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    The Magician's Elephant
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    The Magician's Elephant
    Unavailable
    The Magician's Elephant
    Audiobook2 hours

    The Magician's Elephant

    Written by Kate DiCamillo

    Narrated by Juliet Stevenson

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    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 Peter can hardly dare to believe it.

    But it is-all of it-true.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateSep 21, 2010
    ISBN9781441889089
    Unavailable
    The Magician's Elephant
    Author

    Kate DiCamillo

    Kate DiCamillo is the acclaimed author of many books for young readers, including The Tale of Despereaux, winner of the Newbery Medal; Because of Winn-Dixie, a Newbery Honor Book; and The Tiger Rising, a National Book Award finalist. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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    Reviews for The Magician's Elephant

    4/5

    728 ratings85 reviews

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    • 4/5
      What if? Why not indeed!
    • 5/5
      I recommend this book to people who enjoy adventure stories. This book is about how an elephant is conjured by a magician through an opera house roof and has to be conjured home by the magician. There is a man who has to follow the elephant around with a bucket and a shovel for the whole book. I feel really bad for him! Sometimes the story gets a little sad, but it is a darn good book.
    • 5/5
      "The Magician's Elephant" is a tribute to both the power of the imagination and the strength of the human spirit. The author's work has a whimsical and melancholy tone throughout. The tone reminds me of "The One And Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate, due to its meditation on the absurdity of the human condition. Both of these marvelous books bring us close to an animal's mistreatment in captivity, a grave and profound human error. How we find each other, in a seemingly uninterested crowd,is the human dilemma. Indeed, Peter and Adele find each other in a way that is somewhat pre-destined, and that seems impossible."The Magician's Elephant"also reminds me of the magic realist novel, "One Hundred Years Of Solitude."Both novels present absurdities, such as the contagious insomnia in Garcia-Marquez' work, or the elephant held captive in the ballroom of a countess.These absurdities force us to re-examine hope and faith in what is our destiny to do.-Breton W Kaiser Taylor
    • 4/5
      Perfectly elegant and charming.
    • 4/5
      While this one didn't totally absorb me the way that Tale of Despereaux did, I loved the magic and hopefulness of this story. DiCamillo shows that she's capable of packing a lot of power into a relatively short tale. And the luminous illustrations that are so generously interspersed through the book are a perfect complement to the text.
    • 5/5
      Another magical, beautifully written tale from a master storyteller.
    • 4/5
      Beautiful little melancholy jewel of a book, with delicate, moody illustrations and a happy ending. I don't read a lot of YA/kids' books these days, so it was a nice change of pace. I forget how much I like pictures in a book, and that read-aloud quality -- I read some of it to the dog in bed last night, and she was appropriately transfixed. Thanks, Lynn!
    • 4/5
      #4 on the Barnes & Noble Top Ten Children's Books of 2009, Maine Student Book Award Nominee 2010-2011

      I really liked this book. I think DiCamillo does a wonderful job of weaving the story together. I did think the ending was a bit pat, but the sense of magic that pervaded the book made me not as annoyed as I might have been with a realistic fiction book.
    • 3/5
      My book choice to participate on the partner book activity. A fantasy book about Peter, a young orphan boy who is guided by an elephant to find his sister. An interesting book that combines fantasy and reality.
    • 3/5
      This was an atmospheric and magical fairy tale of sorts. It is set in a gloomy and grey "other-worldly" european town. DiCamillo brings life to a community of characters. The orphan boy Peter, who is being raised by an unstable soldier, takes center stage in this book. His persistent "what if's" send him to a fortuneteller who reveals that his sister is indeed alive. There is also a magician who longs to perform a great feat of magic, but accidentally brings an elephant crashing through the opera ceiling upon a noblewoman in the audience. The theme of hope and interconnection can be found throughout the book.
    • 4/5
      Grade 4-7. When ten-year-old Peter Augustus Duchene, a young soldier trainee, decides one day to spend his grocery money on a visit to the fortune teller's, he sets this story of hope, renewal, and impossibility in motion. The fortune-teller suggests that his sister, Adele--who he thought was dead--is actually alive. "The elephant will lead you to her," she says. Thinking that this is impossible, Peter disregards the fortune-teller's words until he hears the miraculous story of a local magician mistakenly summoning an elephant out of the sky. When Peter sees the elephant for himself, he realizes that not only must he find his sister, but he must also send the lonely elephant back home. The story continues as Peter continues to believe the impossible, and works to convince others to do the same.Told in lyrical, surrealistic tone is accentuated by Tanaka's textural, black and white illustrations. Occasionally verbose and complex in vocabulary, this is a story which is sure to entertain those young lovers of fable and whimsy, though might not be enjoyable for all readers on their own. Its vivid imagery and humorous vignettes make this an entertaining story to read aloud. Recommended.
    • 4/5
      I did like this one much more than the last one I read by her. I liked the ending very much. All the stories were told very nicely but just didn't seem to fit together that well. Maybe I am being critical because I am an adult and the book was written for children. A lovely story but I wished it would have all tied together better, but a perfect ending! I loved the illustrations!
    • 5/5
      While reading this book, the overwhelming thought in the back of my mind was, "I can't wait to read this again." Now THAT is a powerful sentiment to get from a book!
    • 5/5
      There is a gem of a story contained between the cover of this small book! Ms DiCamillo is an excellent story-teller and this is my favorite one so far!
    • 3/5
      Summary- The Magician's Elephant is a story about a young orphan named Peter who lives with an old soldier. Peter speaks to a fortune teller one day who tells him his younger sister is alive, despite what Peter has been told his entire life. Peter then begins his quest to find his younger sister, Adele. Peter's journey results in meeting various characters and an elephant. Peter finds his sister in the end and all the misdoings are corrected. Opinion- I thought the book had an eerie and dark feel to it throughout the storyline. The illustrations were very dark and soft and helped create the mood Camillo wanted to achieve. I thought the book would be very difficult for young children to read. This book is more than vocabulary rich. I could not read this to my first-graders but I believe it could be read to 5th or 6th grade students. I enjoyed the plot of the book but found the vocabulary to hinder the flow of the story.
    • 5/5
      This book was a magical readaloud where every word, every image, every character was perfectly in tune, beautifully crafted. When I finished reading, the whole family had happy tears in our eyes, and my seven-year-old said, "But where's the medal on the cover?" Gorgeous writing and a sweet, magical story as well.
    • 4/5
      One fine day at the end of the 19th century, young orphan Peter Augustus Duchene is sent to the market by his caretaker, a cantankerous old soldier who's given him a coin and expects Peter to bring back fish and bread (we later learn Vilna Lutz, the old soldier, always instructs Peter to get three-day old mouldy bread and the smallest fish he can find). On this day, he finds a fortuneteller has put up a tent with a sign that reads "The most profound and difficult questions that could possibly be posed by the human mind or heart will be answered within for the price of one florit." Peter hesitates to spend the old man's money this way, but he must get an answer, even at the risk of displeasing the old man. What Peter wants to know is whether his little sister is alive, and if she is, how he should go about finding her. The fortuneteller's answer: "The elephant. You must follow the elephant. She will lead you there." Peter is perplexed. After all, there is no elephant in the town. Or at least, none has appeated yet...A very charming story about hope and love and endless possibilities and the special bonds between living creatures. Thanks to Linda (Whisper1) for recommending this one. I've already got several other books by Kate DiCamillo on my wishlist and look forward to reading those too.
    • 3/5
      This is a dark and sad story about an orphan brother and sister, separated at the birth of the sister when their mother dies. When the boy, Peter, learns from a fortune teller that when he sees an elephant he needs to follow it to find his sister, he is skeptical at first. Then one day a magician makes an elephant appear instead of a bouquet of lilies, breaking the legs of an old women in the process. When Peter hears of the elephant he becomes determined to meet the elephant to help him find his sister. This book brings up concepts of loss and suffering. It makes children aware that life is not always perfect with a happy ending, but that you can make the most of what you have. I would recommend this book for slightly older children, such as fourth grade age, so they are ready to understand the heavy material in the book. This was not an uplifting book, but it was well written. It was similar to DiCamillo's Tale of Despereaux in the sense that it is dark and deals with heavier concepts for children to understand.
    • 4/5
      Readers will remember Kate DiCamillo as the author of the adorable Tale of Despereaux, which was turned into a computer animated film in 2008 (which I had the pleasure of seeing and enjoying). The Magician's Elephant is a less expansive narrative, but one which attempts to reach into the heart of the human condition through the figure of the child. It is a story which looks at the moral complications of lies, the power of loyalty, and the desire and safety found in the family unit (even if that unit is broken).The Magician's Elephant is about Peter Augustus Duchene, a young boy who has lost his entire family and who has been adopted by an ill and disgruntled soldier (Vilna Lutz) who wants Peter to grow up to be just like him. But when Peter spends Vilna's grocery money on a fortuneteller, he learns an amazing truth: his sister is alive and an elephant will lead the way. A series of strange events soon follows and Peter begins to question everything, uncovering the lies about his life and his family.DiCamillo makes me wish I had children. The Magician's Elephant lends itself well to parental voice acting because it has such a large cast of characters: Peter, Vilna, Adele, the Elephant (you read that right), the Magician, Leo, and several more. Each character, remarkably, has his or her own storyline, though some get more attention than others for obvious reasons. The plethora of characters adds a certain charm to the story, since it allows DiCamillo to move temporarily away from the dark family-oriented narrative of Peter into the odd-ness of her world and its eccentric cast. The novel never truly escapes from darkness, though, resting firmly in dark comedy territory.The darkness is perhaps why I found the book so interesting. Setting aside Peter's orphan status, the novel is rife with trauma-induced mental illness. Vilna is a broken soldier who still thinks he's part of the army, crying out as if experiencing flashbacks from a war we're never really told about. The Magician and Madam LaVaughn have been reduced to the repetition of the same grief-stricken routine by the trauma of the Elephant's entry into the world. Some readers may find the darkness overwhelming, but I think the effect it has on the closure of the narrative is more powerful than would the excavation of everything but Peter's story. The intersection of all of these other stories and traumas makes the ending a fascinating (almost cathartic) experience (though, in all honesty, I think there were too many secondary characters, some of which weren't given the attention they deserved). A good deal of the trauma is also attached to an underlying didacticism in the narrative, which I found interesting not because there were messages to be found and learned in The Magician's Elephant, but because the perspective through which these moralistic moments are derived is that of a child (Peter). There aren't any grand moments in which adult characters tell the young protagonist that X is wrong and that they must learn a lesson (except when DiCamillo wants to show how some of the adults are hypocrites).As a story for kids, I think The Magician's Elephant is a fantastic read. While the story is dark, there are plenty of humorous moments. The quirkiness of the plot and characters doesn't get in the way of the story, though, which is something some chapter books fall prey to. Instead, The Magician's Elephant is a wonderful story about the power of family, friends, forgiveness, and compassion, with an interesting cast of characters and a strong plot. It's definitely something to read with your kids (if you have them) or to read on your own.
    • 5/5
      In the timeless city of Baltese, ten-year-old Peter Augustus Duchene is on his way to the market to purchase a meager meal for himself and his guardian, Vilna Lutz, when he is sidetracked by a sign advertised by a fortuneteller. "The most profound and difficult questions that could possibly be posed by the human mind or heart will be answered within for the price of one florit." He makes a decision to ask her how to find his sister. The fortuneteller tells him to follow the elephant. With that inexplicable answer the magical journey truly begins.With Peter's question events are set in motion that will involve others in his quest, a quest that will lead others to their own desired wishes. A beautifully written story that captures the imagination of the heart. Peter's intense belief that his sister is still alive and his journey to find the answers, against all the possibilities of finding an elephant is the heart of this story. Very atmospheric storytelling, this is DiCamillo at her best. Ages 9-12Publisher: Candlewick (September 2009)ISBN: 9780763644109Available as an eBook.
    • 3/5
      by Kate DiCamilloThemes: family, magic, loveSetting: fictional town of BaltesePeter is an orphan boy who gets a chance to ask a very important question: Is his sister still alive? How could he find her? The fortuneteller tells him that he can find her by following the magician's elephant. Peter is baffled, but the next day, the whole city is talking about how the magician did in fact summon an elephant to the opera. How does that lead Peter to his sister? It's a complicated story, but it does all work out happily ever after.I didn't like this one as much as The Tale of Despereaux or The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Her stories are much more like fables than fairy tales, but this one seemed awfully thin to me. 3 stars.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book!!!! Just fantastic! Little one really enjoyed me reading this to her even though she's too little to understand what's going on. I will read this one to her again when she's a bit older. Reading this one aloud was really fun as the voices are so unique to speak.
    • 5/5
      Orphaned Peter Augustus Duchene went to market to buy fish and bread for his master, instead he used the coin to ask a fortune teller the fate of his sister. Despite what was told to him by his warden, in his heart he knew Adele was alive.Learning that his heart is true, the gypsy also told Peter that an elephant will lead him to her.When a magician arrives in town, instead of casting a spell to produce flowers, alas, a huge elephant crashes down through the ceiling of the theater.The 2001 Newbery honor winner for Because of Winn Dixie and the 2004 Newbery medal recipient for The Tale of Despereaux, DiCamillo once again wove magic in an exquisitely crafted bewitchingly enchanting tale of a boy, his sister, his master, a downtrodden magician, a police officer, a countess and a mason worker who are all impacted by the unexpected.Richly detailed with captivating images, this dark tale is filled with light and hope.This is a book for children with adults in mind. The beautiful images were so evocative that I didn't want the book to end.Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      Instantly my second favorite book. =]
    • 5/5
      A marvelous, moving book- terrific book to read for 3rd-5th grade volunteer readers.
    • 5/5
      Amazing magical story with characters that only the best of storytellers could imagine. A host of people with all their flaw and good hearts gather together to work through their problems, find each other, the elephant, and a good life.
    • 4/5
      A lovely, quirky book that has the rare ability to appeal across generations. I read it in an afternoon and then passed it to my 12 year old daughter who like it more then The Tale of Desperaux and now am planning to read it to my 7 year old.
    • 1/5
      Imagine. You are at a magic show. The magician promises to produce a bouquet of lilies, but instead he makes an elephant fall through the ceiling. That elephant lands on a woman's lap, crippling her legs. And so begins The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo. Unfortunately, that is the most exciting part of the book. Although I love Because of Winn Dixie and am a fan of anything involving elephants, I just couldn't get into this book. After the elephant falls on page 15, nothing much exciting happens until the book ends 200 pages later. I give this book a thumbs down. (For ages 8 and up)
    • 4/5
      The barest of beginning plot: The Magician's Elephant is the story of Peter Augustus Duchene, a ten-year-old orphan who chooses to spend food money to ask a fortune teller if his sister is alive. She tells him his sister is alive and an elephant will lead him to her, which is a message Peter does not understand, as he has never actually seen an elephant.The lovely: This book is mostly lovely. It's a story that starts simply and adds richness, meaning and layers as it goes. It's accessible to young readers, and would make a wonderful read aloud book for younger readers, but it's still enjoyable for adult readers. The setting is somewhere between reality and magic. The time is modern, old-fashioned and timeless. The details of space and time are vague, and some readers will likely envision different settings; it's a book that uses your imagination without you even realizing it. Yoko Tanaka's occasional drawings are beautiful.
    • 5/5
      Another inspiring tale from Kate DiCamillo. One small (or large) act of magic brings about the unexpected and allows the true magic to take place. That one act affects many people's lives and connects and binds them together for a grand finale of little fanfare.