Book Review: The Girl Who Stole an Elephant
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 The Girl Who Stole an Elephant is a fast paced middle grade novel with some really great elements, that don’t quite come together.
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Chaya is a young thief with a Robin Hood vibe. Unfortunately, a heist gone too far gets her best friend arrested so she must break him out. With the help of a girl she doesn’t even particularly like, she makes a plan to free her innocent friend and escape. The three embark on a journey far away from the evil king hunting for them, but can they truly leave without looking back once they hear how the kind is treating the village due to Chaya’s mistake?
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I felt there were some really beautiful parts of the friendship between Chaya and Neel and a good lesson on treating others with kindness even when they are different from you. The story was adventurous and even had a small twist near the end that was enjoyable, but I was missing some depth and connection between the plot and the characters and the ending came a bit too easily. Overall an enjoyable read that fans of a quick paced adventure story will like.

Chaya is a girl who just wants to take care of those who need help in her community. But she chooses to do so by stealing from the rich to give to the poor. When she decides to steal the Queen's jewels things start to spiral and she is launched into an adventure for which she cannot plan the outcome.
Set in Sri Lanka, this book made me feel that I was in the jungle with Chaya and friends. I appreciated that Chaya, although she sees herself as this chivalrous and good person, also has to learn to contend with her own biases too. She still has some lessons to learn as the book concludes, but she has grown as a character.

This is a novel where events unfold at a rapid fire pace. Probably for readers on the lower end of the middle grade range, this will be one that you will want to discuss with your kids so they are sure to learn from Chaya's wins and mistakes.

This wasn't my cup of tea. Though I often love MG, this was a lower MG book that read more like chapter books with writing that stated what happened but without voice or a writing style that drew me in. 

I did enjoy the setting, and the fun adventure with an elephant. The conflicts in the book were solved so quickly and easily that there wasn't much tension, but for young readers it could be an enjoyable fast-paced tale. 

Even so, I wish the characters were a bit more developed, and I definitely could have done without the main character's persistent meanness towards the other girl. 

-- Chaya is fiery, and brave -- but also reckless, unkind towards those different than she is, condescending, and sometimes just downright mean-spirited. 

-- Neel is kind and selfless to a fault, willing to literally die for his friends, a peacekeeper, sometimes judgemental, but without much depth or nuance. 

-- And Nour is rich, naive, and lonely. At first she's shown as clever, but later she's portrayed as clueless, also easily scared and prone to overreacting. 

Also, I always dislike it when characters have similar names, like two names that both start with N and have 4 letters. It makes me have a really hard time remembering who is who. 

Overall, I think a MG kid could love this if they're fans of conflict that isn't too intense and doesn't last too long before it's resolved. Especially if they really love elephants.

Unfortunately I didn't finish this book, because I found it very hard to get invested in the story. I was intruiged by the premise, but the main character didn't really stand out to me and as the book continued past the first three chapters, we didn't learn more about who she was and what she truly cared about. I also had quite a hard time visualizing what was happening since very few visual details were provided. I'm very sad that this didn't live up to my expectations, but thank you to the publisher for the chance to read it anyway.

-`ˏ 3 stars ˎ´˗

Everyone will experience the consequences of his own acts. If his act is right, he'll get good consequences; if they're not, he'll suffer for it. — Harry Brown

Storyline: -`ˏ 5/10 ˎ´˗
A thrilling adventure of a klepto-Robin Hood and friends, saving (and destroying) their village in an attempt to earn money to save a boy's leg.

Characters: -`ˏ 4/10 ˎ´˗
Chaya is a disaster on the loose. Whoever crosses her way seems to face losses. “Who would have thought the villagers would turn against them.” Um, I don't know Chaya there are approximately 20 reasons why they should and that is being generous. They try to create the impression that she was generous and that all her actions were for the greater good. Despite that, it’s more her personality that is questionable.  She’s snappy and very self-entitled. Demonstrates no respect for adults, disregarding their warnings and advice. I didn’t like how she belittled Nour, she was put into a situation that went off the rails and still tried to help. I need to applaud Neelan for risking his life, job, and possibly his family in order to protect Chaya. He displays the real signs of bravery, such a wise and caring boy. Nevertheless, Ananda, the elephant holds the title as my favorite character. 

Atmosphere: -`ˏ 5/10  ˎ´˗
The portions which took place in the jungle were very lush and detailed. Discussion on the environment, habits of animals, characteristics of plants, and the right thing to do in some situations was a nice added touch.

Language: -`ˏ 6/10 ˎ´˗
The chapters are very short, easy to read in one sitting. 

Enjoyment: -`ˏ 3/10 ˎ´˗
The end was disappointing and anti-climatic. What Chaya did at the end was unwarranted and contradict the positive reasoning behind her past actions.

I read this book in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down! The pacing is excellent, the plot is enthralling, and the characters leap off the page and into your heart. Chaya is a fantastic heroine with a wonderful voice. I loved her thieving exploits, and I enjoyed getting to watch her grow as a person as she makes new friends and comes to new conclusions about the world. The friendships are extremely strong, and it was so fun to experience and learn about Sri Lanka through the eyes of this young girl. I definitely recommend diving into this adventurous middle-grade novel!

Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy. What a thrilling adventure! The combination of strong heroic women and adventure set in India is a wonderful tale. I appreciate that this novel was clean, without expletives, violence, or intimacy. This was an easy read without a lot of foreign language words. The adventure twists wouldn't let me put this book down. While the main character is female, this book would appeal to boys as well. The added Muslim character, their interaction, and friendship was a nice touch. The basic premise of a fair ruler, poverty, and citizen's well-being is a universal theme, and I can't wait to purchase this edition for my school library.

Dnf at 15%
I didn't like the writing and I thought the pacing was off. This just really wasn't for me.

A delightful, cinematic story that reads like a Disney movie set in the jungles of Sri Lanka. Recommended for middle grade and adults alike.

The title is not that striking, but my mother loves elephants, so I noticed this title. I have had several positive experiences with stories set in Eastern Asia or similar setting, like the Conch Bearer by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. This was no exception. This is an adorable story.

The Girl Who Stole an Elephant
By Nizrana Farook

Chaya steals from the rich and helps the poor survive an oppressive king. Her best friend tries to reign her in but she is irrepressible. When a theft of some royal jewels goes awry, she tries to set things right, but makes everything so much worse. She’s not sure if she can make things right again. And… she steals an elephant, of course.

The story is non-stop action and trouble! The pacing for a middle grade story was perfect! I read this book in two sittings, both at night, when I should have been sleeping. I couldn’t put it down!

I love this character! Chaya is always doing, always charging headlong into trouble. She is so optimistically certain she can fix everything. She thinks of solutions to her problems, but never thinks about the consequences beyond the next step. This character flaw makes her human and makes her relatable. Well at least for me—I’ve never been good at chess.


The author did a good job of creating a character that never stops to think 2 steps ahead. In Klaassen’s book, Scenes and Sequels, he writes about…um…scenes and sequels. Scenes in this sense are the sequences of action. Sequels are the moments of reflection that come after the action. Depending on the writer or the characters or the story, sequels are sometimes long and go on for pages and pages. Sometimes, as with this book, sequels are very short–only a sentence or two.

For example:

Chaya in chapter 1 stole some of the queen’s jewels. She jumped and climbed and scrambled to escape. Then we get a paragraph of sequel:

“It was pandemonium down there. The crowds were scattered and panicked, clusters of people moving in different directions. The King, standing out in his golden encrusted waistcoat, had come down from the dais and was roaring at his staff. The Queen and her procession of ladies were being guided out of the promenade up to the palace. The manhouts on the green were trying desperately to calm the confused charges and stop them from running amok. In the middle of it all, Ananda lifted up his majestic head and trumpeted loudly into the blue, blue sky.”

The Girl who Stole an Elephant pg 8 by Nizrana Farook
She didn’t reflect much on her own actions, just watched all the chaos she caused. On the next page she takes a moment to wonder,

“Chaya wondered what was happening at the royal palace at that moment. She’d lost them, but would they just give up? Surely they’d continue to look for her?”

The Girl who Stole an Elephant pg 10 by Nizrana Farook
This character, in her headlong action, does precious little reflecting. This keeps the pacing very fast, very engaging, and fun. Other stories and genres and characters spend more time reflecting and processing the action events. This is partly why I struggle to enjoy literary fiction. It almost always feels very slow paced because they spend so much time in sequel that the action scene never happens.

Another thing commonly done with sequel scenes is that the reflection is done through or alongside dialogue. If your characters experienced the action scene together, they might talk about what happened and process it together. With the scene above, she experienced the action alone. She is now processing her actions and the response in between her dialogue with her friend, Neel. He has no idea what just happened, but he can tell she is distracted by something (her thoughts). This helps keep the pace fast and keep engagement high. In a way, you are weaving the necessary sequel with the next action scene, because that does turn out that she asks Neel to hide the jewels for her.

Overall, these characters are lovable. The story is sweet. The plot…a little unrealistic. It is naïve and simplistic–not even a tiny bit gritty. So basically, a delightful escape from reality. I loved it! Totally appropriate for kids 3rd grade and up.

Chaya, a no-nonsense, outspoken hero, leads her friends and a gorgeous elephant on a noisy, fraught, joyous adventure through the jungle where revolution is stirring and leeches lurk. Will stealing the queen’s jewels be the beginning or the end of everything for the intrepid gang?

This was an entertaining read- full of action and adventure. I liked the way the author built the world and I also liked reading about Sri Lankan culture and traditions. 
At first I found the main character Chaya a bit annoying and impulsive. But I liked how she developed into a sympathetic and a caring character. 
I liked the plot it was fun and fast paced. I found the storyline predictable but I liked the way the author executed it.
I felt the ending was very rushed and abrupt. There were some storylines which were left unresolved, so it left me a bit unsatisfied. 
Overall it was an enjoyable read and young readers will definitely love it. It's a perfect book for the fans of Aladdin and Robin Hood.

Thank you to Netgalley and  the publisher for the opportunity to read The Girl who Stole the Elephant. 
I have mixed feelings about this book. To start on a positive note, I think that middle grade students would love this story. It is full of adventure, bravery, and courage. I also think that it will peak students' interests in other cultures. 
The part I didn't really like was the ending. I felt that it was too abrupt for all that had happened in the story. 
I will recommend this book to the targeted audience!

This was cute. It was like Aladdin meets Robin Hood with a female protagonist.

Chaya is a young girl who steals from the rich to support the poor people in her village. She steals with the best of intentions and even tried to take the Queen's jewels back once she saw the tragedy her actions were bringing down on village. Unfortunately, it was too late and Chaya, along with her friends Neel and Nour, became fast enemies of the king as they staged a jailbreak and stole his elephant.

This story was fun, fast-paced, and easy to read. It dealt with themes of friendship, family, and taking care of one another.

So why only 3 stars then? Although it was cute and I enjoyed my time with it, it's not the kind of story that leaves a lasting impression. It was just alright and I don't think it's one I'll think about again. Good for a one time read.

An unjust king uses his power to control his people and maintain his wealth. Chaya steals royal jewels from the palace to help a family in need, but accidentally sets off a chain of events with untold consequences. 

I enjoyed this middle-grade novel. It had a lovable cast of characters that grew and changed as the story progressed. This book is definitely geared towards the lower end of middle-grade and the pacing/plot showcase this. There is not a lot of hardship for the characters and they are able to do awe-inspiring feats without much of a challenge. The plot also progresses so fast, it is almost difficult to keep up with how fast it is going. I was a little disappointed, that the plot resolved so quickly after the build-up to the ending. However, I do feel that this a quilty adventure novel that will keep young readers reading to find out about Chaya and her friends' jungle adventure.

:: SPOILER ALERT ::

I found the story very interesting. Fast-paced and it kept my interest. I liked that Chaya had a conscious and thought about how her actions affected the ones she loved and her entire village. She didn't act in a vacuum. 

What I didn't like, and found it rushed, was the ending. Sure, the entire book is incredulous (children breaking out of jail and surviving in a wild jungle), but the end could have been fleshed out a bit more. That a ruthless, egoistic king would surrender so easily didn't go with his character. He didn't put up any fight at all? Really? It could have used a couple of more chapters to give this scenario a bit more believability. Of course, the children weren't going to die (it's a children's book), but after chapter upon chapter of riding through the jungle the author could have written a few more on the revolution.   

Also, I kept expecting Nour to turn out to be a secret princess. Anybody else?

Definitely one of my favorite middle grades ive read about growing up south asian. such a sweet story and full of what it means to learn to believe in yourself and strike out on your own path in life.

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.

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

Great book! Would be a fun read aloud for a 4th - 6th grade class and the story lends itself to some great discussions about right and wrong. The setting in Sri Lanka was excellent and Farook developed the setting in such a way that it almost felt like an additional character in the book (which I absolutely love!!) Looking forward to introducing my students to Chaya.

With thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Publishing Company for an early copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to review. 

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.  

This was a very enjoyable middle grade full of adventure! This book was full of diversity in characters as well as culture, which is always refreshing in any genre—but especially in middle grade books. Our cast of characters, specifically our three main friends, made the story what it was and were pretty well developed. There was also a lot of useful information in this story about the jungle, its inhabitants and their lifestyles. 

However, this book is VERY fast paced, almost too quick for its own good. The resolution is wrapped up in one of this book’s already short chapters and the villain of the story gives in with one sentence. Many of the characters’ mindsets change in a similar manner, their rebuttals taken back after only a few words exchanged. Seeing as I’m not the target audience for this, though, I can look over the quick pacing and easily solved resolutions and appreciate the story for what it was. From that viewpoint, The Girl Who Stole an Elephant was an enjoyable tale of friendship, culture and full of lessons that anyone who reads it could learn.