The Civil War has begun, and ten-year-old Izzie’s brothers have joined the Union Army. They’re anxious to see the elephant – soldier talk, they tell Izzie, for going into battle for the first time. Izzie hates the Rebels who have split up the country. He wishes he could see the elephant, too, and help his brothers make the Rebels behave. Then his Aunt Bell, an Army nurse, takes him to Washington, D.C., where she is stationed. After a battle, the wounded are transported to her hospital; the next day, she introduces Izzie to Private Grafflin Cook, a wounded Confederate soldier who will soon be sent to prison. At first, Izzie is furious – why would he ever want to spend time with a hated Rebel? But once they start talking, Izzie comes to see Graff not as “the enemy,” but as a human being with feelings, a family, and a different point of view about the war. Izzie realizes the issues are not as simple as he once believed – and in the end, “seeing the elephant” takes on a whole new meaning. Ken Stark’s evocative, finely detailed illustrations bring to life a story that speaks to people of all ages ... and about all wars. http://www.amazon.com/Seeing-Elephant-Story-Civil-War/dp/0374380244/ref=sr_1_5/104-7804864-5184750?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179518500&sr=8-5
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Read a newspaper article about Ken and the Wisconsin boy who was his model for Izzie! The Pardees of Hazleton, inspiration for this story. I interviewed my illustrator, Ken Stark, about his artistic process and his unusual lifestyle. Take a look!