Set in South Africa, this is the story of Sieta, a little girl who has lost both parents from AIDS. This is not stated precisely, but we are told they have both sickened and died, and at the end of the book, a page for adults explains the plight of AIDS orphans. Sieta has been taken by her Auntie to a new town over the mountains, which she calls 'home now', but in her mind she sees pictures of her old life and the happy times with her parents. She cannot smile, and she is unable to accept the love and interest of the new people around her. When on a school trip, she comes face to face with a baby elephant, Satara, orphaned as well, and their rapport is instant. She goes back to see him on her own, and their sharing of sadness helps Sieta come to terms with her loss. The watercolour illustrations are quuite outstanding, full of the blues, yellows and oranges of Africa. A lovely, lyrical book.