You Can’t See the Elephants

In a debut novel so real it hurts, German author Kreller depicts the frustrations of a 13-year-old girl who has trouble getting adults to see the truth happening under their noses. Mascha’s father always takes a few weeks off in the summer to grieve his wife, leaving Mascha with her grandparents in a close-knit small town. There she meets Max and Julia, two children covered with bruises. One day, when Mascha is outside the children’s house, she witnesses a scene so terrible that she has to tell someone. Mascha’s grandparents don’t want to listen, so she takes matters into her own hands. What starts as an act of salvation takes a nightmarish turn, and it is Mascha—not the true villain—who is shunned. Kreller’s terse prose, eloquently translated by Gaffney, captures the desperation and helplessness of a girl who just wants to do the right thing. Kreller deals with the topic of abuse honestly, conveying the emotional responses to horrific circumstances. Despite her reputation in the community, Mascha will emerge as a hero to readers, and her actions will prompt discussion and debate. Ages 10–up. (Oct.)