# 3: From Ms. Zywica, 8th Grade Science

The book that I immersed myself in was Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. It is the story of a man that joins a traveling circus as its veterinarian. The book opens with a prologue that keeps the reader horrified and hopeful as the rest of the story unfolds. It is told in a retrospective manner from a man in a nursing home that is so old he can't remember how old he is. With the majority of the book's setting being a traveling circus the characters, both humans and animals, all have unique and intriguing personalities. The plot is well rounded with aspects of adventure, love, and the hardships of living in the era of prohibition.

I really enjoyed reading this book on the beach here in Sarasota. The book has a variety of pictures that are part of the Ringling Museum collection. The Ringling Brothers circus is only referred to occasionally the book, but it does give a Sarasota reader a sense of pride. I would definitely recommend this to adults, but most of the situations in the book are not the aspects of a circus that a child should see or read about.