bbFrom the iNew York Times/i bestselling author of iCounting by 7s/i comes a heartfelt story about "the importance of compassion and bravery when facing life s challenges (iKirkus/i) for fans of iThe One and Only Ivan/i and iFront Desk./i/b/bbrbrIt's been almost a year since Sila's mother traveled halfway around the world to Turkey, hoping to secure the immigration paperwork that would allow her to return to her family in the United States.brbrThe long separation is almost impossible for Sila to withstand. But things change when Sila accompanies her father (who is a mechanic) outside their Oregon town to fix a truck. There, behind an enormous stone wall, she meets a grandfatherly man who only months before won the state lottery. Their new alliance leads to the rescue of a circus elephant named Veda, and then to a friendship with an unusual boy named Mateo, proving that comfort and hope come in the most unlikely of places. brbrA moving story of family separation and the importance of the connection between animals and humans, this novel has the enormous heart and uplifting humor that readers have come to expect from the beloved author of iCounting by 7s./ibr br I couldn t stop reading I had to find out what would happen. An unusual and lovely real-life fairy tale.  i /iLinda Sue Park,ii iNew York Times/i /i/iBestselling author iof/iii iA Long Walk to Water/i/ibrbr/i A gorgeous and emotional novel. I loved every page. Cynthia Kadohata, Newbery Medal-winning author of iiKira-Kira/ibr/i