How Kirsty Jenkins Stole the Elephant [Kindle Edition]

A well constructed narrative which combines the planning & execution of an audacious, crazy stunt with the sensitive & gently humourous treatment of the loss of a grandfather & its effect on a family. Recommended for 8 to 11 year olds

I have recently used this text as a basis for 4 weeks of shared and guided reading and writing with my Year 3/4 class; team Go...Go...Go... It has been one of my most successful and enjoyable experiences in the classroom. The text is engaging, funny, pacey and, packed full of all the things you spend time trying to get your children to use in their writing. It is the best ever source of similes. I spent some time asking children what they thought to it; their comments left me in no doubt as to the extent of their engagement with this text;many comments were made about the humour and the similes, about the totally believeable characters and their determination to succeed. Whilst it was funny and realistic, it was sad and moving also. Children always had great thinking questions to ask after each reading session. Several children went out and bought the book and out of 28 children, 27 said they loved it, the other one recognised that it wasn't to his usual taste but he had enjoyed it nevertheless. I cannot recommend this book highly enough; each session ended with groans when it was time to stop reading and, when we finally got to the last line, the children broke into spontaneous applause. A truly great read on all levels; labelled by the chilkdren as a real rollercoaster which hooks you in and keeps you dangling; full of cliffhangers which always leave you wanting more. It will be hard to follow.

At first view, this is a book about a heist - a very unusual heist, with a stuffed elephant as the target. But as you read on, you discover that it is in fact about family, and belonging. Kirsty loses her beloved grandad, and before he dies she promises she will maintain his allotment. But the adult world sees things differently, and Kirsty, soon joined by her stepsister and brother, takes radical and madcap action to publicise her cause.
This book talks about grieving, and how hard it is sometimes for a young girl to understand the grown-up world. Kirsty is a determined, funny girl with a wild imagination, who will not give up when she meets difficulties: I was sad to bid goodbye to her at the end of the book. Elen Caldecott writes in a style which is deceptively simple: she is honest about death and bereavement, not glossing over the pain, but she writes with a light touch and a gentle humour which entertain and amuse. I look forward to her next book!