The Magician's Elephant

The Magician's Elephant, by Kate DiCamllo, tells the story of Peter and Adele and their search for a family. Peter is a young boy who has lost both his mother and his father. One day he is sent out by his carer Vilna Lutz to get food, but instead he spends the money he has been given on a fortune teller and he asks her if his sister is still alive. When the fortune teller tells him she is, he asks how to get to her and she tells him an elephant will take him to her. Meanwhile, Adele is a little six-year-old girl, who is living at an orphanage. Every night, she has a dream that the elephant that has become famous in her city has come to take her home. I liked the book because I found the characters very compelling and it could be very serious at times, but that didn't take away from the comedy. All round, a really amazing book, which I would recommend. This book would be suitable for people of any age, no matter what their interests. I loved it, 10/10! Sam, age 11.

Ths story follows the plight of an orphaned boy named Peter. From an early age he was told that his baby sister died at birth but then he meets a fortune-teller and then has a vivid dream and Peter is suddenly infused with the belief that his sister is actually alive. The strange events that follow in the book are about Peter trying to find his sister. Along his journey he meets a number of different characters who, like him, are in the midst of dealing with varying circumstances in their lives. Peter has an awesome sense of purpose, hope and belief which in turn persuades those he meets to help him out on his journey. All those he meets are lifted by Peter's spirit of 'believing in the impossible' and in turn realise that 'all things are possible' in the midst of their own hopelessness and despair. Peter's journey becomes their journey and more than anything, I believe it can become the reader's journey too. I'm not sure if this book is suitable for children but I will test it out in my class of 10-11 year olds and get their verdict. I have taken the advice of another reviewer and read it as a piece of theatre written in prose. This advice has helped me work through the seemingly strange turns of phrases and repetition in the book. It can be read in less than two hours and like a play, I would encourage you to read it in one full sitting to digest all that this book offers. A highly recommended story.

Excellent read.

Ilovedthis book. It had an air of magic or other worldliness about it . There are passages which I want to keep forever to put across my pictures …some time . It was well worth the self discipline I used to get into the story( not a big reader).

Bought for my granddaughter as she had seen this on stage at Stratford theatre. Lovely simple story, but beautifully written and illustrated. Would be good to read aloud to an individual or perhaps a class. Suitable for all ages from child to adult. Spoiler alert - happy ending !!

Kate DiCamillo is one of the best authors we've discovered in the last three years. She knows how to draw you in from the first few lines of the book. The Magician's Elephant is unique, quirky, at times funny and eccentric, at times unusual and outlandish. But most of all, a wonderful read. One that I'd enjoy with a nice cup of hot chocolate, on a comfortable armchair in front of a warm winter's fire.

I haven't quite made up my mind about this book yet. After reading her Edward Tulane story, this hasn't captured the imagination as quickly or as intensely. I read Edward Tulane to my Year 5 class and they (and I) loved it. I am now reading this book to them and nowhere near the same magic. A well presented book with lovely illustrations but not sure about the story as yet!

This is one of my favourite books for the difficult 8-11 age group. A really unusual thoughtful story - not too sentimental, but with great classic tropes (fortune teller, long lost sister) and some fantastic magic (an inattentive magician throws a bunch of flowers into the audience and turns it into an elephant by mistake). Beautiful illustrations.

Ho deciso di leggere questo testo nella sua lingua originale dopo aver visto il film su Netflix e devo dire che ne sono rimasta conquistata. bellissimo e scritto in modo semplice alla portata di tutti con una minima conoscenza della lingua inglese.

Good read for 6-7 year old kids

A great book, just as ordered, prompt delivery. Gift for a teacher.

The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo is a beautifully written middle grade fantasy novel that will be an enjoyable read for any age. This well-loved children’s book touches on many themes, and the element of magic adds intrigue to the story. It is a spellbinding story that is a must-read for fans of the genre. When Peter encounters a fortuneteller on his trip to the market, he chooses to spend the money asking the fortuneteller if his sister is alive. The answer Peter is given sends him on a quest to find his sister and makes him question why he was not told the truth. As the story unfolds, Peter makes many discoveries about family, truth, and hope. ❀ PETER IS AN INTERESTING CHARACTER Peter is an interesting character who has so much perseverance. Even though his life is quite hard, he has hope and continues with a positive outlook. I really enjoyed following him along his journey and meeting the other intriguing characters he interacts with. ❀ BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo movie tie-in edition has beautiful illustrations that really bring the story to life. I am excited to watch the Netflix adaptation of the book that much more. I highly recommend adding this book to your to be read list.

同じ作者のEdward Tulane・・・のウサギのお話が良かったので、2冊目としてこちらを読んでみました。Edward Tulaneの時にも思ったのですが、丁寧に作られていると思います。内容も表紙も挿絵も本の紙質も文字の大きさやフォントも・・・全て美しく調和しているのです。 ファンタジーと言いますか夢のあるお話です。マジシャンが ユリの花束を出そうとしたところ大きな象さんが現れてしまう・・・という・・・ そのことが物語のキーとなっています。 英文は複雑ではありませんが、少し語彙力は必要かと思います。 挿絵は、 たなかようこさん・・・という方が書いておられます。素敵な絵でカラーだったらどんなにいいだろう・・・と思った次第です。 女の子や女性におすすめします。