SAVING LILLY

At first a class trip to the Glitter Tent Circus seems exciting, but as Erin and David complete the research for their project about animal abuse, they realize they must do something to stop the field trip and see if they can make a difference in the life of Lilly, a mistreated elephant. Their teacher, Mrs. Dawson, is determined to take the class to the circus, remembering her childhood fun visiting the big top. She forbids Erin and David from handing out information or circulating their petition, so they devise a plan to hold a sit-in on the day of the trip. Only five students decide to attend, and the brave students who opt to remain in school soon attract the attention of the media and local animal-rights activists. The students learn that Lilly, one of the mistreated elephants at the Glitter Tent Circus is scheduled to be sold to an organization specializing in big game hunting. Mrs. Dawson realizes her error and together the students, teachers, and administrators decide to try and buy Lilly and send her to an elephant sanctuary. Raising the money is going to prove to be a hard task for a class of sixth-graders, but together they make it happen. With only occasional lapses in believability, this story entertains and informs as it highlights the darker side of animal entertainment. (Fiction. 8-12)