stark consequences of war seem very near. Y’Tin’s inner conflicts and changing perception of the world will haunt readers. Ages 10–up.
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