Louisiana Elefante

Precocious and wiser than her years, Louisiana Elefante is an energetic girl of 12 who has been dealt a difficult hand in life. Somehow, she manages to power through with sheer guile and determination. Growing up with Granny, Louisiana never has the stability that most children her age have had and has become used to a nomadic lifestyle. One of her defining features is her perpetual hunger, as living a traveling life with Granny has made it difficult to have regular access to food. Her moving life coincides with a lack of stable identity, as Granny has informed her that she is the daughter of flying trapeze artists, the Flying Elefantes.

While she may not have had a traditional childhood, Louisiana finds ways to get by in life, particularly through skills Granny has taught her. She is told to smile all the time and be polite, tools that...