Review: The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

Review: The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

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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.

Review: The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamilloTitle: The Magician's Elephant
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Illustrator: Yoko Tanaka
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade
Publication Date: September 8, 2009
Rating: five-stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Kate DiCamillo's New York Times best-selling fable about trusting the unexpected and making the extraordinary come true is now available in a movie tie-in edition.

When a fortuneteller's tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller's mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it's true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, this timeless fable from Kate DiCamillo evokes the largest of themes--hope and belonging, desire and compassion--with the lightness of a magician's touch.

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❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃


Review: The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

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.

About Kate DiCamillo

kate dicamillo

Kate DiCamillo is the author of Because of Winn-Dixie (a Newbery Honor book), The Tiger Rising (a National Book Award finalist), and The Tale of Despereaux (a Newbery Medal Winner). She recently completed a series of early chapter books about a pig named Mercy Watson. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane was the winner of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. Kate lives and writes in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but she spent much of her childhood in Florida.

Lori

About Lori

Avid reader. Contributor to The Candid Cover. Educator.

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