The Cowboy and His Elephant: The Story of a Remarkable Friendship

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Summary: Cowboy and his Elephant
Review: This book was such a remarkable book. It is appropriate for all ages. It is the story about a beautiful baby elephant ripped apart from her family and everything else she knew and loved.Her mother as well as the rest of the pact were slaughtered. Through her journey to survive she is taken on by a man named Bob Norris. You might have seen him before as the "Marlbro Man".
Through the whole story you are strolling on an emotional rollercoaster. The bond between Bob and the elephant named Amy. He loved this animal like it was his own daughter. Trouble comes along for these two best friends. If you love books with awesome endings this is a perfect book for you. This book has one of the best endings I have ever read. To find out what happens, read "The Cowboy and his Elephant"

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Summary: There's a movie here
Review: This is one of the sweetest and saddest animal stories I've ever read. I reviewed it when it first came out and found it fantastic. The only thing the paperback edition lacks is an update on what has happened to Amy. Norris was one of the Marlboro cowboy models, a true working cowboy, and he has a Colorado ranch. One day a fellow came along who wanted to board a few elephants. Norris didn't run a boarding stable and told the man so, but was persuaded to provide a place for a small group of baby elephants, freshly wrenched from their African herds. All sold to various places except the youngest and saddest, Amy, whose name was written on her crate. Norris couldn't see her leave the property after putting in a lot of time to keep her alive, so he bought her. Amy had the run of the property because she could open her stall door at will. She learned to help train cutting horses, although she scared the dickens out of the colts at first. She could lead a colt by the lead rope or reins.
One day a colt that was checked up in bridle reins, learning to accept the bit, entered Amy's paddock through the open gate. Amy didn't like seeing him in there trying to eat her hay, although he couldn't reach it due to the reins holding him back. She came after him, firmly led him back into the arena and closed the gate to keep him out of her pen. THEN she took a trunkful of hay and fed him "by hand" so that he could eat.
Little elephants become big elephants, and eventually the idyllic ranch life of being a monstrous pet nuisance had to end. Amy did learn discipline and an array of tricks including playing a toy piano in the horse trailer as he hauled her between their Colorado and Arizona properties. Ultimately Amy outgrew her life on the ranch and went to the Big Apple Circus. Of course elephants never forget, and when Norris and his wife went to watch Amy perform, she stampeded out of the ring...and knelt as close to him as she could get, sobbing in elephant. The crowd started to panic, then realized they were watching a reunion and not a killer on the loose.
You'll love Amy and Mr. Norris. Have your kleenex handy.

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Summary: A charming, touching story
Review: What can you say about a book that details the love story betwen a man and his elephant? One word: FANTASTIC! I came across this book by sheer accident and only picked it up because of the cute cover photo. Intrigued, I bought it and found it hard to put down. The relationship between Bob and his sometimes feisty but lovable elephant, Amy,was just so sweet and touching, not at all cloying or silly the way it could have been in the hands of a less gifted writer. I really, really enjoyed this book. You can read it in a day or two but the emotions the book stirs up will stay with you for a long,long time. Wherever you are, Bob Norris, thank you for taking care of Amyand giving her such a good life.