I was hooked from page one.  This book is fast paced and spellbinding.  Jack and his mom are on a camping vacation at Acadia National Park in Maine, but when Jack wakes up in the morning his mother is gone.  She's had her ups and downs before and Jack is worried that if anyone finds out she abandoned him that he'll be separated from her.  Jack describes his mom's periods of spinning leading us to understand that his mom is really not irresponsible, but the victim of a mental illness.  Jack needs to use all the resources his 11-year-old mind can muster up to get himself back home to Boston, without food, phone or money.

Great chapter headings with amazing little-known facts, quotes and even jokes about elephants.  Jack hopes that his fascination with elephants, particularly one in Maine, will help reunite him with his mom.

Read this book!