Books like When the Elephants Dance by Tess Uriza Holthe
Tess Uriza Holthe’s debut novel sets the Karangalan family and their neighbors in a cellar just outside Manila during the final months of World War II. As Japanese and American forces clash over the Philippine Islands, the family—through the eyes of thirteen‑year‑old Alejandro, his sister Isabelle, and guerilla commander Domingo—grapples with bombs, interrogations, and the threat of famine. Inside the cramped refuge, they turn to Filipino folklore, telling stories of ghosts, witches, and heroic compatriots that provide comfort and inspire resilience amid wartime uncertainty.
First publish date: 2002
Genre: Historical Fiction/20th Century Historical Fiction
Authors: Tess Uriza Holthe
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