The Magician's Elephant

DiCamillo, K.  (2009).  The magician's elephant.  Somerville, Massachusetts:  Candlewick Press.
This book was on the NY Times Bestseller for Children's List (2010)

Exposition:  10 year old Peter Augustus Duchene's parents have past away and he lives in Baltese, at the end of the 1800s, with an old soldier named Vilna Lutz.  Vilna Lutz is training Peter to be a soldier.  Peter goes to the market and instead of buying what he is supposed to, he spends the money asking a fortune teller, after she has already to him that his sister is alive, how he can find his sister.  The fortune teller tells Peter to follow the elephant.

Conflict:  Peter finds out the Vilna Lutz has been lying to him about his sister, Adele.  She has been alive all along.  He must now find a way to get to the elephant to find his sister.

Rising Action:  A magician is performing at the local opera house.  He attempted to bring forth a bouquet of lilies, instead, an elephant crashes through the roof of the opera house and cripples Madam LaVaughn.  The magician is imprisoned.  While at the market place the next morning, Peter overhears about the elephant.  Countess Quintet decides to purchase the elephant to show her wealthy and powerful friends.  Meanwhile, at the Orphanage of the Sisters of Perpetual Light, Adele has been dreaming about the elephant.  She dreams that the elephant comes to the orphanage to find her, but always has to leave before Adele can go with her.  The countess decides to let everyone see, for free, the elephant on the first Saturday of the month.  Leo Matienne, a police officer that lives below Peter, tells Peter the good news. 

Climax:  Peter goes to see the elephant and upon seeing her, he sees the elephant's sadness and knows he must get her back to where she came from.  Peter asks Leo Matienne to help him.

Falling Action:  Leo Matienne takes Peter to talk to the magician.  The magician says he needs the elephant and Madam LaVaughn to do his magic.  Leo Matienne and Peter go the Countess Quintet's house and retrieve the elephant without her knowledge. 

Resolution:  When walking the elephant back to the prison, they pass the orphanage and Adele sees the elephant.  She runs out to the elephant and Peter and Adele are reunited.  The magician performs his magic and the elephant is sent home.  Adele and Peter go live with Leo Matienne and his wife.

Kate DiCamillo uses figurative language and precise vocabulary to make this novel come to life.  Through the language she uses, she is able to paint a picture in the reader's mind.  There are pleasant unexpected insights weaved throughout the story.  It is a story about hope, courage, forgiveness, and love.