*Saving H’Non: Chang and the Elephant by Trang Nguyen

Saving H’Non beautifully employs a graphic-novel format to tell the true story of an animal rescue and faithful human stewardship.

*Saving H’Non: Chang and the Elephant by Trang Nguyễn and Jeet Zdũng. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2023, 126 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10

Recommended for: ages 8-12

Chang loves volunteering at the wildlife rescue center near Yok Don National Park in Vietnam. She passes along what she’s learning to groups of schoolkids, and the animal that fascinates them the most is probably the elephant. Who doesn’t love elephants?

But Chang knows too well the darker side of these majestic animals: that for centuries they’ve been exploited in work gangs and tourist attractions, and their abuse continues today. Chang is thrilled when she has the opportunity to help Dionne, the center director, rescue a 60-year-old female named H’non. It’s the typical sad story: after a strenuous career hauling timber and concrete, H’Non was forced into service carrying tourists in a heavy and ill-fitting howdah, with devastating consequences for her health.

Dionne negotiates a price to purchase H’Non from her greedy owner for 18 months of rehab, which will include teaching her to be how to be an elephant in the wild. Wat, a hyperactive and distractable boy, proves perfect for the job of mahout (trainer). Slowly H’Non adjusts to her new humans and her new freedom.

“Chang” is the much-younger alter ego of author Trang, a real-life conservationist in Vietnam. H’Non’s story is true: a female elephant captured at the age of 4 and forced to work in construction and later tourism until her health was almost broken. The outline of the story is real also—H’Non was rescued by Trang and other conservationists who offered her owner compensation for 18 months of rehab. Readers will be fascinated by the process of teaching an elephant how to forage for food, cool and groom herself, and finally interact with other elephants (including “adopting” a young obstreperous bull). The text doesn’t equate animals with humans, and grants that the elephants can serve humans usefully if treated with respect and care. Our responsibility for stewardship is clear and beautifully stated. Though there’s no mention of a creator, there’s no mention of evolution, either.

The graphic-novel format is perfect for this story, with art ranging from slapdash humor to beautiful realistic portrayals. Animal-lovers will devour information about the flora and fauna of Southeast Asia.

Overall Rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 4
• Artistic/literary value: 5

Read more about our ratings here.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: Our reviews of pachyderm fiction include What Elephants Know, The One and Only Ivan (and its sequels) and The Magician’s Elephant.
• Review: How did they fit on the Ark? See Peter Spier’s lovely imaginings.
• Review: How do they get around? Incredible Animal Journeys reveals that even elephants migrate.

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