The Girl Who Lost a Leopard

I loved Nizrana's previous books and was so excited to get a sneaky preview via Netgalley!
This book does not disappoint, the same pace and interest as her previous titles, with characters you just love instantly.

In this story Selvi is a young girl living in Serendib (which I had to look up and is the Persian be for Sri Lanka.) She is close to nature and has befriended a leopard. Selvi is new to her school and hasn't yet made any friends, other than her Lokka. Find out what happens when you mix in friendships, poachers, controlling uncles and a stunning landscape.

I was lucky enough to be approved to read a proof copy of Nizrana’s new book on netgalley (thank you to netgalley and the publisher) and I have raced through it. I love Nizrana’s books for their simplicity; they have beautiful descriptions that you can picture in an instant, short chapters that are fast paced and exciting plots that often contain messages about friendship, the beauty and importance of nature and it’s creatures and standing up for what you believe in.
This title does just that. The main protagonist, Selvi, has befriended a leopard and will do whatever it takes to keep it safe. Follow her adventure as she uncovers some difficult lessons about poaching, the truth about a family member and the meaning of true friendship.

Another fantastic book by Nizrana Farook. I absolutely loved reading this and can’t wait to read more books by Farook

I’m a big fan of Nizrana Farook and so was delighted to return to Sri Lanka for another wild escapade. The Girl Who Lost a Leopard is another great adventure story, suitable for pupils in Year 4 and above. In this book we join Selvi as she attempts to save a beloved leopard from cruel poachers.

I love how Farook’s books act as a springboard to discussion around challenging topics facing our world today. The simplicity of her stories makes them easy and engaging for readers whilst offering great insight into the plight of wildlife in our world.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC - I very much look forward to adding this book to my classroom bookshelf.

This is the heartwarming story of a young girl and her friends, who form a bond with a wild leopard, later saving it from a group of poachers. This book hooked me in straight away and I loved every moment. Selvi is a brave, strong female character who alongside her friends achieves an impossible feat. The story also teaches children about the importance of nature and stopping poaching, in an exciting and interesting way. Loved it and will definitely be recommending this book to the children in my class.

Farook has done a wonderful job in penning a story apt for her target audience; right from font size, length of chapters, to language and description is perfectly suited for middle-graders.
There’s a lot of action and adventure which is sure to keep the young readers hooked. But this is not just an adventure story. There are beautiful messages being shared, and they don’t sound preachy at all. Children would learn about living in harmony with nature, familial ties, the power of friendship, and kindness towards animals in a fun and exciting manner.
I love stories that have a satisfactory resolution and character arc. In this story, not only the main character Selvi, even her mother, friends, and aunt’s arc show completion. A big plus for me!
There are a few bits that may seem far-fetched for adult readers but would make perfect sense to the middle-graders.
The Girl Who Lost A Leopard is a joy to read, and I am sure children would enjoy it a lot.

Pacy, gripping writing with extraordinary, atmospheric world-building. The cliff scenes in Ch12-14 - WOW. And the wonder of it all. A girl who runs with a leopard! Just amazing. Love everything Nizrana Farook writes.

Publishing on 7th April is this third fabulous novel from Nizrana Farook. Following on from The Girl Who Stole An Elephant and The Boy Who Met a Whale, this is probably my favourite of the three - and I love them all - due to its fast pace, rich setting and satisfying resolution.

Selvi enjoys spending her days alone, climbing the mountains of her island home, Serendib, often accompanied by Lokka, a wild leopard. But when she stumbles across an illegal poaching ring, who are determined to ensnare Lokka for his extraordinary coat, Selvi must act fast if she wants to save her beloved friend.

Struggling alone, Selvi begins to open up to her classmates. Soon she's surrounded by children who want to help. But can they get to Lokka in time and who is really responsible for his capture?

This is the second animal adventure novel I've read this month and they are quickly becoming one my favourite genres. Just like in The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold and Levi Pinfold, The Girl Who Lost a Leopard focuses on a child's extraordinary bond with a beautiful wild creature and explores how that bond helps them deal with their internal struggles. However, whereas the pace of The Lost Whale bobs along like the tide, building to a brilliant and tense dramatic climax in the same way a whale breaches the surface of the ocean, this novel is pacier from the off, the short chapters often ending in tense cliff-hanger endings that had me gripped.

The connecting link between all of Nizrana Farook's novels is the setting. The fictional island of Serendib, part of Sri Lanka, hosts all three stories and yet each time we are exposed to a completely different part of the island- the city, the coast and now the jungle covered mountains- making each one feel fresh and different. The plot has more twists and turns than a mountain path and the twist at the end is particularly brilliant. Selvi proves herself to be another strong and determined female lead but I also love her vulnerability and her burgeoning friendships prove particularly touching.

As with The Lost Whale, the novel emcompasses a serious ecological message without being didactic and the discussion Selvi has with her teacher and classmates about poaching is one of my favourite scenes in the book. There's also themes of friendship, family, loyalty, morality, made all the more beautiful by Lokka's blazing presence. It's heartwarming, nail-biting but, best of all, empowering and I can't wait to see it on the shelves in April.

A big thanks to Netgalley and Nosy Crow for allowing me a review copy. The Girl Who Lost a Leopard is now available to pre-order.

Another page-turning animal adventure in a beautiful setting from Nizrana Farook. With fabulous characters and rich, evocative description teamed with a fast-paced plot, Selvi and Lokka's story had me hooked from the start.

Truly loved this book and and I now must go and read the preceding two, not that it's a prerequisite as they are stand alone titles. Breathtaking is the word I'd used if I could only use one. It tells the tale of Selvi, a friendless wildling, who has a deep connection with Lokka the leopard.

When Lokka’s freedom is threatened by poachers Selvi fights, with the help of some unlikely allies in this perilous page turner. There's dreamt vocabular from Nizrana and I loved learning about animals, foods and plants that I’m not familiar with that are native to Sri Lanka. An absolute must read.

Nizrana Farook has her finger on the pulse of the kindred relationship between an animal and a trustworthy and kind child. We have witnessed this before in both of her previous books, and Selvi with Lokka is the same.

Selvi lives in the mountains on Serendib and there are plenty of leopards in the area, mostly keeping to themselves and away from humans. Solitary creatures, they hunt at night and sleep much of the day. Lokka is the most beautiful leopard in all of Serendib, which makes it even more dangerous for him. Poachers roam this land for treasures of the animal variety and Lokka will fetch a pretty penny at the port.

A local hunter has his eyes on Lokka but Selvi has her eyes on him too and will do everything to protect her kindred spirit. Beautifully written, this story is all too real, with animals being hunted for their fur, bones and skins to be sold, made into medicines or to be kept as trophies. Selvi is aware of the dangers in facing this poaching ring but she may not be prepared for just how close to home it reaches. Forced at times to choose between Lokka and her family, Selvi knows just what she must do and there is a true sense of connection between her and Lokka, with their morning sprints, his awareness and protection of her in the face of poachers.

I loved the character of Selvi, her utmost belief in Lokka and her determination to protect and save him, the true king of the mountains.

Another wonderfully told tale and I do so hope there will be more from Nizrana and Serendib!

This book is everything I would come to expect from Nizrana Farook's books. Vivid settings, strong characters and a wonderful, magical storyline. I was certainly not disappointed. Thank you for the ARC.

A roaring adventure! I love Selvi, her wildness, kindness and brilliance! Am amazed by the close encounter author Nizrana offers with Lokka, the leopard through Selvi, and the climax is just wow!

Thank you Nosy Crow and Netgalley for the eARC.

"I loved this story, it was exciting and I read it fast to see what would happen...." High praise indeed from my 8 year old avid reader!

The girl who lost a leopard by Nazrana Farouk
Published by Nosy Crow

Another fast-paced novel full of beautiful narrative that takes you right into the heart of Sri Lanka.
Selvi, a wild child who loves climbing in the beautiful mountains and through the deep forest with all its wild content, struggles to conform to her mother’s rules and those of the classroom.

Joanne Bardgett - Year 3 teacher of littlies, lover of books.
#Netgallery
#nosycrow

The Girl Who Lost a Leopard is another wonderful adventure in Nizrana Farook's signature style. Readers are transported to a world where nature and human life entwine. Themes of conservation, loyalty, trust and determination will inspire children to look beyond their everday and find ways they can make a difference.

I have read and shared Nizrana Farook's previous titles - both I and the children at school enjoyed them, so this title had a lot to live up to! Selvi is a strong character and although her home and life might be very different, I thought she was easy to relate too. She and her mum work hard following the death of her father (this has happened before the story opens). Selvi has recently started school and is finding it difficult to adapt and make friends. She loves spending time in the jungle near her home and has a special connection with the leopard of the title. However, once this connection is discovered both Selvi and the leopard are in danger... A fabulous adventure story, this would work well as an end of day read for years 3 and 4 with lots to discuss, or for readers in year 5 and above to read for themselves. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Although I’ve wanted to read one of Nizrana Farook’s books for a while, I’ve never managed to swipe any of her books from by class library quick enough, because they are always taken by children in my class. Having been lucky enough to have secured an advanced copy of The Girl Who Lost a Leopard on NetGalley I can absolutely see why my class never put her books’ down!
This boo is full of hidden surprises, even as an adult I absolutely didn’t anticipate parts until they were revealed. This is what makes a book compelling to read for me.
An absolute must for any animal loving child’s bookshelf.

I absolutely loved this story, it transported me to a place I’ve never been and a life I could never have imagined. Selvi is an extremely likeable character, and of course so is Lokka. I would recommend this to anyone who loves stories from other cultures.

Nizrana Farook yet again pulls us into the marvellous worlds she describes so eloquently. I challenge any reader to not feel they want to he running with the characters in the book trying to protect the leopard. Each page left me wanting to read on and on. A great story for adventurous children (and clearly adults too as I loved it)

I really enjoyed Nizrana Farook’s The Girl Who Stole An Elephant, so I was really happy to read another animal-based adventure from her. As a complete cat obsessive, I was taken in by the beautiful leopard on the cover too!

In a fictional Sri Lanka, Selvi loves walking and playing in the beautiful land around her village. She is often joined by a stunning golden leopard called Lokka but hunters are after the unique, valuable cat. Selvi will do anything she can to keep her leopard safe but she’ll need some help to make a plan against a group of determined poachers.

The descriptions of the landscape took my breath away. I didn’t want to stop wandering through the trees, cool waters or soft patches of earth. Selvi’s home sounded like a paradise that has been virtually untouched by human activity but the fact that evil still lurks there is heartbreaking. Of course, this is accurate to our world too. Even the most beautiful places on our planet will be plagued by humans trying to destroy it and use it for their own benefit.

I have been lucky enough to have seen many leopards in my time but Lokka was undoubtedly a special animal. He seemed to have a magical shimmer to him and I was completely mesmerised whenever he appeared. While real leopards might not ‘shimmer’ in the same way that he does, leopards at a very real risk of being killed for their fur and bones. The whole book reminded me of that and made me want to do even more to help save them.

The Girl Who Lost A Leopard is an exciting adventure with animal welfare at its centre. It’s about standing up for what you know is right, using true friendship to overcome evil and injustice and even learning to let go of things when the time is right. Selvi is a fantastic heroine whose cause I was always firmly behind and I loved that some of the characters were given redemption arcs by the end, while the real villains were exposed. Beautiful writing and gorgeous imagery kept the pages turning!

The Girl who lost a Leopard is another sure fire hit for author Nizraa Farook. The book is set on the island of Serendib (Sri Lanka) and it opens with the main character named Selvi, who watches as hunters are trying to bait and trap a leopard - her leopard - Lokka. Lokka is a wild leopard who has an affinity with the wild protagonist. Just like Lokka, Selvi wants to run free, but she is constrained by school and she also battles with her uncle who thinks she needs to be 'tamed.'


The story unfolds with interwoven problems threaded through its pages - Selvi trying to save Lokka from being hunted, trapped and sold to a trader; friendship; and family problems. The text is fast-paced and would be a great class read for KS2 - both lower and upper levels. I particularly liked how Farook wove in the issue of animal endangerment and the possibility of leopards becoming extinct - this lends itself to lots of scope for classroom discussions.


Farook's characters are always very vivid and realistic and Lokka and Selvi are of no exception. A recommendable read that would be enjoyed by those aged 9+.

Selvi loves roaming free and climbing in the beautiful mountains behind her home. She is often joined by an extraordinary companion, Lokka - a leopard with an unusual golden coat. Because of its unique fur, the leopard is being targeted by poachers. When hunters come for Lokka, Selvi is determined to fight. But how can she outwit such powerful enemies? Will the girl be able to find and save her beloved friend?

'The Girl Who Lost a Leopard' is Nizrana Farook's third book and they just keep getting better! I loved being back in Serendib, surrounded by the mountains and exotic plants. Nizrana Farook is a brilliant storyteller and she expertly doses suspense in her story. You'll find yourself saying, 'Just one more chapter...' And the chapters are of just perfect length - I think it's particularly important for less confident readers (and the more confident ones). Packed with peril, cliffhangers (quite literally) poachers and a majestic leopard, it's a gripping read. I really like Selvi as a character and her bond with Lokka is truly special.

'The Girl Who Lost a Leopard' is a fast-paced book about friendship and loyalty and finding yourself. It raises important questions about conservation and human settlements encroaching on the natural habitat of animals such as the leopard. It opens up many important discussions about poaching and 'traditional' roles and expectations of men and women. It's a brilliant book to be shared with your children and pupils.

'The Girl Who Lost a Leopard' was published by @nosycrow earlier this month. (Thank you Sîan for my gifted copy for review.) I'm already looking forward to Nizrana Farook's next book!

This was a wonderful adventure from Nizrana Farook. I raced through it, desperate to learn of the fate of the leopard and that of Selvi and Amir. As an adult reader, I did quickly catch on to a link between 2 characters but this didn't spoil the story, and I'm sure it would be a lot less clear to the target audience.
The descriptive language built a beautiful picture of the jungle where Lokka the leopard lived and I really felt for new girl Selvi who hadn't yet made any friends at school.

As well as a class read aloud for Key Stage 2, this would be a brilliant book to promote discussion about the ethics around hunting animals for their coats/medicine.

Set on the same island, Serendip, as her previous 2 novels, this follows Selvi who runs free and is friendly with Lola, a wild leopard. The hunters are interested, and Selvi, with her new friends, tries to keep the leopard safe. She finds out that all is not as it seems with her uncle, and foils the plot to sell Lola. A fast paced and exciting read, it is atmospheric and beautifully written. More please!

Our protagonist is Selvi, is a girl living on the island of Serendip with her mother, who works incredibly hard to make ends meet. They lead a simple life in an area surrounded by mountains, jungle and wildlife. The story begins, and we are introduced to Selvi’s best friend in the whole world - Lokka, a wild leopard. Not just any leopard, but one with rare golden ring patterned fur. Farook sets an inspiring scene describing the beautiful mountainous surroundings, the flowers and trees that are to be found in Sri Lanka, her home country.

The timeline of the book begins with a poacher’s arrow shooting towards Lokka. The reader follows Selvi and her experiences along a gripping adventure as she tries to prevent Lokka’s capture and being sold to the highest bidder by the poaching ring boss’s deadline. Woven seamlessly around the key conservation storyline is Selvi’s own emotional journey and friendship development. She has only recently been ‘allowed’ to attend school. Her mother’s brother (Uncle Kangaraja, a local man of status and power) had managed to keep her from school for so long and only with the influence and persistence of local teacher, Miss Heba, Selvi’s mother finally relents. Selvi’s world had been so small, traditional, simple. Going to school, already such a headstrong and self-sufficient girl (who can climb any mountain), she has to learn the difference between her friendship with Lokka and her friendships with the children from her new school whom she must learn to trust .

One day, one of the ‘mean’ kids in the class, Amir, discovers Selvi’s secret friendship with Lokka. What follows is a testing scenario of whether to let anyone into her world, a world that is emotive and fragile - just for her and Lokka. As with any child who is vulnerable, but incredibly tough, it’s not easy to trust and let others in, especially when the very little they hold sacred is at risk of being taken away. Forced to take a leap of faith following a near death accident when Amir, Selvi and Lokka fall over a precipice (I know!), Selvi realises that she alone won’t be able to outwit the poachers to keep Lokka safe.

Gradually the chatter in the classroom turns more and more to leopards and in a lovely moment we learn about Selvi’s fondness for her new teacher who “didn’t like being disturbed, but if there was a topic that everyone was interested in, she’d stop the lesson and discuss it.” The children learn that although there are leopards all over the island regardless of the change in landscape, there is a growing issue that where the number of humans increase, then the leopards’ territory decreases. This is unfortunately when a leopard can stray into a village and get killed to protect villagers. A debate occurs between the children at one point as to whether it is right to kill them, even for money; and in Lokka’s case, he’s rare and worth a fortune!

During a visit to Selvi’s Uncle’s house. Selvi discovers something truly alarming (I won’t ruin it for you!). There’s a banging at the door, it’s the children from school who have come to ‘rescue’ Selvi… they employ Satyagraha (Sanskrit, meaning "Truth-force”)… sitting in silent protest together at the front of the house refusing to leave… a non-violent philosophy term coined by Mahatma Gandhi in the early 1900s in India. The children had come to realise that the priority is to rescue, conserve, protect wild animals from all humans, even those who mean no harm like Selvi and her loyal friends, who had also learned to love Lokka.

Will they manage to stop the poaching ring and save Lokka before it’s too late!?

One of my favourite atmospheric scenes is when Selvi and Amir spot Lokka in the wild “gazing over his kingdom majestically” surrounded by the beautiful Serendip flowers, trees and mountains. Farook’s storytelling is engaging and relatable, taking friendship journeys children experience all around the world and placing them in a stunning setting steeped in rich and beautiful Sri Lankan culture and landscapes, whilst raising awareness of animal protection. I genuinely look forward to the new year knowing there's going to be new Nizrana Farook middle grade adventure out soon!!