Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book! I really enjoyed this book and I am going to be recommending this to all the middle grade readers I can!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Loved this book. Can't wait to read more by the author. Fast paced and interesting. Will add to my classroom library.

I would have loved to have this book in my childhood. As someone who didn't get much representation in books in the 90s as a South Asian being raised in America, there are many books I wish I had back then but I'm glad there are the stories now for future South Asian middle graders. This is a beautifully written book and an absolute delight to read. More diverse books like these please!

I received an advanced copy of this ebook from the publisher for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. This is a fast paced middle grade. I enjoyed how the main character was a female Robin hood. I absolutely enjoyed this authors writing style. I would recommend reading this book to anyone and everyone. This book is in stores for $16.99 (USD).

A really wholesome and charming middle grades novel that is sure to be well liked by students.

Chaya and her lifelong friend Neel live on an oppressive island run by a very mean spirited king. Chaya makes the most of her stealth and curiosity by stealing from rich islanders to help the poor people in her village.

Chaya's most ambitious stealing spree opens the story as she successfully gets into the palace and pilfers the Queen's jewelry. Neel hides it for her, but the merchant's daughter Nour ends up buying the wooden box they are using.

The three are caught with the jewelry and Neel takes the blame. After a jail break and another heist, the three must runaway and fend for themselves while the king is looking for them.

Chaya is fiercly independent and strong willed. She steals for the good of her people, but her thefts drive the story without being overwhelming. She is reminiscent of characters in Robert Beatty's Serafina series -- always on the lookout for others and very protective of her surroundings.

A good book for lower middle grade. It was a fast-paced adventure, but that sometimes led to some uneven plot pacing. This is obviously one of those books where you need to set aside your disbelief, because a lot of ridiculous things happen. However, I think they're the sort of things that middle grade readers will enjoy, and they were certainly unexpected!

This is definitely a lower-middle-grade story because of the simplistic plot but this story had amazing characters and a fast-moving story that will keep younger kids super engaged.

I loved this book so much. I even told my classroom students about it. I didn't expect the ending either by seeing the half sister and not half brother. Or even how Chaya stole the elephant. I was thinking she was going to steel the elephant at the beginning instead of the jewels. Very clever. The world in which they lived was very fascinated. I didn't enjoy however the names of all the characters. I sometimes got confused when reading on seeing who was who. Overall great book.

This was a great story about friendship and strong female characters. I loved the plot and the way everything played out. It was a great book! This book is perfect for readers ages (8-12).

Chaya is a sassy and enterprising twelve-year-old. She is the equivalent of a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from the privileged and helping the oppressed and needy.
However, stealing from the Queen might not have been the smartest move.

Now Neel, Chaya’s best friend has been accused of the theft.

Chaya must prove Neel’s innocence, while helping the impoverished villagers and she has the exasperating Nour to content with as well.
Thus begins the adventure for the three kids, along with their getaway vehicle which happens to be Ananda the elephant (the King’s prized elephant)!

Set in Serendib (the old Persian name for Sri Lanka) I enjoyed the cultural touches throughout the book especially the imagery of the vibrant and lush forests.

The book is an action packed read with some dramatic moments and innovative solutions.
The themes of fighting and standing up against injustice, friendship and heroism are all conveyed well.

I adored kindhearted and brave Neel and strong Nour. While I did struggle with Chaya stealing (still struggling with it), I admired her stand against injustice, her courage and heart of gold.

“The Girl who Stole an Elephant” an enjoyable adventure with a fiery heroine.

This was a cute story with a young girl who gets into trouble and has quite the adventure. I liked her spirit and the story was engaging. Young readers will enjoy the details and get drawn in quickly.

I devoured this novel. I had issues putting it down and finished it within two reading binges. Chaya was a character after my own heart - mostly because she seemed like a Sri Lankan version of my namesake: Robin Hood. Chaya steals from the rich to help the poor in her village and she does it despite being a girl in a male dominated world. When a kid in the village is in danger of losing his leg due to an alligator attack, Chaya tries to pull off her biggest heist yet: steal jewels from the queen. What could go wrong? Turns out a lot. Her best friend Neelan gets caught up in the drama and his life is on the line. So Chaya has to pull off a prison break on top of everything else. A visiting merchant's daughter, Nour, gets entangled in the prison break as well as a poor royal elephant. After a romp through the jungle and a few death defying antics, the three form a strong friendship. Chaya doesn't mean to topple the royalty of her kingdom... so will she create a better world or will her village turn against her life of crime and association with criminals? Read on to find out!
Highly recommend this one. The gender role defying characters and epic quest through the jungle made my Robin Hood loving heart happy.

I'm not much of a middle-grade reader so take my review with a grain of salt. I loved seeing the lush imagery of the forests and places that Chaya and her friends traveled through and of course, any middle-grade book that involved South Asian main characters is wonderful. I picked up this book originally because it was loosely inspired by Robin Hood (a story I really enjoyed as a child). I think this book is perfect for younger readers because it was very quick to read through. I will say I found some of the pacing a bit off. In a few places I think the scenes could have been shorter and the resolution at the end could have been a little longer. I'm sure with most middle-grades the concept of things happening conveniently is common, but because I do prefer denser, more complex books I just don't think I enjoyed this one as much as I thought I would. All in all, I think many young readers would enjoy this story if they're looking for something simple, magical, and with a kick-butt cast of characters.

Chaya, Nour, and Neel are as different as improbable friends could be. Chaya robs from the rich to help the poor people of her village. Her father’s position in the palace allows her to keep a foot inside both worlds. Her best friend, Neel, simply wants to help provide a good life for his family, but his loyalty to Chaya drags him into big trouble. The only hope Chaya has of rescuing Neel, is enlisting the aid of the privileged Nour. Where Chaya is brave to the point of recklessness, Nour is cunning and cautious. The two girls are forced together and, along with Neel, escape with the aid of the king’s elephant into the Sri Lankan jungle. None of the friends are prepared for or can expect the adventures that await them. Or the dangers they now face from daring to defy a tyrannical king.

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.

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.

***I was provided an advanced copy of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant by the publisher and this is my voluntary and honest review.***

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in Exchange for an honest review.

The Girl Who Stole the Elephant by Nizrana Farook is a delightful middle grade read. Readers are hooked from the beginning,as they join the protagonist in the midst of a heist. The adventure continues from there in a fast paced short chapter style taking readers along a journey through thick jungles. This novel has great characters, imagery, and themes. Great novel about friendship, loyalty, compassion, and courage.

I couldn't finish this book. It felt like the author achieved the purpose within the first couple of chapters. It is possible that I picked this book up at the wrong time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure-filled read with Chaya and friends. It's filled with beautiful imagery and a girl who is brave and willing to fight for her people. Some other reviewers mentioned some concerns with the change of character part way through the book but I think her circumstances dictate some of the struggle. Overall I think it's a great read.

I absolutely adored the main character, Chaya. I love that she is so independent. I really enjoyed the friendship in this book, and I think this is an excellent middle grade!

Chaya doesn't call herself a thief. Thieves after all keep what they steal. Chaya uses the stolen goods to pay for medicines and things that the villagers need.

That isn't so bad, is it?

When one of her heists turns into a hunt for her and her best friend Neelan and new girl Noor, Chaya must confront how her rash decisions impact other people, no matter how good her intentions are. She only hopes they survive so she can apologize.

This is an action-packed middle-grade novel. Set in a kingdom ruled by a mean king and peopled with subjects hoping for the long return of the nicer, better brother. This was an enjoyable and quick read. The pacing was a little too fast, but I can see that being a draw for reluctant readers.

A worthy addition to library shelves looking to diversify collections.