The Girl Who Stole an Elephant
by Nizrana Farook
Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 9+
Published by Nosy Crow, 2020
About this book
Chaya is a thief. But does that mean she is a bad person? She certainly doesn’t think so as she steals pointless trinkets from rich and privileged people in order to buy the bare essentials for the most needy in her community.
With hindsight, breaking into the palace and taking precious jewels from the Queen’s bedside table might not be her best decision. She has unwittingly put her closest friends and family in the most serious danger and has no idea how to put things right. Could stealing an elephant really be the answer?
An exotic setting and hypnotic storytelling make Chaya’s story impossible to put down. The young characters all have their flaws but are all driven by an underlying desire for a better, fairer way of living.
With themes of morality, friendship, teamwork and loyalty, this book will have wide appeal to middle grade readers as it incorporates tension and jeopardy in an exciting coming-of-age adventure.
More books like this
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Asha and the Spirit Bird
9 to 12 years
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Nevertell
by Katharine Orton
9 to 12 years
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The Boy Who Saved a Bear
by Nizrana Farook
9 to 12 years
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The Girl who Lost a Leopard
by Nizrana Farook, illustrated by David Dean
9 to 12 years
Lists of recommended reads
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Seven brilliant books featuring different cultures
Llama on a Mission author Annabelle Sami loved reading about different cultures as a child, and writes about British Pakistani culture in her children's books. She shares her favourite books looking at different cultures, and explains how diversity in books is vital to building empathy in young readers.