Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a book that takes place during the Great Depression. Jacob Jankowski is a young veterinary student at Cornell, intending then to join his father’s veterinary practice when he is through with his schooling. Just before graduation, his parents are killed in a car accident, and their farm and veterinary practice are taken by the bank. Feeling that he has no future and nowhere to go, Jacob jumps on a train that happens to be going by, only to discover that it is a circus train.

The author’s descriptions of The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth makes you feel like you are there, all the way from the men that set up the circus to the performers. It’s a story of friendship, love, and betrayal, both human and animal. This book quickly became one of my favorites, and I highly recommend it to a wide variety of readers.