When I first started to read The Magician’s Elephant I thought that it would be lots of fun to read aloud because there is a lot of dramatic language. The story is about an orphan named Peter who is trying to find out if his sister still lives. His only clue to her whereabouts comes from a fortuneteller, who tells him to “Follow the elephant.” Although it is a story with a bleak setting and situation, it is a story of wondering, hoping, wishing and loving. I think it will be better received by children who are a bit more sophisticated and philosophical than the average age 9-12 reader. The characters are not well-developed so I found it hard to identify with them. The beginning and ending of the book are “magical.” This book is worth checking out to see if you would enjoy reading it with your kids.