First Chapter Book: Sonny Elephant
You might think that the first chapter book I remember having read aloud to me was The Long Winter, which I discussed in another post. However, Sonny Elephant predates that particular enjoyable experience by several years. Sonny Elephant by Madge A. Bigham (1874-1957), was first published in 1930. Many years after hearing it read aloud (not in 1930, mind you), I came across a first edition in Atlanta at a used book store. I had such fond memories of that book that I purchased it and still have it today. It is very special to me. Let’s go back in time just a few years…
I had a teacher in first grade named Mrs. Turner. She seemed rather stern to me, but I don’t remember much about her, or first grade, except that she read Sonny Elephant to us, one chapter each day after lunch. I was thoroughly enthralled. I could barely wait until after lunch each day to find out what would happen next to Sonny Elephant, Mumsy Elephant and Papsy Elephant, the king of the jungle! The experience of anticipation for what might come next in the story really exposed me to the joy of chapter books. I will always be grateful for Mrs. Turner and her reading the book aloud to us. Sonny and his family were the focus of the story, even though there were engaging humans in the story, to be sure; I was thoroughly in the elephant camp, as far as allegiance was concerned. There is also Little Gray Monkey, who is the proverbial trouble maker—that friend who will lead you down the wrong path. There are other dangers in the jungle, including the orange and black tiger. When Papsy is riled to great anger, he goes on the warpath. Mrs. Turner adopted this expression: “Mrs. Turner is on the warpath,” she would say loudly, after slamming her yardstick down with a loud bang across her desk to get the class’s attention (when we were busy talking instead of listening, as we should have been). I am certain Sonny Elephant was a story she read to each class that came though, at least for several years, because my older brother, who also had her for first grade, remembers it as well.
The black and white illustrations by Berta and Elmer Hader are wonderful and add to the delightfulness of the story.
Sonny Elephant, page 49.
Sadly, to the best of my knowledge, the book is out of print and copies that I see for sale online range from fifty-six (this one has been revised from the original), or closer to one hundred twenty dollars to one hundred forty-four dollars for the original (not first edition). I see so many reviews on Goodreads that recount a similar story from individuals recalling having this book read aloud by their first grade teacher!
When I did a long term substitute job in first grade, I was providing EIP (Early intervention) in Math and Reading to the first grade students and I took the opportunity to read a chapter of Sonny Elephant to my EIP reading students each day before we began our work. It made me happy to share my favorite first grade chapter book memory with some first graders of my own.
Hooray for chapter books and the teachers who read them to us when we are in their classroom! Happy Reading!