THE MAGICIAN'S ELEPHANT

When 10-year-old Peter Augustus Duchene puts his only florit, designated for fish and bread, into the hand of a fortune-teller, the single question he asks brings profound change to his life. How can the command to “follow the elephant” be lucid or even be possible in the mythical city of Baltese? Kudos to Juliet Stevenson for her rendering of DiCamillo’s haunting work. Stevenson is ethereal and mystical as narrator. She gives vigorous characterization to each quirky character—from aging magician and verbose noblewoman to gentle long-lost sister Adele. In addition to spinning a fine story as the orphanage’s Sister Marie, she sings the beggar’s rhymes and barks out the soldier’s orders. A.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2011 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2010]