The Girl Who Stole an Elephant

Stolen jewels. A girl Robin Hood figure. Friendship. And an escape into the jungle with an elephant. Full of adventure and heart, The Girl Who Stole an Elephant provides a window into the lush setting of ancient Sri Lanka, and carried me along with its fast pace. Nizrana Farook’s descriptions are teeming with sensory details, and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

In Serendib—doesn’t the name alone ring with poetry?—we meet the young thief of this title, Chaya, who steals from the rich to help the poor. In the company of Neel, her loyal friend, and Nour, the daughter of a rich merchant, Chaya finds herself being hunted by the king’s soldiers for stealing the queen’s jewels. And oh, yes, she also walked off with Ananda, the royal elephant. The ancient Sri Lankan setting is vividly drawn—with jackfruit and papayas as well as snakes and leeches. The elephant is in turn the object of theft, the vehicle by which the kids escape… show more.

Sometimes a truly epic adventure is all about the company, and in this book I got to spend time with the defiant Chaya – jewel thief and fierce-hearted friend – her companions (who don’t always get along, but who does?). And, of course, an absolutely gorgeous elephant. Together they plunge into the jungles of Sri Lanka, and what they find there is rebellion…