Great Elephant Escape - Tapa dura

It's not every day that animals escape from the circus; however, in 1975 two playful baby elephants did just that! While in Hugo, Oklahoma, Isa and Lilly escaped and decided it would be fun to play a very long game of hide-and-seek. They evaded the authorities for eighteen days, leaving a trail of clues everywhere, from broken fences and large footprints to gardens with missing vegetables. Still these giant runaways were nowhere to be found! Even when people reported seeing Isa and Lilly rambling around their homes and causing a ruckus, the police were one step behind these clever tricksters. Based on an amazing true story, these fugitives captivated the attention of a country and are sure to capture the hearts of readers of all ages.

Una Belle Townsend is an award-winning teacher and author. Her first picture book, Grady's in the Silo, received the 2004 Oklahoma Book Award and was a 2004 IRA/CBC Children's Choice Selection. Her book The Oklahoma Land Run was published for the 120th anniversary of the first Oklahoma Land Run. She has been named Teacher of the Year at her school three times and was named Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year. She is also the author of Racecar Driver's Night Before Christmas, available from Pelican.

Janice Hechter is an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer who is the recipient of a National Best Book Award and a San Francisco Book Festival Award.