The Girl Who Lost a Leopard

by Nizrana Farook

Overview

From the author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant comes another thrilling escapade set in fictional Sri Lanka.

Selvi is a free spirit who loves climbing in the beautiful mountains behind her home. There, she befriended Lokka, a leopard with a beautiful coat and huge golden eyes. Together, they roam the wilderness as they please.

But when hunters come with bows and arrows, Selvi knows she must stop them before they hurt Lokka. But what can she do against such powerful enemies, especially when the friends and family she turns to for help are not all they seem to be? To rescue her leopard friend, first Selvi must outwit the poachers and expose the mastermind behind it all.

With breezy chapters and lush, atmospheric settings, this action-adventure is a superb pick for young readers who enjoy stories with peril, friendship, and close encounters with the natural wild.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682637494
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	11/05/2024
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	803,390
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Nizrana Farook was born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the beautiful landscapes of her home country find their way into the stories she writes. She graduated from Bath Spa University with an MA in Writing for Young People and lives in England with her husband and two daughters.

Fans of Nizrana Farook’s The Girl Who Stole an Elephant and The Boy Who Met a Whale

Collection developers seeking authentic representations of Asian protagonists by Asian authors

Animal lovers, and budding environmentalists will love exploring the Sri Lankan wilderness through this action-packed novel

Adventure seekers that enjoy thrilling stories with plenty of genuine character development

Editorial Reviews

"[A] well-written storyline with a strong setting and atmosphere."—Kirkus Reviews

"A dramatic, feel-good story. . . ."—Booklist

From the Publisher

2023-02-25
Adventure, friendship, and activism intertwine in this middle-grade novel.

Set in the island country of Serendib, which reads like an alternate Sri Lanka, this story brings readers into the world of leopards, toque macaques, and nelu flowers, which bloom every 12 years. Eleven-year-old Selvi is a loner and outsider in her school class. To fill the loneliness, she often romps with Lokka, a wild leopard she has befriended. One morning she is horrified to discover hunters illegally pursuing her beloved Lokka. She screams and the poachers come after her instead. Fleeing, Selvi stumbles upon the home of Amir, a boy in her class who hangs out with the mean kids. Amir becomes curious about Selvi and follows her, discovering her friendship with the leopard. Meanwhile, Selvi is desperate to protect the leopard from the poachers and at first shuns Amir’s offer of help, not trusting him. But eventually the two bond and work together to expose a poaching ring. While the story is not a nuanced one—characters are good or bad—and Amir’s transition from untrustworthy to trustworthy is delivered swiftly, it is full of well-written adventure and presents the time-honored theme of the value of friendship. Its evocation of setting is a strong point, as it includes descriptions of many flowers, birds, and animals, creating a strong sense of place.

A straightforward, well-written storyline with a strong setting and atmosphere. (map) (Adventure. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews