Debbie Ethell holding a book from The Will of Heaven series.

Debbie Ethell | Author, Educator & Elephant Expert

Hi! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m Debbie Ethell—an author, educator, and elephant expert. Through my books, digital resources, and multimedia projects, I explore the world of elephants to share unique insights into their behavior, conservation, and life in the wild. Much of my work focuses on telling the remarkable stories of wild elephants in Kenya.

Headshot of Debbie Ethell, elephant conservation scientist and author, smiling outdoors with green leafy background.

As a child, I became obsessed with a herd of wild elephants in Kenya, and that obsession set me on the path I am on today. Through my books, I share our stories (the elephants’ and mine), inviting readers to see the world through their eyes and discover what they have taught me about resilience, courage, and most of all—hope.

The Will of Heaven book series follows elephant conservation scientist Debbie Ethell through a deeply personal and eye-opening exploration of elephants in the wild and in captivity. Through storytelling grounded in lived experience and recovery from alcoholism, the series reveals the intelligence, complexity, and vulnerability of elephants while challenging how we understand their world.

Book cover for The Will of Heaven, a true story about addiction featuring true elephant stories; shown in watercolor as a girl and an elephant reach out to each other.
Book cover for Elephant Mountain nonfiction animal book by Debbie Ethell featuring a watercolor of elephants walking in a line below a mountain in the Pacific Northwest.

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