When Elaina has to spend Christmas in the hospital, she only has one wish-for an elephant to be her friend. She's convinced that an elephant will help her face what's in store, and the big scary future. But when she tells her mother about her special wish, her mother says there's no way they can get an elephant! What would they feed it? Where would it sleep? Elaina fears that by asking for the impossible, she'll end up not getting anything for Christmas at all. But when Christmas comes around, Elaina learns that sometimes what you get isn't what you want ... but is instead exactly what you need. Elaina and the Elephant is a touching story about hope, joy, and the way we find happiness when life is at its worst.