Motherless Daniel 'Danny' Harris believed his dad that wishes to falling stars don't just come true, but when he wishes for an elephant a baby one magically appears in a crate in their back yard. Naturally father Steven, a newspaper journalist, isn't to popular when he responsibly brings the new 'pet' to the local zoo, nor its caretaker George when he admits such an animal, especially this one who soon falls sick, needs specialist care they can't provide and will therefore be shipped to San Diego. The only one who helps Danny is nerdy genius Gilbert Trout, who is also constantly bullied at school, but proves a valuable ally in a daring attempt to spring free the pachyderm, and then more magic happens...