The Girl Who Stole an Elephant

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What I especially like is that people keep assuming that Neel, the boy, has been doing all the thieving, rather than giving her credit. Sometimes this works in her favor, but other times, it just makes those in authority throw everyone into the same kettle of fish, so to speak. A successful juvenile by the beloved New Yorker writer portrays a farm episode with an imaginative twist that makes a poignant, humorous story of a pig, a spider and a little girl. For an even better way to find KS1 resources, discover tailored suggestions, and much more - visit the KS1 resource HUB! GO TO KS1 HUB

The Girl Who Stole an Elephant is such a great adventure story! Did you always want to write something with loads of action? This book was given as a gift to my seven-year old daughter, and I found the cover appealing enough to want to read it. For a child, this one's a really good, fast-paced adventure, with lots of twists and turns and hair-raising moments when you think all is over for the heroes. I liked the feistiness and strength of character of the three main female characters (even Nour, who initially comes across as a bit of rather silly baggage), and there's a lot to say for a heroine who keeps having to rescue the hero (if one could call Neel that). The Girl Who Stole an Elephant positively rustles with the textures of rural Sri Lanka. It introduces an author keen to write a love letter to her culture, and upend preconceptions too More like this, please. – Observer I love reading Middle-Grade as an adult for many reasons, but the biggest is nostalgia. Some of my favorite formative books are about tweens facing overwhelming obstacles, yet somehow overcoming them. To me, that’s what makes a MG book work. As tweens are facing big changes both inside themselves and the bigger outside world beyond their guardians’ influence, these are the stories that can both encourage and enlighten them most of all. A well-written Middle-Grade novel, like The Girl Who Stole an Elephant doesn’t just transport the reader to another time and place, but challenges them to think. As a grown-up kidlit fan, I don’t face quite the same issues as my younger peers, but I still feel that same sense of adventure, and the same excitement I felt reading these kinds of stories as a tween. Author Nizrana Farook sat down with her editor Kirsty Stansfield, to discuss her debut middle-grade novel, The Girl Who Stole an Elephant – a thrilling adventure of friendship, flight and writing wrongs, featuring a band of animals and set in an enchanting jungle setting.

The reader can’t help but lose themselves in the vibrant Sri Lankan landscape that the author paints. (Nizarana Farook was born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka). As the story progresses, the characters personalities really develop. Chaya steals to help others, but she wants to do it all on her own. Even when her friend Neel tried to help her, as does her new friend Nour. At the beginning of the book, I had no sympathy for her.

The Girl Who Stole an Elephant is the fantastic debut novel by author, Nizrana Farook. This fast-paced adventure is perfectly suited for use in the Key Stage 2 classroom. When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day. Chaya, wishing to help her friend get money to recover from his injuries, steal jewels from the Queen. As a result, her best friend gets arrested, a runaway ensues and she befriends the King’s (stolen) elephant. Perfect for readers aged 8-12, this is an adventure fans of Middle-Grade reads won’t want to miss. Farook has painted a vivid and entrancing new world for us in The Girl Who Stole an Elephant, and promises more fantastical adventures to come.Chaya, a nobleman’s rebellious, outspoken, no-nonsense daughter, just can’t resist the shiny temptations the king’s palace has to offer. But playing Robin Hood for her impoverished community doesn’t come without risks, and when Chaya steals the queen’s jewels from a bedside table—a messy getaway jeopardizes the life of a close friend. The three way chats, in which they are joined by other animals, about web spinning, themselves, other humans—are as often informative as amusing, and the whole tenor of appealing wit and pathos will make fine entertainment for reading aloud, too. For an even better way to find KS2 resources, discover tailored suggestions, and much more - visit the KS2 resource HUB! GO TO KS2 HUB The story centres around Chaya, the brave and no-nonsense lead character, and her two companions – Neel and Nour. Chaya steals trinkets from people who are too rich to even notice they are missing and uses them to help those in need. However, her decision to steal the Queen’s jewels unwittingly plunges herself, her friends and her family into real danger. The thrilling adventure that ensues is breath-taking and the pace never lets up until the story reaches its exhilarating conclusion.