But I don’t ever remember there being such a hullabaloo abut its multitude of uses. Until The Hullabaloo About Elephant Poo kersplatted onto my desk.
If you
are in any doubt as to the sensationally sustainable qualities of elephant poo,
look no further than this humorous homage to an elephant’s busy behind.
Renowned
author, Dee White escorts readers through a giddy roundup all things great and
glorious about the waste product of the largest mammal on earth. Facts and
figures come fast and furious. Faster in fact than it takes for elephant poo to
hit the ground! From how much they deposit daily to the number of times they need
to do so.
Once the facetious faecal introductions are out the way, things get even more interesting and slightly unbelievable. Did you know, for instance, that coffee beans extracted from elephant poo make a divine robust cuppa?
But it’s
not just humankind that benefit from elephant butt buns (author’s own pun). Our
gardens, building materials, creative infrastructure (paper, notebooks, picture
frames and more) owe their unique manufacture to the pulping of elephant poo.
Yes, it seems the utilisation of such a seemingly non-utilitarian by-product is
as far reaching as it is fascinating.
And
that is the gift within this unique picture book; illumination enveloped in entertainment.
Any other book crammed with this many (true) facts would be deemed a foray into
non-fiction. Not so Hullabaloo… which is simply a jolly good time.
This
jolliness is amped by Nielsen’s bold and beautiful illustrations. Vibrant, vivacious,
(and violet – the colour of true picture book heroes), poo is portrayed in all
its perfectness on practically every page. Fitting when the whole theme centres
on that which we normally turn our noses up at. Oh, and by the way, elephant
poo carries very little offensive odour. What’s not to love!
Ten out
of ten for originality, whooshing rhyme, and perfect pictures. Extra points for
fabulous fun facts. Bonus points for the most engaging endpapers ever! Just
read it. Poo + kids = fun. Clever little bunnies ellies.
Title: The Hullabaloo About
Elephant Poo
Author: Dee White
Illustrator: Christopher Nielsen
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia, $24.99
Publication Date: 4 December 2025
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781460766194
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book
