About the Author

Wayne Edmiston is a fourth-generation Californian, a fifth-generation teacher, an Eagle Scout, and now a published author. He served in the Air Force for almost four years, including an 11-month tour in Vietnam (1969) as a crew chief for an RF-101 Voodoo aircraft, and honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant; he is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW.)He earned his bachelor's degree and a California State teaching life credential at Chico State College. Throughout his teaching career, Edmiston focused on special education.He taught both academic and vocational subjects in four of California State's correctional institutions. As a correctional educator for 24 years, he wore many hats, including acting academic supervisor, senior librarian, literacy coordinator for GED and college distant learning programs, chief GED examiner, and assistant literacy supervising Laubach tutor-trainer, and was a member of the State Planning Panel for Corrections with California Literacy for five years. He spent two more years as the Community Living Skills facilitator for the state mental hospital at Atascadero. He is an ordained New Thought minister with Centers for Spiritual Living, teaching Science of Mind principles. He is an all-denominational wedding officiant and respects all couples, including LGBTQ families and prison inmates. His website: http: //www.onespiritbeachweddings.com/As a writer and author, the screenplay version of Edmiston's family-oriented, science fiction story, Unfatally Dead: to Thaw or Not to Thaw? was a finalist in two contests. Both the play and the subsequent expanded book depict a fascinating time-traveling journey of two icons, Samuel Clemens (known worldwide as Mark Twain) and Walt Disney, accompanied by Eepia, a new soul. Recently from The Chanticleer Reviews awarded Wayne the Mark Twain category for Satire and Allegory First Place ribbon.

Reviews

Ellie and her Elephant by Wayne Edmiston is a children's story about a young girl named Ellie, who entered a contest to name a pending baby elephant at the local zoo. Ellie submits her own name as a potential name for the new elephant because the name had to start with an E and the second letter had to be an L. As time rolls by, everyone in town becomes anxious, ready to know the name of the new elephant. It took two years for the baby elephant to arrive. The winning name was drawn by the mayor while being blindfolded and Ellie was the winner. She was very honored to have named the baby elephant and took the responsibility very seriously.
The years rolled by quickly and Ellie eventually got a partial music scholarship that included housing for students with physical limitations. Coincidentally, this is the same community college her father attended. Ellie finds love years later in the eyes of her physical therapist and this helped her to reach her goals of gaining her strength and walking to surprise her father on her graduation day.
This was a very heart warming story. I really enjoyed it! A 5 star read because I enjoyed the story of Ellie and I was glad she found happiness and love! At this point of the story, it made the reader smile because it was just such a caring gesture. Wayne Edmiston did a great job of making the story simple enough for young readers to understand while also raising interesting questions within the story.