The Magician's Elephant is the thirteenth novel in the bibliography of prolific and acclaimed children's author Kate Dicamillo. Released in 2009, DiCamillo's novel follows a young, orphaned boy named Peter Augustus Duchene. Peter is a troubled boy. He has long questioned if his long-lost sister is still alive. And if she is still alive, how and where can he find her so that the duo could be reunited at long last? To finally find an answer to his question, Peter goes to a fortuneteller, who tells the young boy that an elephant will lead him to his father. The advice and foretelling of the fortuneteller send Peter on a magical and fantastical journey - a journey that will yield surprising results.
Much like all of Dicamillo's works, The Magician's Elephant received overwhelmingly positive reviews for critics and the general public alike. The book was also a massive bestseller, garnering a spot on the New York Times bestseller list.
The book's positive reviews, as they often do, created the opportunity for other creatives to adapt DiCamillo's book into other forms - but not as soon as typical. In fact, the book was adapted into a stage musical in late 2021, some twelve years after its initial release of the book. The book is also currently being adapted into an animated film of the same name. Set to be directed by Wendy Rogers and released by streaming giant Netflix in 2023, the film is reflective of the book's enduring popularity.
