Water for Elephants / Sara Guen 335 p.

Through the memories of a 90-year old man, we learn about the hard times of the 1930s--hard times that brought out the hardness of a circus owner, Big Al, and the meanness of the crazy boss man of the menagerie.  Jacob Jankowski scrabbles onto the Benzini Brothers circus train.  He is dropped into a world of irrational rules, freaks, big personalities, even bigger animals.  He sees overwhelming callousness yet there is a soft side—Marlena, wife of the crazy boss man and others.  Yet a bond grows between Marlena, Jacob, Rose the elephant; and, a place where a dwarf looks out for Jacob.