Book description
"A deeply perceptive look at the universal fear of abandonment." — Booklist (starred review)
Ever since Jack can remember, his mom has been unpredictable, sometimes loving and fun, other times caught in a whirlwind of energy and “spinning” wildly until it’s over. But now she is gone, leaving him all…
Why read it?
1 author picked Small as an Elephant as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Small as an Elephant is a book that I read aloud to my sons, but I needed as much as they did.
This story of 11-year-old Jack who is abandoned by his bipolar single mother and left to fend for himself in Acadia National Park is totally accessible and captivates young readers because of its emphasis on survival, but also delves into hard issues like mental illness and abandonment. I first learned about the book during a middle school English teachers’ discussion of “favorite books ever.”
From Dana's list on middle grade written that tackle grief.
If you love Small as an Elephant...
The Time-Jinx Twins
Twelve-year-old identical twins Ellie and Kat accidentally trigger their physicist mom’s unfinished time machine, launching themselves into a high-stakes adventure in 1970 Chicago. If they learn how to join forces and keep time travel out of the wrong hands, they might be able find a way home. Ellie’s gymnastics and…
Want books like Small as an Elephant?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Small as an Elephant.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,210
readers submitted
so far, will you?
