When the Elephants Dance by Tess Uriza Holthe

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In the summer of 2001, Discover fans thrilled to Ghost Soldiers, Hampton Sides' gripping account of a U.S. mission to rescue American and British POWs behind enemy lines in the Philippines during World War II. Half a year later, Discover returns to the war-ravaged Philippines in the mystical and utterly enthralling novel When the Elephants Dance.

The title of the work comes from a remark recounted by Alejandro, a young Filipino boy and the first of several narrators in this richly imaginative book: "Papa explains the war like this," he says. "When the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful." Alejandro explains that the "chickens" are symbolic of the Filipinos, scratching out their means of survival while the hulking American and Japanese armies battle for control over the land, leaving many dead in their wake. As Alejandro and his brother forage for the family's sustenance, "the blue flies cover the bodies like death veils. They land on our faces bringing kisses from the dead. We swat them away quickly."

For all of its grittiness, When the Elephants Dance is also filled with hope and spirit. The characters who populate Alejandro's world -- his caring father, Carlito; his selfish neighbor, Aling Anna; and his family's quiet friend, Mang Ped -- tell each other stories from the past to illustrate the difficult life lessons they have learned. Inspired by the actual experiences of her Filipino father, in this first novelistic effort Tess Uriza Holthe has created a lyrical treasure about a people readers will never forget. (Winter 2002 Selection)

From the Publisher

In the waning days of World War II, the Filipino people were caught between a brutal Japanese occupation and battling U.S. forces. In this compelling, incandescent novel, thirteen-year-old Alejandro Karangalan, his spirited older sister Isabelle, and Domingo, a passionate guerilla commander, narrate the story of the Karangalans-a family who huddle with their neighbors in the cellar of a house near Manila to wait out the war. In their crowded refuge, the group shares magical stories of Filipino myth and legend. Spellbinding, with a dazzling array of ghosts, witches, supernatural creatures, and courageous Filipinos from history, these tales transport the listeners and give them new resolve to survive.

Publishers Weekly

"Papa explains the war like this," narrates 13-year-old Alejandro as he heads through a series of Japanese barricades and check points. " `When the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful.' The great beasts, as they circle one another, shaking the trees and trumpeting loudly, are the Amerikanos and the Japanese as they fight. And our Philippine Islands? We are the small chickens." Inspired by her father, who grew up in the Philippines under the Japanese occupation during WWII, first-time novelist Holthe writes about the experience from a variety of civilian perspectives. Set in Manila during the final week of the Japanese-American battle for control of the islands, the novel centers on a small, mismatched group of families and neighbors who huddle in a cellar while Japanese occupiers terrorize and pillage above. Because food and water are scarce, some of the refugees must leave the shelter to forage for sustenance. In simple, strong language, Holthe conveys the terrifying experience of darting bullets and machetes above ground and the equally horrendous experience of waiting for loved ones to return. Grounded in Philippine myth and culture, the novel is filled with beautiful, allegorical stories told by the story's elders, who try to share wisdom and inspire their captive audience in the midst of gruesome violence. Primarily narrated by Alejandro; his older, headstrong sister, Isabelle; and Domingo, a guerrilla commander living a double life one with his family in the cellar, the other with his true love and adopted son in his rebel army this beautiful, harsh war story is no epic. Rather, Holthe presents personal, pointed fragments that clearly demonstrate history's cultural and personal fallout. (Jan.) Forecast: A promotional blitz an eight-city author tour, targeted marketing to Asian organizations, and radio and print advertising campaigns should alert readers who appreciate simple, moving storytelling to this powerful debut. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Courtney Lewis - KLIATT

"When the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful." Using this Filipino saying, the Karangalan family patriarch describes the Philippine Islands at the end of WW II as the Japanese and U.S. forces battle for control of the islands. As they hide with neighbors in the basement of their home, the narrative of the book shifts between the members of the Karangalan family-the young son tortured by the Japanese for information, the teenage daughter who wants to become a doctor, and the father desperate for his family's survival-and their friends as they relate their experience of the present and hear the stories of the past from one another. The role of religion, both the Catholic tradition and the belief in the supernatural that lives alongside it, is shown both as a element of oppression by the original Spanish conquerors and as a stronghold of faith by the individuals who cling to it in a time of crisis. The swirl of stories from past and present effortlessly gives a rich history of the Philippine Islands up to and including the years of WW II and showcases the region's Asian, European and native influences. Due to the graphic violence and scenes of rape, this book will be limited to senior high and adult collections, but should be considered an essential addition to any multicultural fiction collection. KLIATT Codes: SA-Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2002, Penguin, 368p., Ages 15 to adult.

Library Journal

"Papa explains the war like this: `When the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful.' " This opening line from Holthe's first novel provides a succinct description of the tale that follows. The chickens in this case are a small group of Filipinos living near Manila in the final, bloody days of World War II. After nearly three years of violent Japanese occupation, the Karangalans and several of their neighbors, including the wife of a famous guerrilla commander, are holed up in the basement of their house as U.S. forces advance on Manila. To fuel their courage and sustain their hope, the basement dwellers spend time telling magical tales based on Filipino myth and legend tales that teach important lessons about life, love, and responsibility. Based to some degree on the experience of Holthe's father, this paean to the courage and resilience of the Filipino people is not for the squeamish. But it is an impressive debut, with well-drawn characterizations and a plot that readily captures and holds the reader's interest. Highly recommended for all public and larger academic collections. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/15/01.] David W. Henderson, Eckerd Coll. Lib., St. Petersburg, FL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

Adult/High School-This gripping tale of love, war, indomitable courage, and the struggle for independence will captivate teens and enchant them with Filipino folktales, while providing them a glimpse of another culture. In 1945, as the U.S. fights to regain control of the Philippines from Japan, the Karangalan family huddles with neighbors in the basement of their house outside Manila, hiding from Japanese patrols. Papa says, "When the elephants dance, the chickens must be careful." The beasts are the Amerikanos and the Japanese; the Filipinos are the chickens. Isabelle, 17, leaves the cellar to visit a cousin. She is captured by Japanese soldiers and raped, but escapes with the help of a friend. Her brother Alejandro, 13, is stopped and tortured by Japanese soldiers while trying to barter for food, but is released, making his way home empty-handed. Domingo, a guerilla fighter wounded by the Japanese, also makes his way to the cellar, where his wife and son are hiding. The group seeks respite from the horrors of war by telling stories, weaving magical tales of ghosts, family curses, and the spirit world with moral lessons about greed, love, and the importance of family. Finally, the Japanese find their hiding place, and they are imprisoned in a warehouse in Manila. The building catches fire, and in a dramatic climax the Filipinos fight their way out and are rescued by victorious American soldiers.-Molly Connally, Kings Park Library, Fairfax County, VA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Romantic and patriotic heroics fill this WWII-set debut: a remarkably rich story about a disparate group of Filipinos thrown together in their struggle to survive the Japanese occupation. In the basement of a battered house outside Manila, a group of neighbors hides from the Japanese. To pass the time, to ward off fear, perhaps even to offer guidance, the inhabitants take turns telling stories. The first two, about a seller of potions and a fisherman with dark powers, have a magical-realist atmosphere. Then comes a series of tales focused on family that emphasizes human relationships and psychological nuance. The final stories deal with broader issues: racism, and political commitment. These oral fictions, often repetitive and verging on the sentimental, weave through a broader narrative of the group's wartime trials as battle rages between American and Japanese forces (the "elephants" of the title). Thirteen-year-old Alejandro, sent out to scavenge for food, stays courageously silent when the Japanese briefly detain him. He thinks he sees the local hero and freedom fighter Domingo taken away to be shot. Actually, thanks to Alejandro's sister Isabelle, Domingo escapes and reconnoiters with his lover Nina and his band of freedom fighters. Meanwhile, Isabelle is imprisoned by the Japanese and raped before Feliciano, previously a Japanese sympathizer, saves her. They all end up back in Alejandro's parents' basement, along with Domingo's wife and children, Feliciano's rich aunt, a brave young journalist, a seer, an elderly Spanish artist, and his cowardly son, among others. The Japanese eventually discover the group, which is force-marched to a warehouse prison. Domingo's conflict betweenallegiance to his family and his political/military obligations gradually takes center stage, but each supporting character's ethical battle resonates brightly, however briefly, and the author keeps the moral choices each faces too complex to second-guess. A well-orchestrated chorus of voices that should strike a strong chord with many.

What People Are Saying

Kevin Baker
When The Elephants Dance is a moving and vivid tribute to the power of love, hope, and story telling during a time of crisis.
—Kevin Baker, author of Dreamland

Laurie Fox
In the same breath, sensual and political, urgent and transporting, Holthe's brave novel tantalizes as it inspires.
—Laurie Fox, author of My Sister from the Black Lagoon

Jacqueline Park
A fascinating journey into what is, for the most of us, unknown territory. Tess Uriza Holthe takes us into the heart of the Philipine struggle for freedom with its heroes, its turncoats, its brutality and the poetry of its folklore.
—Jacqueline Park, author of The Secret Book of Grazia Dei Rossi

Linda Watanabe McFerrin
Lush, arresting, and fiercely beautiful, When The Elephants Dance unfolds like a shadowy fugue, a waltz between light and dark, between frailty and strength. Holthe has created a gripping portrait of the Philippines and its struggle for self-determination.
—Linda Watanabe McFerrin, author of Hand of Buddha

Peter Moore Smith
When The Elephants Dance is far more than a beautifully written, emotionally moving, and searing description of what it's like to survive a war, it is an important artifact, within which is preserved the history and poetry of a culture. Its images, characters, and stories will remain with you forever.
—Peter Moore Smith, author of Raveling

Lisa Huang Fleischman
A magical and powerful tale of a makeshift family of villagers, trying to survive by courage and imagination during Japan's brutal occupation of the Philippines in World War II-a part of history we always need to remember.
—Lisa Huang Fleischman, author of Dream of the Walled City

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