About this title: In her newest novel, Newbery Medalist DiCamillo ("The Tale of Despereaux") conjures a haunting fable about trusting the unexpected and making the impossible come true. When orphan Peter Augustus Duchene asks a fortuneteller about his sister, the fortuneteller's mysterious answer sets off a chain of remarkable events.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Candlewick Pr
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780763644109ISBN:0763644102
Description: Yoko Tanaka. Hardcover. Near fine condition. Peter is an orphan and wants to know if his sister still lives. A fortune teller tells him an elephant will lead him there... read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780763644109ISBN:0763644102
Description: Yoko Tanaka. Fine in Fine jacket. Signed Dark green-grey boards with gilt lettering on spine and debossed title on front. First edition, first printing. Pristine condition. Only opened for author signature. Dust jacket protected in clear slip cover. Another magical story of love and hope from the award-winning author of Because of Winn-Dixie, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and The Tale of Despereaux. read more
Edition: First edition. fourth printing
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780763644109ISBN:0763644102
Description: Tanaka, Yoko. New in new dust jacket. Signed by author. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 208 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: Children/juvenile. SIGNED BY AUTHOR on half-title page. First edition/Fourth Printing. New book, opened only for signing. Brodart protected. Ships in a box. read more
Edition: First edition. First printing
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780763644109ISBN:0763644102
Description: New in new dust jacket. SIGNED personally by Kate DiCamillo directly on the half title page, NOT signed to anyone. First edition, First printing. Hardcover. Book is brand new and unread. No marks, No inscription. NOT a book club edition, not an ex-library. Dust jacket is new, NOT price clipped, and is in a protective mylarcover. This is a beautiful autographed first edition for collectors. read more
Edition: First edition. second printing
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780763646349ISBN:0763646342
Description: New in new dust jacket. Signed by author. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 208 p. Audience: Children/juvenile. SIGNED BY KATE DiCAMILLO AND ILLUSTRATOR YOKO TANAKA. New book, opened only for signing. Brodart protected, ships in a box. read more
Description: New. 0763644102 In Protective Shrinkwrap! BRAND NEW & PERFECT! Hardcover w/Jacket. Pristine: Clean, shiny, tight & crisp. Several Available-GIVE AS A GIFT-They don't come any NICER! Not a Remainder-No marks, writing or stickers inside or out! Order with Expedited Shipping for 2 or 3 Business Day delivery! SEE OUR FEEDBACK & BUY WITH CONFIDENCE! APO, FPO & INTERNATIONAL Orders Always Welcome! WE SHIP FAST! And...Thanks! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780763644109ISBN:0763644102
Description: Tanaka, Yoko. New in new dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 208 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: Children/juvenile. brand new read more
Description: In her newest novel, Newbery Medalist DiCamillo ("The Tale of Despereaux") conjures a haunting fable about trusting the unexpected and making the impossible come true. When orphan Peter Augustus Duchene asks a fortuneteller about his sister, the fort... read more
"I did like this kooky story about a brother being raised by a delusional ex-soldier and a sister being raised by nuns just a few blocks away, and their mysterious link via a conjured elephant. The illustrations by Tanaka are perfectly melancholy and vague.
That said, I don't know if the story has wide appeal. It's wordy. And, though the language has some funny bits, at times DiCamillo goes over the edge into preciousness, which grates on me. Maybe this'll be one of those kids' books that grown-ups like better. I need to get a kid's opinion!
Really almost four stars. I think this story will grow on me in the days after reading it. There is a soothing kindness that is very satisfying.
"Magic is always impossible," said the magician. "It begins with the impossible and ends with the impossible and is impossible in between. That is why it is magic." (p.154)"
"I've said it before and will no doubt say it again many times: I believe Kate DiCamillo is one of the most brilliant writers writing today. Her style is deceptively simple, her language poetic, her characters enjoyable and her tales wise. I've marveled at DiCamillo's ability to portray and celebrate the power of simple things like determination, loyalty and optimism in "Tiger Burning," "Because of Winn-Dixie," and "Tale of Desperaux." But I think "The Magician's Elephant" spoke to me with even more resonance than the others.
The tale is about terrible wonders, that are sometimes beyond our control, like magic and miracles. And terrible wonders that are within our control like the choice to hold on to hope and to act upon it, in spite of mountainous assortment of impossible obstacles including the temptation to despair. It's a lovely story. And heaven knows the world could do with a whole lot more of those. Read it."
"This is just a beautiful book. I absolutely devoured it. (Ok, it's a children's book and reads fairly quickly anyway, but I really couldn't put it down.) DiCamillo does a wonderful job of bringing together many different characters into the same story. I loved how she would suddenly introduce another character, and I would wonder how that person would eventually interact with the protagonist, Peter. The ending was predictable, but that didn't matter. It was a joy to read the book and see how DiCamillo would get us to that ending. And I loved the characters and how they were developed. Overall, it is just a lovely book. I wish I could pinpoint exactly what it is about, but I can't. It is about family and magic and love and keeping promises and finding what matters in life and so much else. Read it."
"As a fan of Despereaux and Edward Tulane, I was anxious to read Kate DiCamillo's latest children's novel. What a disappointment! The Magician's Elephant shares the dreamy, fairy-tale tone of the previous two books, but without the compelling characters or deep emotion. Perhaps the dialogue is not meant to sound realistic, but it tries one's patience to encounter so many exchanges that sound like this (page 135):
"You must come inside. That is the thing which you must immediately do. You must come inside."
"But--"
"Come inside. We will talk."
"Come inside. First we will eat, and then we will talk."
I found DiCamillo's other books to be quite moving, but not this one. Even her gentle humor is largely missing here. I won't be reading this one to my kids."
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