The Magician's Elephant
by Kate DiCamillo, Yoko Tanaka
Candlewick Press 2011
Great fit for 5th grade
Reading level and content both target 4th–8th grade · ages 9–14
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Genre
Themes
- family and belonging
- hope
- destiny and fate
- kindness and compassion
- courage
- miracles and magic
- perseverance
- community
About this book
When ten-year-old Peter Duchene visits a fortune teller, he learns a startling truth: his sister may still be alive. Soon a mysterious magician conjures an elephant that changes the course of an entire city. In this lyrical, fairy-tale–like story, Peter follows slender threads of hope, kindness, and courage to find the family he longs for. Readers who enjoy gentle magic, memorable characters, and heartfelt journeys will be captivated.
Setting: the snow-covered, Old World city of Baltese (a fictional European-style city)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Magician's Elephant right for my child?
Yes — The Magician's Elephant is a great fit for 5th grade. The reading level is AR 5, which is typical for 5th grade. The interest level is rated Middle Grades (4–8), meaning the themes and content are designed for ages 9–14 (4th–8th grade). Themes include family and belonging, hope, destiny and fate.
How long does it take to read The Magician's Elephant?
At a typical 5th grade reading pace, The Magician's Elephant takes around 3.0h to finish. The book has 30,000 words. Slower or faster readers may vary significantly.
Does The Magician's Elephant have an AR quiz?
Yes — The Magician's Elephant has an AR quiz available, worth 4 points. Your child will need to take and pass the quiz through their school's Accelerated Reader program to earn credit. The quiz is typically 5–20 multiple choice questions about plot, characters, and setting.
What grade level is The Magician's Elephant?
The Magician's Elephant has an AR reading level of 5, which places it at a 5th grade reading difficulty. The interest level is rated Middle Grades (4–8) — this reflects the age-appropriateness of the content and themes, not just the reading difficulty. A strong younger reader may handle the words fine while the themes are aimed at an older audience, or vice versa.