From the New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s comes a heartfelt story about "the importance of compassion and bravery when facing life’s challenges” (Kirkus) for fans of The One and Only Ivan and Front Desk. It'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. The 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. A 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 Counting by 7s. “I couldn’t stop reading—I had to find out what would happen. An unusual and lovely real-life fairy tale.” —Linda Sue Park, New York Times Bestselling author of A Long Walk to Water “A gorgeous and emotional novel. I loved every page.” —Cynthia Kadohata, Newbery Medal-winning author of Kira-Kira

母の不在という孤独を抱える少女シラが、象との出会いを通じて心の壁を壊していく過程が実に見事です。著者は移民問題や孤独という痛みを、おとぎ話のような温かみで包み込みます。偶然の重なりが奇跡へと変わる緻密な構成は、読者の心に「世界はまだ優しい」という希望を力強く灯してくれます。 映像化作品では象の圧倒的な存在感が視覚的に補完されますが、テキスト版に綴られた繊細な心の機微こそが本作の真髄です。視覚的な驚きと、文学的な深層心理の探求。この両面を体験することで、不条理な現実を乗り越えるための真の勇気が、あなたの中で確信へと変わるはずです。