Girl Who Stole An Elephant

When the King fails his people, Chaya comes through. She quietly champions the poor, the injured, and widowed, only the way she funds these charitable acts might be of question. Chaya's latest attempt to help an injured villager lands her, her best friend, and a new girl in town in a LOT of trouble. What started out as a robbery of the Queen's jewels ends up in a wild chase.I really enjoyed that this story was very unpredictable. Every time I thought I knew what was going to come next, I was wrong!Wonderful, fast-paced, colorful, and exciting!CAWPILE Rating: 9

I have owned THE GIRL WHO STOLE AN ELEPHANT by Nizrana Farook as part of my “Africa/India” collection of middle-grade and young-adult books for a long time. But yesterday I pulled it from the shelf, opened it, and read the first short chapter. Then, I went to my couch, still reading. I sat down and read the second equally short chapter, then the third, fourth, and so on. It really hooked me from those first pages. Seriously.Chaya, a girl of 8 or 9, walks out of the Queen’s bedroom in the palace (think Sri Lanka) with a pouch full of jewels, including a large blue sapphire. A suspicious guard questions her, but allows her to go. She’s just about outside the walls when she hears a shout behind her. Oops! The theft has been discovered, and Chaya takes off like lightning, avoiding capture and finally reaching her village.See what I mean? I just had to keep reading. It turns out this wily little thief is a genuine Robin Hood, stealing from the greedy rich to help out the very poor in her village. That sapphire was to help a boy who was in danger of losing his leg after a crocodile attack.From there, things get complicated. A friend is accused of stealing the jewels, confesses to protect Chaya, and is sentenced to death. Now Chaya has to break him out of a dungeon prison before D-day. A wealthy neighbor girl butts in and almost ruins things … but then doesn’t. Explosions, all the prisoners escape, and Chaya and her friend are on the run deep into the jungle. How? On the King’s elephant, which Chaya stole, of course. And the little rich girl? She’s tagging along too!And so the adventure goes on, the three escaping one scary situation after another. They encounter leeches and leopards, bandits and angry villagers, until it seems that all hope is gone. And then a miracle.Such a good, clean, fun, suspenseful adventure story! Kids will love it. “I” loved it!. It has sweet lessons in kindness, forgiveness, and a love for others. I hope to pick up the others in the series.Share this:

The island land of Serendib is ruled by an unjust king—one who puts his greed above the needs of his people. A girl named Chaya has taken it upon herself to help her friends and neighbors, even if it requires thievery to do so. One day, Chaya steals a handful of jewels from the Queen’s bedchamber to pay for much-needed medical care for a boy in her village. Instead of a clean getaway, though, Chaya is seen, and the wrath of the King descends upon her people. After her friend Neel is incorrectly blamed for her actions, Chaya must rescue him and clear his name. Before long, Chaya and her friends Neel and Nour find themselves on an adventure that leads to much more than their own freedom.Chaya’s world comes to life in descriptions of frangipani flowers, papayas, and plantains in a land where monkeys and elephants are commonplace. Foods and experiences of the island of Serendib, a fictionalized representation of the author’s home of Sri Lanka, are expertly woven into the narrative. These elements may inspire further research if they are otherwise unfamiliar to the reader.Short chapters and an action-packed plot keep readers on their toes, encouraging the refrain of “one more chapter” while the story progresses. Direct storytelling and ample amounts of dialogue make this book accessible to newer middle-grade readers.Differences in belief and background among the characters become increasingly less important as their friendship grows. Teamwork and the compelling need to do right by others is a pervasive theme of this book, transcending setting or upbringing. A powerful story of independence with a strong female protagonist, this is a delightful and entertaining book to be read independently or aloud.I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and chose to leave this review.

I requested this book from NetGalley on a whim. I thought the title was humorous, the cover was cute and I am actually trying to read more middle grade books just to broaden my horizons and read a wide range of things. This book truly delivered.We follow a, somewhat unlikeable, Chaya who is a bit of a Robin Hood character in her village. She steals from the rich to help the poorer folks in her village afford the necessities. In all comes to a head when she steals from the King himself and has to go on the run with her best friend Neel and accidental accomplice, Nour.This is a book I would have absolutely loved in middle school. The imagery is fantastic, and left me wanting roast breadfruit if I'm being honest... the tensions felt realistic for middle grade. As an adult I did not feel much tension or suspense but I think as a child I would have.The story is very fast paced and easy to read. There are a few plot twists, and the character development was decent. Nour especially had a great arc, Chaya I think needed a bit more work but I loved her all the same.