The Elephant's Girl

March 15, 2020
An orphan girl discovers her true identity with the help of a ghost, an elephant, and the wind. Seven years ago, an approximately 5-year-old white girl was found by an employee in the Omaha zoo's elephant habitat following a tornado. After efforts to locate her family led nowhere, the zoo employee, a white man named Roger, called the girl Lexington after the zoo and became her guardian. Rimington sets this poignant novel when Lex and Roger figure she is 12. Refusing to go to public school, Lex remains mostly isolated at the zoo, much like her favorite character, Karana, from Scott O'Dell's Island of the Blue Dolphins (1960). Readers familiar with this Newbery winner will notice many interesting parallels between the orphaned girls. Lex's day-to-day activities consist of her routine with Roger; hanging out with best friend and fellow zoo resident Fisher, a boy with mixed Thai and white heritage; communing with Nyah, the elephant who saved her the night of the tornado; and listening to the wind. These latter fantastical elements come into the fore when Lexington begins seeing Miss Amanda, the "misplaced spirit" (please, don't call her "ghost") of a Southern white woman who has lost some treasure. Soon, an already engaging tale of life at a zoo turns into a mystery, with Lex and Fisher's efforts not only to locate Miss Amanda's treasure, but also to recover Lex's identity in the process. The book adheres to the white default. A bittersweet ending completes the story's magic and mystery. (author's note) (Fantasy. 8-12)

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April 15, 2020
Grades 3-6 After an EF5 tornado tore through Nebraska, Roger, Lexington Zoo's train engineer, was led by a misplaced spirit (ghost) to the elephant enclosure, where a young girl was nestled against and protected by the elephant, Nyah. Amazingly, the girl was unharmed, but her identity was unknown, so Roger took her in and named her Lexington (Lex), with her rescue date as a birthday. Now, at 12, she wonders about her past and her connection with Nyah. Lex begins to uncover the layers of herself as she communicates with the wind, Nyah, and the ghost that helped her after the tornado. As Rimington allows Lex to tell her story, the girl's fears, curiosity, and determination become paramount to the tale. Mixing realism, fantasy, and information about elephants, the author presents well-rounded, often mischievous human characters, and the unlikely focal setting of the zoo entices readers to fantasize about living there. Lex's investigation reveals a puzzle that may contain answers about her past, and readers will eagerly accompany her as she works to crack it.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

May 1, 2020

Gr 4 Up-Seven years ago the biggest tornado in Nebraska history hit near the Lexington Zoo. A little girl, just five years old, was found near an animal enclosure, protected from the storm by an elephant named Nyah. With no trace of a family, the girl was named Lexington Willow and grew up at the zoo with her best friend Fisher, and the man who found Lex and became her foster father, Roger. Now that she is finally old enough, Lex can't wait to help with the elephant training. On her first day, Nyah the elephant sends her a telepathic message that sets Lex off on an adventure to get some answers about her past. To find those answers Lex must leave the safety of the zoo, meet a ghost, and begin searching for a hidden treasure. Through this adventure Lex will find the meaning of family, friendship, and courage. Rimington also provides an accompanying list of books and websites in the author's note to help readers understand more about elephant research, organizations that help, and how readers can get involved. VERDICT This story of friendship includes magical realism, mystery, and adventure that is sure to capture young readers' attention. Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo.-Morgan O'Reilly, Riverdale Country Sch., NY

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