Norma Jean

The newspaper headline from July 18, 1972 read Lightning Kills Elephant: Knocks Keeper 30 feet, but that's just part of the story. Norma Jean is a picture book based on the actual event that occurred in the tiny village of Oquawka, Illinois on the banks of the Mississippi River 50 years ago, in the summer of 1972. In July of that year, a struggling, one-elephant circus came to the village to put on two shows. Unfortunately, on the morning of the circus, a thunderstorm swept into the fairground and a bolt of lightning struck a solitary oak tree. The circus's working elephant, Norma Jean, was tethered to the tree and killed on the spot. She was buried where she fell and that evening "the show went on"! Though awful to consider on the surface, this occurrence has become a tale of rural legend in Western Illinois, and one that highlights the strength of character of small-town America. Filled with memorable characters, haunting imagery, and beautiful illustrations, Norma Jean is a story that begs to be shared.