Informational Resources:

Author Information:

Author’s website: https://celestarimington.com/

Activities & Resources:

Elephants

San Diego Zoo Elephant Cam: https://www.sdzsafaripark.org/elephant-cam

Elephant facts from National Geographic Kids: https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/animals/general-animals/elephant-facts/

Scientists study elephant communication (3:33): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKvChyW271k

Learn more about an elephant sanctuary in Texas: https://www.visitthepreserve.com/elephant-ambassadors/

Make an origami elephant: https://www.hodgepodgecraft.com/easy-origami-elephant/

Tornadoes

Weather Wiz Kids facts about tornadoes: https://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-tornado.htm#:~:text=A%20tornado%20is%20a%20violent,also%20drive%20straw%20into%20trees.

Tornado safety: https://www.ready.gov/tornadoes

Make a tornado in a bottle: https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/soda-bottle-tornado/

Trains

Explore the trains at the Galveston Railroad Museum: https://galvestonrrmuseum.org/exhibit/locomotives/

Video of a Union Pacific steam train (9:14): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2AxjFIDmsw

MakerSpace Activities:

Lex and Fisher had to solve clues to find the treasure box. Create a set of clues for someone else to solve to find a prize.

Use boxes to create a train like Roger’s. For an extra challenge, design wheels that move.

Make a map of the Lexington Zoo using details from the book, or create your own zoo.

Using recycled materials, build a model of the elephant habitat at the Lexington Zoo, or design your own elephant habitat.

Discussion Questions:

Lex and Fisher live at the zoo. Would you want to live at a zoo? Why or why not?

Do you think animals should be used in a circus? Why or why not?

Lex has a special connection to elephants. Do you think people can communicate with animals? Why or why not? Do you have a connection with a particular animal? Explain.

Lex describes the woods as a “weird middle place between my island and the outside, a waiting zone where nothing good or bad happens.” (Page 49) What do you think she means by that? Do you agree with her?

Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not?

Why does Miss Amanda insist on being called a “misplaced spirit?”

On page 88, Lex says, “Maybe that weird feeling in my stomach isn’t from Miss Amanda’s tea and biscuits. It’s probably something else, but I’m not sure what to call it.” What would you call it? Why?

Do you agree with Fisher that Lex can hear the wind and elephants by “immersion?” Why or why not?

Page 135, Lex says, “I try to think the way Nyah does- in pictures.” Do you believe animals think this way? Why or why not?

Do you think the consequences Fisher and Lex received after getting caught in the gift shop were fair? Why or why not?

What do you think happened to the money? Did Miss Amanda steal it or misplace it? Why do you think that?

Lex describes Roger’s words as “little rocks in my stomach.” (Page 198) Have you ever felt that way? Describe it.

How would you feel if you were Fisher and Lex left you alone at the baseball field?

What does Lex mean when she says “all this sadness is like a cold virus, and everyone is catching it” (page 212)?

Have you ever felt ignored by a friend, like Lex did when Fisher went to the movies with his baseball friends? Describe the experience.

Lex’s opinion of Mr. Bixley changed after the tornado. Did your opinion of him change? Why or why not?

On page 286, Miss Amanda says, “It’s not what they call you…It’s what you answer to.” What do you think she means?

What do you think happened to Miss Amanda after she walked away from the zoo?

Were you surprised to find out what was in the box? What did you think was in the box?

Book Talk Teasers:

Watch the TBA book trailer for The Elephant’s Girl.

Read the Readers Theater for The Elephant’s Girl.

Read Alikes:

Elephants:

Harris, R.P. Tua and the Elephant. In Chiang Mai, Thailand, nine-year-old Tua releases an abused elephant from its chains--can she complete the rescue by getting it to an elephant refuge without being caught herself? (NoveList Plus)

High, Linda Oatman. One Amazing Elephant. Loving her family but disliking the circus that is her grandparents' life, Lily is devastated when her grandfather passes away, a loss that leads her to develop an unexpected bond with her grandfather's equally grieving elephant. (NoveList Plus)

Walters, Eric. Elephant Secret. Thirteen-year-old Sam and her father scrape by caring for rescued elephants until an offer comes through that may not only save the sanctuary, it may also restore an extinct species. (NoveList Plus)

Communication Between Humans and Animals:

Cuevas, Adrianna. The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez. A Cuban American boy must use his secret ability to communicate with animals to save the inhabitants of his town when they are threatened by a tule vieja, a witch that transforms into animals. (NoveList Plus)

Morris, Chad. Willa and the Whale. Twelve-year-old Willa, grieving the loss of her mother, a renowned marine biologist, discovers she can talk to whales. (NoveList Plus)

Reviews:

The Elephant’s Girl. Rimington, Celesta. Crown. 2020.

Booklist

The Elephant’s Girl

Rimington, Celesta (author)

May 2020. 336p. Crown, $16.99 (9780593121221). Grades 3-6.

REVIEW. First published April 15, 2020 (Booklist).

After an EF5 tornado tore through Nebraska, Roger, Lexington Zoo’s train engineer, was led by a “misplaced spirit” (ghost) to the elephant enclosure, where a young girl was nestled against and protected by the elephant, Nyah. Amazingly, the girl was unharmed, but her identity was unknown, so Roger took her in and named her Lexington (Lex), with her rescue date as a birthday. Now, at 12, she wonders about her past and her connection with Nyah. Lex begins to uncover the layers of herself as she communicates with the wind, Nyah, and the ghost that helped her after the tornado. As Rimington allows Lex to tell her story, the girl’s fears, curiosity, and determination become paramount to the tale. Mixing realism, fantasy, and information about elephants, the author presents well-rounded, often mischievous human characters, and the unlikely focal setting of the zoo entices readers to fantasize

about living there. Lex’s investigation reveals a puzzle that may contain answers about her past, and readers will eagerly accompany her as she works to crack it. — J. B. Petty

Reprinted with Permission of Booklist https://www.booklistonline.com/

School Library Journal Xpress (May 1, 2020)

Gr 4 Up-Seven years ago the biggest tornado in Nebraska history hit near the Lexington Zoo. A little girl, just five years old, was found near an animal enclosure, protected from the storm by an elephant named Nyah. With no trace of a family, the girl was named Lexington Willow and grew up at the zoo with her best friend Fisher, and the man who found Lex and became her foster father, Roger. Now that she is finally old enough, Lex can't wait to help with the elephant training. On her first day, Nyah the elephant sends her a telepathic message that sets Lex off on an adventure to get some answers about her past. To find those answers Lex must leave the safety of the zoo, meet a ghost, and begin searching for a hidden treasure. Through this adventure Lex will find the meaning of family, friendship, and courage. Rimington also provides an accompanying list of books and websites in the author's note to help readers understand more about elephant research, organizations that help, and how readers can get involved. VERDICT This story of friendship includes magical realism, mystery, and adventure that is sure to capture young readers' attention. Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo.-Morgan O'Reilly, Riverdale Country Sch., NY © Copyright 2020. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Reprinted with permission from School Library Journal, 2020. http://www.slj.com.