By Saviour Pirotta (author)
"Inspired by historic figures from the Golden Age of Islam, this dazzling quest brims with drama, danger, and themes of overcoming difference and finding home."
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
View All Editions (1)
Set in 798 CE, Saviour Pirotta’s An Elephant for the Emperor sees two boys from very different backgrounds transcend their differences through an elephant that’s fit for an emperor, and a perilous quest.
After arriving in Baghdad “jobless, penniless and homeless with only a qalam, a reed pen, to his name”, orphan Hudayn dreams of becoming a calligrapher like his grandfather. After being unfairly fired from his backbreaking job as a hospital cleaner, a golden opportunity comes Hudayn’s way when he’s invited to join a caravan that’s transporting gifts from the Caliph Haroun Al- Rashid to the emperor Charlemagne in Aachen.
An elephant called Abul Abbas is among the gifts, and through the journey Hudayn will create a bestiary of the animals he sees. Meanwhile, in the city of Damascus, spoilt fourteen-year-old Farouk steals his wealthy father’s prized falcon. As punishment, Farouk’s father forces him to join the caravan as a servant.
Farouk’s journey from a snooty, standoffish teenager to a wiser, more thoughtful young man comes largely from him forming a bond with Abul Abbas (having something to care for, that in turn steps up to protect you, is a magical thing, as he comes to realise), and both animal lovers and fans of adventure fiction will surely be entranced by Farouk’s story.
At once richly descriptive and accessible, with short chapters and a drama-driven plot, themes of trust, friendship, faith and respecting animals ripple through the life-changing voyage, which includes encountering pirates and surviving storms at sea en route to a transformative revelation: “Home, Abul Abbas had learnt, was the place where you were most loved”.
A thrilling quest by bestselling author Saviour Pirotta, set during the golden age of Islam in Baghdad, a treasure trove of excitement and adventure.
Read the full description
Two very different boys set out on an adventure they'll never forget... The year is 798CE in Baghdad.
Spoilt son of a wealthy merchant, Farouk, loses a valuable falcon of his father's, who decides to send him on the caravan travelling to see the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne in Aachen Germany, to teach him more responsibility.
Meanwhile, after being mistreated at the hospital he works at as a cleaner, bright young orphan Hudayn is going too - as well as an unruly elephant.
With sea storms and bandits at every turn, will they, and their faithful elephant, make it safely to the emperor's court?
Saviour Pirotta is the best-selling author of over 100 children's books. Based in the UK, his work ranges from novelty titles for toddlers to short novels and collections of fairy tales.
Born on the small island of Malta, his parents named him after Jesus the Saviour. He has a brother called Joseph and two aunts called Mary. His father was a carpenter. With such a name, people expected him to grow up liking Bible stories but, influenced by his granny, Saviour preferred pirate and ghost stories, especially the gruesome kind that keep you awake at night.
Saviour grew up speaking three languages, English, Maltese and Italian. The official language at school, however, was English and this is where he discovered the works of Rosemary Sutcliff and C. S. Lewis, which were to remain a big influence on him for the rest of his life. He also liked fantasy films with lots of special effects, especially 'Jason and the Argonauts' and 'The Thief of Baghdad'.
As a child he used to write poems, stories and plays which he performed with friends under a huge mulberry tree in a field. He sold his first work to a local radio station for five pounds and in 1982, he moved to England with the hope of becoming a professional writer.
His first job in the UK was adapting and directing a play based on a Maltese folk tale. Needless to say, it featured pirates. After that he spent eight years working as a storyteller for the Commonwealth Institute in London, visiting schools and libraries around Britain. His first book, Let the Shadows Fly , was published in 1986. Since then he has established himself as a versatile writer with many bestsellers to his record. He writes in English but his work has been translated into 28 languages to date.
Saviour is now a British citizen and lives in the World Heritage Site of Saltaire in Yorkshire.
(Author photo and biography taken from the author's website. Click here to visit it and see more of his work).
the best books for 9-12 year olds · the best books for teenagers
Hero the Highway Girl
The Girl Who Dreamed in Magic
Circus Maximus: Race to the Death
Umbrella Mouse to the Rescue
A thrilling quest by bestselling author Saviour Pirotta, set during the golden age of Islam in Baghdad, a treasure trove of excitement and adventure. Two very different boys set out on an adventure they'll never forget...
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed An Elephant for the Emperor and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
An Elephant for the Emperor features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Adventure Stories, Historical Fiction, Animal Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
An Elephant for the Emperor was written by Saviour Pirotta and published by Bloomsbury Education an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
An Elephant for the Emperor has 192 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
©PTC International Ltd T/A LoveReading is registered in England. Company number: 10193437. VAT number: 270 4538 09. Registered address: 157 Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3HP. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer
The National Year of Reading starts here. Join thousands of families and schools supporting reading for pleasure across the UK.