The Magician's Elephant

The Magician's Elephant, by Kate DiCamillo
 
Peter Augustus Duchene is a 10 year old orphan who decides to use the money he has been given to purchase bread and visit's a fortuneteller. In another part of the city at the Opera House a magician is performing before Madame LaVaughn and an elephant comes through the roof instead of flowers. The elephant and Peter's fate are tied together by the magician's action and how this will change both of their lives. The story moves along with a host of other colorful characters adding to the story as Peter and the elephant discover how they can help each other. This book is a heart-warming story of love and loss, and holding out hope. A great read-a-loud in the tradition of the Tale of Despereaux and the Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. "Magic is always impossible," said the magician. "It begins with the impossible and ends with the impossible and is impossible in between. That is why it is magic." --Excerpt from the The Magician's Elephant.
-Carol