The Magician's Elephant

by Kate DiCamillo

Summary: Peter, an orphan being raised by an old soldier who fought with Peter's father in wartime, is sent one day to the market with a single coin. He is meant to purchase bread with it, but instead spends it on a fortune-teller, in an attempt to get any information he can about his long-lost sister. He has been told his whole life that she died at birth, along with his mother. When the fortune teller tells him that he will find his sister if he follows the elephant, he is overjoyed that she might be alive, but can't figure out where he would possibly come across an elephant. Low and behold, a local magician conjures an elephant during a show, and crushes the legs of an audience member. The magician is imprisoned, and the poor elephant is tied up, far from home, with no idea how she got to this strange place. Peter must figure out how to help the elephant, the magician, and himself. It's an interesting, sweet, and magical journey.

My thoughts: This is classic DiCamillo. Something about the way she writes just makes you want to curl up and read through the night. Her stories are so comforting--the literary equivalent of mashed potatoes!