I actually requested this from Netgalley for my 10 year old granddaughter.

I thought that this was such a sweet story about a lost little girl. It has everything that you could ask for; a little supernatural, a little mystery, a little animal love and so much more...

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children's Crown Books for Young Readers for this advanced readers copy. This book released in May 2020.

Oh my goodness! This book may go down as one of my favorites of 2020. In the Elephant's Girl, you meet a girl who shouldn't be alive. During a terrible tornado, she is swept away by the storm. She ends up in an elephant's enclosure in a zoo. The elephant does something miraculous and manages to protect her instead of trampling her. The story continues as the young girl grows up with a foster family, and the relationship between the girl and the elephant morphs into more than one could ever believe is possible.

I LOVED this book! If you like middle grade fiction and are looking for somethng with a lot of mystery, a little bit of magical realism, and a little action, definitely pick this up. This book is very well written! The characters are lovable, and it takes place behind the scenes of a zoo. Plus, who doesn't love elephants?!

This is a heartwarming book about a girl finding out about herself and her past. I couldn't put this book down. It is beautifully written. My daughters 10 and 12 enjoyed it as well.

Rimington creates a cast of characters that you can't help but love. You can feel the curiosity, joy and pain coursing through the characters. What does it mean to be a family? And can animals help answer that question? An excellent book for middle grade readers.

Middle grade has been such a great escape for me lately, and I loved this one so much! This story is set in a zoo, which is such a fun element for a children's book. Focus is on family and and friendship, and what it means to belong. I can't wait to add this one to my kiddo's bookshelf!

This book was an interesting blend of realistic fiction, fantasy/paranormal and mystery. The book included topics such as family, friendship and animal rights. It was a bit of a slower read for me. The mystery was definitely there, but I was not always completely invested in it. I also found some aspects of the book to be confusing at times, such as the wind talking to Lex. However, I really enjoyed the zoo setting and Lex's relationship with the elephants. These aspects occasionally reminded me a bit of The One and Only Ivan. I also enjoyed Lex's friendship with Fisher and Lex's relationship with her foster father. I think this might be a good choice for readers that are fans of Katherine Applegate and/or Kate DiCamillo.

There seems to be a very serious tone of children's books this year, and I'm not sure that I'm here for it. Kids lives are already so complicated; their literature should be escapism. However, The Elephant's Girl takes a serious topic (possible abandonment/loss of a family and memories) and adds some magical elements and zoo animals and creates something wonderful for kids and adults to enjoy.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

This is a totally engaging book about a young girl, who was found after a terrible storm. And her first rescuer was an elephant in a zoo. Her finding was advertised widely, but no family members were ever found and so the zoo and an employee there becomes her family. She and the elephant who found her communicate throughout the story. She stumbles upon a travel trailer in the woods one day, and her adventures really begin, especially when she returns to the spot and finds no evidence the trailer and the lovely lady in it were ever there.

This book is a wonderful blend of contemporary and mystery with a paranormal twist. Lex doesn’t know anything about her background. At five years old, she was discovered at the zoo with one of the elephants after a tornado, and her family was never found. She’s been raised at the zoo, and ever since has been able to talk to the wind. It took me a little while to figure out if this book was truly a contemporary fantasy or if Lex just thought she heard the wind, but things take an even stronger supernatural turn when Lex starts seeing a ghost who died in the tornado. She needs to unravel the mysteries of the ghost’s past to help make things right for her so the ghost can move on.

I think many kids will connect to Lex, who’s always felt like an outsider. She has her best friend Fisher, who also lives at the zoo, but most other kids and places outside the zoo feel overwhelming to her (kids tend to tease a girl who talks to the wind). The mysteries and the supernatural elements will keep kids turning the pages, and the intriguing cast of characters will keep them engaged. I found myself falling in love with everyone at the zoo, especially Lex’s guardian Roger. Themes of found family and friendship are woven into an intriguing plot, making for a fantastic MG read!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher for review purposes. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

Richly layered storytelling, beautiful and thought-out characters, a theme of belonging and finding your family, and my favorite animals - elephants - make up what I am calling one of the best stories of the year. Rimington nails the magical realism genre without making it gimmicky. I wouldn't have guessed this was a middle-grade book had it not been for the shorter chapters because the plot is so faceted. Sadly, this is Rimington's only published book so far and I am eagerly awaiting news of more to come. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Seven years ago Lexington was discovered under the protection of an elephant named Nyah on the Lexington Zoo grounds after a tornado ripped through the town. After a fruitless search for her parents, she is taken in by the Zoo's railroad engineer, One day when Lexington is helping in the elephant barn, she hears a rumble and can see pictures in her head of a scene from the Nyah's memory which seems to offer clues to Lexington's past.

This story was very engaging and the elements of communicating elephants and ghosts pulled me in as I followed Lexington figure out the mystery of her origin.

On the other hand, I grew up in Nebraska, close to where the story was set and had a hard time getting past the improbability of a zoo and public transportation in the middle of the state. I think, however, most readers will not have an issue with this.

When Lexington was a very young girl, she was found in an elephant enclosure being protected from a tornado by an elephant named Nyah. No one could find out where she came from and where her family was located. Lexington grew up in a zoo in Nebraska with her guardian, Roger, and her best friend, Fisher. Will she ever find out where she came from?
The Elephant’s Girl is a fabulous magical realism book that should be in every library. It is so well written that adults will enjoy it just as much as middle grade readers. By the end of the story, you will fall in love with all of the characters, especially the elephants. I like how the back matter includes further research and ways to help elephant conservation. This was definitely one of my favorite books of 2020!

Lovely middle grades novel that shows us all the true meaning of family. Lexington Willow is searching for something - her family, a lost treasure, herself. With the help of those who care for her the most, she finds exactly what she has been looking for - happiness. An all around good read that leaves you smiling.

During a historic tornado, a toddler was found in the protection of an elephant, and not only did no one at the Lexington Zoo know her name or age, no knew how she arrived in the elephant's enclosure.. The zoo's train engineer, who lives in the Old County Bank on the zoo grounds, found her with the elephant and becomes her legal guardian. For the next 7 years she thrives in the adventure of growing up at the zoo, everyone knows her and her best friend, Fisher, the son of the zoo veterinarian, also lives on the zoo campus. Plot driven realistic fiction with three distinct story arcs--- a ghost and the wind to provide a dose of magical realism, Lexington's quest to solve the mystery of the box, which leads to her discovery of her biological roots, and the dynamic of Lex being bullied at school and Fisher standing up for her. Add to that the information about how elephants feel and communicate the remarkable ability of Lex to see picture's of what her favorite elephant is thinking. The Elephant's Girl book has much to offer on many levels, and to all ages.

Seven years ago, an EF5 tornado swept Lexington away from her parents. She was found, dirty but unharmed, in an elephant enclosure at the Lexington Zoo. Roger, who works and lives at the zoo, is her foster dad. Lexington’s best friend, Fisher, also lives there with his parents, and they plan to help out in the elephant enclosure during the summer. While Fisher attends public school, Lex has been homeschooled due to other children bullying her at the public school. Thus, Fisher is the only friend she has who is the same age as she, and they always hang out during the summer.

This summer, Fisher has other plans. He is going to attend a baseball training camp, and he spends hours each day practicing. Lex, meanwhile, has uncovered a mystery that seems connected to her past.

This book has an intriguing premise with a child swept into a devastatingly destructive tornado and being found unharmed in an elephant enclosure. The connection Lexington has with the elephants, her close relationship with Roger, Fisher, and others at the zoo are delightful. The mystery is intriguing as well.

Unfortunately, a book with harmful stereotypes is repeatedly lauded in this novel. There are numerous other books that the author could have chosen to highlight that are stories of survival and strength, and I’m disappointed the author chose to highlight Island of the Blue Dolphins instead. Dr. Reese, an expert on representations of American Indians in children’s literature (the title of her blog), has written numerous times about the stereotypes within that book. Here is one of her posts: https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2016/06/a-critical-look-at-odells-island-of.html

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

We meet 12 year-old Lex living at the zoo with her foster father Roger who found her in the elephant enclosure as a young child after a big tornado. Lex doesn’t remember anything from before that tragic event. She is finally old enough to begin working with the elephants – an opportunity that will allow her to talk to them again about what happened many years ago. A series of adventures ensues that take the reader through Lex’s past and future.

This was a cute coming-of-age type story in a magical setting with lovable characters. It reads just enough like a fairytale, that this novel should appeal to a wide range of ages. The friendship between Lex and Fisher feels real, the struggles and worries Roger experiences are relatable, and the mystery keeps the reader engaged. All in all, this is a solid debut novel and I am looking forward to more books by Celesta Rimington.

Lots of things going on in this story. Magic in the real world, animal rights and a girl searching for herself and past. Having ended up in a zoo after a tornado swept her away from her family as a toddler, Lex now lives at the zoo with her foster family. As she is now old enough to work and train the animals she is also old enough to start wondering about what is beyond the zoo and if she can find answers about her past outside of the zoo. This is a must read for fans of books about animals and fans of family mysteries.

I love mixing in a middle grade novel every now and then. Due to my obsession with elephants, I knew The Elephant's Girl was a book I was interested in. This novel was so well written and had such wonderful messages about family and discovering who you are for adolescents. I try to remember to think through a different lens when I read MG fiction but the author did such a great job of making the story feel real and connected.

Lexington is found inside the elephant enclosure after a tornado sweeps through her town. No one can find an family and so a caretaker at the zoo essentially adopts her and cares for her. One summer, when she's around 11, she ends up on quasi treasure hunt around the zoo and looks for clues not only about a possible hidden fortune but also discoveries about where she came from.

I will definitely recommend this book to friends that have kids around the appropriate age for this book as well as middle school teachers. This story had a lot of heart and I absolutely enjoyed reading it.

A charming debut novel. It has a great blend of animals, mystery, magic and the journey of finding oneself. I would give this book to stronger readers as some readers may struggle to get into it, Good for fans of Kate DiCamillo and Katherine Applegate.