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

Unabridged.