It's been almost a year since Sila's mother left home to go to Turkey, hoping to obtain her vital immigration papers. The longer she is away, the more Sila worries that her mother may never come back at all.
But everything changes when Slia accompanies her father to fix a truck. That's when she meets Gio Gardino, an elderly man who lives alone in a large house. Together, they help rescue a circus elephant named Veda. And when Sila befriends Mateo, the quietest boy in school, they all embark on a reunion unlike any other.
A heart-warming story about unwavering family love and the power of friendship.

Holly Goldberg Sloan spent part of her childhood living in Istanbul, Turkey. She is a scriptwriter and the highly-acclaimed author of two YA novels I'LL BE THERE and JUST CALL MY NAME. Her middle grade novel COUNTING BY 7s, was an Amazon Best Book of the year 2013 and a New York Times bestseller and she is the co-author of the highly praised TO NIGHT OWL FROM DOGFISH. She lives in Santa Monica, California. Follow Holly at www.hollygoldbergsloan.com or on Twitter: @HGoldbergSloan.