• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2019 May #2
  After summoning the courage to escape Grimsgate Orphanage, Nitty Luce wanders into a neighboring town, where she notices a chained circus elephant, Magnolious, awaiting being hanged. As the crowd jeers at the poor creature, Nitty steals some bright emerald-­colored seeds from a cart and hides between Mag's front legs. She senses fear and longing in Mag—just like her own. Nitty encourages Mag to break her chains and the two escape amid a dust storm. Tired, hungry, and thirsty, they finally collapse in a barn. Windle, the farm's owner, however, is kind and even indulges Nitty's desire to plant the seeds. They grow and produce fruit, despite Fortune's Bluff's desolation, made worse by the sinister mayor's dust-making machine. Amateur sleuth Twitch, Nitty, and their friend set out to trap the mayor and save Fortune's Bluff. This beautiful story, set during the Dust Bowl, shows the power of hope and love even in dire circumstances. Nelson's ingenious young characters, wise adults, enriched vocabulary, tongue-in-cheek humor, and understanding of the elephants' feelings make this perfect for reading aloud. Grades 3-6. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

Suzanne Nelson is a former children's book editor. She is the author of Serendipity's Footsteps, published by Knopf BFYR in 2015, as well as many paperback originals, including Cake Pop Crush. She lives with her family in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Find out more about Suzanne at suzannenelson.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @snelsonbooks and @suzannenelsonbooks, respectively.