Fiction Addict

Genre: Children

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: September 2009

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

In the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene visits a fortuneteller and asks questions about his dead sister. There he learns she lives, despite the lies he’s heard all his life, and that an elephant can lead him to her. In another part of town, a magician longing to perform real magic accidentally causes an elephant to fall through the roof of the opera house where he is performing. As Peter seeks his sister, his story and that of several townspeople (the woman crippled by the falling elephant, the police officer who arrests the magician, the elephant caretaker and others) knit together in a tapestry of love, magic and healing.

The Magician’s Elephant by Newbery-winner Kate DiCamillo possesses a simple story line, yet is surprisingly complex. Initially, the plot comes across as being too simple, but as the book progresses, DiCamillo develops her story with a deceptive depth. Magical and mystical, the soft-focus, grayscale illustrations enhance the book’s mysterious and cinematic flavor. There is an emotional darkness to the book that can be a bit lonely, but DiCamillo uses this to express how one event can lead to healing for all.

While mid-elementary children might struggle to appreciate this book given its less overt action, older children and tweens will recognize the merits within.

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.