Chaya is a thief who has stolen some of the queen's jewels. Hiding them in a carved box in her friend Neelan's store, she believes all is well until Nour, whilst shopping with her father, insists on having the box in which the jewels are hidden. When the king discovers the theft, Chaya, Neela and Nour's lives are changed forever.
The three main characters are all strong in their own right but are very different to one another which helps to enrich the story: Chaya is feisty, brave and refuses to be beaten (what a great message to send out) and is somewhat of a modern-day Robin Hood; she's somebody you warm to very quickly (despite her thieving ways!). Neelan is a proud young man who is fiercely loyal to his friend, even if it results in his death (I'm not advocating the death bit!) - I just wanted to hug him! Nour is a lonely but proud girl who is desperate to be liked and accepted but feels very different & struggles to know how to fit in; especially with Chaya and Neelan. Together, they are wonderful to get to know and you very quickly find yourself routing for them.
A stolen elephant, an adventure through the jungle and a race to save their town; this is a wonderfully written book from which you can feel the warmth of the Serendib landscape and the riches of the jungle radiating from the pages. The Girl Who Stole An Elephant is a story of friendship, loyalty, of challenging stereo-types, resilience and determination, and I highly recommend it!
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