Hannah's Dream

June 9, 2008
Hammond (Going to Bend
) shares the story of “charismatic mega-vertebrate” Hannah, the elephant star of the failing Max L. Biedelman Zoo, in her sweet but slow third novel. Since the 1950s, Hannah; her loving caretaker, Sam; and the zoo have been languishing. Enter Harriet Saul, the zoo’s ambitious new director, and Neva Wilson, an expert elephant keeper; both want to change things, but in different ways. Harriet’s plan involves her dressing up as the eccentric zoo founder to give presentations and “commissioning original theme music” for a publicity campaign. Neva’s idea is to move the aging Hannah to an elephant sanctuary, a plan supported by nearly everyone, including the zoo’s milquetoast business manager. If the conflict sounds weak, it is; the friendship between Hannah and Sam and the gently informational lessons about elephant care are more memorable than the late-breaking battle. The narrative, with its sprawling cast (and attendant relationships and personal histories), often bogs down, but the moments of genuine emotion will charm readers in search of a happy ending.

Starred review from July 1, 2008
On the animal kingdoms 10-point scale of adorable critters, golden retriever puppies regularly come in on top, while aging gray elephants rarely make it onto the list. But when it comes to lovability, Hannah, the sole elephant at Seattles dilapidated Max L. Biedelman Zoo, is off the charts. Rescued as a baby by the zoos founder while on safari in Africa, Hannah has been cared for by Samson Brown for her 41-year captivity. Theirs is an empathetic, symbiotic relationship as Samson transfers all the love deflected by the death of his only child into caring for this slightly needy, somewhat neurotic, but always affectionate creature. But Samson is aging and his health is failing, and the zoo needs a plan. Enter Neva Wilson, an energetic young zookeeper whose creative ideas for Hannahs well-being immediately put her afoul of Harriet Saul, the zoos petty, tyrannical administrator. To save Hannahs life, Samson and Neva scheme to transfer her to an elephant sanctuary, though their plan comes with great personal risk. Irresistibly touching, delectably uplifting, Hammonds understated yet gargantuan tale of devotion and commitment poignantly proves that love does indeed come in all shapes and sizes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)