The Elephant’s Girl by Celesta Rimington is a touching and imaginative middle-grade novel filled with adventure, friendship, and the mystery of discovering where you belong. If you’ve enjoyed books like The One and Only Ivan or A Wolf Called Wander, then you’re sure to love this heartfelt tale. It’s a perfect choice for upper elementary students, encouraging them to explore themes of identity, family, and empathy in a setting full of magic and wonder.
Fast Facts About the Book
Title: The Elephant’s Girl
Author: Celesta Rimington
Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction, Magical Realism
Age Range: 8-12 years
Number of Pages: 314
Publication Year: 2020
Themes: Friendship, Family, Identity, Resilience, Belonging
Meet the author of The Elephant's Girl, Celesta Rimington and learn more about this amazing book in this question and answer interview.
The Elephant’s Girl is an inspiring story about family, friendship, and finding a place to call home. This novel introduces us to the unique world of an elephant sanctuary and tells the tale of a young girl named Lexington Willow, who is saved from a tornado by Nyah, a wise elephant. Lexington doesn’t remember where she came from, but as she grows up in the sanctuary, she uncovers clues about her past, encounters unexpected friends, and discovers a powerful connection with animals that will inspire young readers. #celestarimington
Novel Overview
The Elephant’s Girl follows Lexington Willow, a young girl with an unusual connection to an elephant named Nyah. After a devastating tornado, Lexington is found by Nyah and taken in by the zoo’s caretaker. With no memory of her past, she’s raised at the zoo, where she lives a life surrounded by animals. But strange things start happening: Lex hears the voice of Nyah in her mind and begins receiving messages from the wind. These mystical elements set her on a journey to unravel her past, discover her family, and find her true place in the world. #theelephantsgirl
Chasing Chapters: Plot Summary
The story begins with Lexington’s rescue by Nyah and her life growing up at the zoo. Lexington is raised by Roger, the zoo’s kindhearted caretaker, but she longs to know about her past and family. When she begins to hear Nyah’s voice in her mind, she realizes that her life is bound to the elephant in mysterious ways. With the help of her friend Fisher, Lexington follows clues that lead her on an adventure to uncover secrets hidden for years. This journey brings her closer to the truth about who she is and teaches her the value of loyalty, courage, and embracing what makes her different.
Share The Elephant’s Girl comprehension questions and 1-sentence summaries of every chapter with your class.
Educational Value
The Elephant’s Girl is a fantastic resource for discussions about empathy, resilience, and family. This novel helps students reflect on what it means to belong, explore their own unique traits, and develop compassion for others. Lexington’s journey encourages readers to think about the importance of home and family, whether by birth or by choice. The story’s blend of magical realism and adventure also introduces students to the wonders of nature and the emotional intelligence of animals, opening up conversations about conservation and the environment.
Classroom Activities to Try
Writing Prompt: Imagine you could communicate with any animal, just like Lexington and Nyah. Which animal would you choose, and why? Describe an adventure you would go on together.
Discussion Questions:
How does Lexington’s connection with Nyah shape her identity and her journey?
What does this story teach us about the importance of family, whether biological or chosen?
How does the setting of the zoo contribute to the story’s themes of belonging and friendship?
Project Idea: Create a “Memory Map” project. Just as Lexington searches for clues about her past, have students map out memories or places that are meaningful to them. This project can be visual, incorporating drawings, or written as a narrative, and encourages them to think about what makes them feel at home.
Extension Activities
Animal Research Project: Have students choose an animal from the book or one they are personally interested in, then research its natural habitat, behaviors, and needs. #animalresearchproject They can create an informational poster or slideshow and present it to the class. This activity connects well with Lexington’s life at the zoo and can spark conversations about wildlife conservation. Enjoy this free printable from my full resource to help students make animal trading cards. #animaltradingcards
Friendship Tree Activity: Lexington’s relationships with both humans and animals are central to her growth. Create a “Friendship Tree” where students add leaves with words of kindness or actions they can take to support a friend. This reinforces the themes of loyalty, compassion, and friendship from the book.
Home and Family Collage: Encourage students to create a collage that represents what “home” means to them. They can use magazine cutouts, drawings, or words to show their own idea of family and belonging, just like Lexington finds her home in an unexpected place.
Find more extension activities, like a reading comprehension passage and questions about the Union Pacific Railroad, in my The Elephant's Girl resource.
Did you know? Author Celesta Rimington has said that her inspiration for The Elephant’s Girl came from a real encounter she had with an elephant that was both gentle and curious.
Nyah’s character is inspired by the emotional bonds elephants have with each other in the wild, often staying with their families for life.
Page-Turning Puzzles: Novel Trivia
How closely have you read the text in Celesta Rimington's novel The Elephant's Girl? Can you remember tiny details to answer the trivia questions below? #noveltrivia
What railroad company began building tracks out of Omaha?
Name one of Fisher’s favorite baseball teams.
What exact date was printed on the train ticket found in the gift shop?
What do you call someone who services train engines?
How many muscles are inside an elephant’s trunk?
What hangs on the necklace that Miss Amanda wears?
Find the answers to these trivia questions inside this The Elephant's Girl resource.
Hear about The Elephant's Girl Book Study from educators like you!
⭐️ “This resource is AMAZING! Differentiate in every way possible. I love the sample responses and my students love coloring the stickers to add to their collections.”
⭐️ “I love The Losers Club and these worksheets were the perfect companion to the book. I can’t wait to purchase another novel study from MB Creations!”
⭐️ “I am blown away by this amazing resource! It is SO COMPLETE! I didn’t have to add anything extra. I printed the workbooks and assessments and we had an amazing book study.”
Use The Elephant's Girl Novel Study in so many ways!
✅ Differentiate to meet the needs of all learners in your book club. Gifted students can complete projects about the novel as they read. Language learners can benefit from the character traits page with pictures and descriptions.
✅ Assign comprehension worksheets to students for homework. Have them take notes and come prepared to discuss this chapter book in class.
✅ Invite students to read The Elephant's Girl in small groups and complete these worksheets and discussion activities together.
Find answers to your questions about this The Elephant's Girl Book Study:
✋ What is The Elephant's Girl?
This realistic fictional chapter book, written by Celesta Rimington, tells of a girl who lives at a zoo searching for her lost family. It is written for grades 3-7 with a Lexile level of 800L.
✋ What exactly is included?
Check out the preview! The detailed table of contents can help answer your questions about this book study.
✋ Why should I use this resource?
2-in-1 deal: This resource includes pages specific to the book, The Elephant's Girl, as well as ALL the pages in my "Novel Study for Any Book" resource.
Students will be able to write and discuss facts about the author, novel, plot, setting, characters, and theme. You can edit the projects and discussion pages on PowerPoint and assign all worksheets digitally if you choose. Students will have fun collecting stickers when they finish projects related to the book and you can grade all worksheets with the answer keys and sample responses!
Keep the Adventure Going
If you enjoyed The Elephant’s Girl, try reading other books about friendships and unique bonds with animals, like The Wild Robot by Peter Brown or Pax by Sara Pennypacker. These stories explore themes of kindness, bravery, and finding one’s place in the world, leaving readers with a sense of wonder and inspiration.
Celesta Rimington’s The Elephant’s Girl is sure to captivate readers, bringing them into a world where the bond between humans and animals is as strong as family. Perfect for classroom discussions and full of engaging activities, this book will leave students thinking about home, identity, and the magic of friendship.