Publication Date: 2 January 2020

The Blurb

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?

Cover illustration by David Dean

The Review

Jewels and jungle, rebels and revolution, The Girl Who Stole An Elephant is a dazzling, daring fight for survival against a ruthless King.

The rich, descriptive language transports the reader to the sunsoaked land, moving from the poverty of the villages to the excesses of the city and palace with ease. The jungle is lush, vibrant while danger lurks in different forms beneath the canopy.

Chaya’s relationships with Neel and Nour tease out her character traits; fiercely loyal, stubbornly independent, a strong sense of justice that guides her moral misdemeanours.

Throughout the story, Chaya’s ability to be the leader of the group, and the mastermind behind the theft, is mocked and laughed at purely on the basis of her gender, opening discussions regarding gender stereotyping.

Great for fans of:

• Asha And The Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan
• The Elephant Thief by Jane Kerr
• The Girl, The Cat And The Navigator by Matilda Woods

Head over to Nosy Crow to read the first chapters.