In the cold city of Baltese, young Peter Augustus Duchene lives under the strict guardianship of an old soldier who claims Peter’s sister died at birth. Seeking the truth, Peter spends his only coin to ask a fortune-teller if his sister still lives. Her answer—to follow the elephant—coincides with a theatrical magic trick gone wrong, where a magician accidentally summons a real elephant through the opera house ceiling. As the pachyderm remains imprisoned by the local authorities, Peter navigates a series of unlikely encounters with a disabled noblewoman, a guilty magician, and a hopeful beggar to find his family.
This story serves children and adults looking for a modern fable about the connection between seemingly unrelated lives. Readers discover how belief in the impossible can alter physical reality and repair broken social bonds. The narrative focuses on the mechanics of hope and the necessity of asking "what if" instead of accepting a bleak status quo. By the end, the reader sees how collective compassion and the pursuit of a difficult goal can restore a fractured community and reunite a separated family.
Contemplative and clear-cut; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2009
- Language
- EN
