The Elephant's Girl - by Celesta Rimington (Paperback)

About the Book

Twelve-year-old Lexington, a foundling raised in a zoo, spends a summer cementing friendships, growing closer to the elephant that saved her life, and learning about her family and herself.

Book Synopsis

A magical adventure for fans of Katherine Applegate and Jennifer Holm about a girl with a mysterious connection to the elephant who saved her life.

An elephant never forgets, but Lexington Willow can't remember her past. Swept away by a tornado as a toddler, she was dropped in a nearby Nebraska zoo, where an elephant named Nyah protected her from the storm. With no trace of her family, Lex grew up at the zoo with her foster father, Roger; her best friend, Fisher; and the wind whispering in her ear.

Years later, Nyah sends Lex a telepathic image of the woods outside the zoo. Soon, Lex is wrapped up in an adventure involving ghosts, lost treasure, and a puzzle that might be the key to finding her family. Can Lex summon the courage to discover who she really is--and why the tornado brought her here all those years ago?

Review Quotes

Winner of the 2020 Reading the West Book Award!

"Well-rounded, often mischievous human characters. . . . Readers will eagerly accompany [Lex]." --Booklist

"Poignant. . . . An already engaging tale of life at a zoo turns into a mystery . . . [and] a bittersweet ending completes the story's magic and mystery." --Kirkus Reviews

"Skillfully paced with just the right amount of tension, this offers a thoughtful look at how our past shapes our present, and how, similarly, memory is shaped by our current circumstances." --The Bulletin

"This story of friendship includes magical realism, mystery, and adventure that is sure to capture young readers' attention. Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo." --School Library Journal

About the Author

Celesta Rimington is the author of The Elephant's Girl and Tips for Magicians, as well as an elephant advocate, a musical theater performer, and an active participant in her local writing community. As a teenager, she worked at a zoo in Omaha, which is part of the reason she set her story in Nebraska. She now lives in Utah with her husband and two children, where they have a miniature railroad with a rideable steam train.