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Cuckoo and the Escape of the Little Elephant
As Karachi Zoo prepares for its inauguration by Fatima Jinnah, an unusual collection of animals led by a clumsy cuckoo attempt to help the zoo’s only elephant escape to freedom. Set in 1947 on the Indian subcontinent, this is first in the series of adventures centered on the notorious cuckoos. For children and adults.
“Very few Pakistani writers have taken up animals characters. Extremely engaging with a familiar setting” ~Rumana Husain
“A novella with complex characterizations and an enchantingly humorous tone that may prove irresistible for both children and adults” ~Tanveer Anjum, a poet, translator, and an academic.
"An engaging plot populated by interesting characters that makes for an enjoyable read" ~Books & Authors, DAWN
“Very few Pakistani writers have taken up animals characters. Extremely engaging with a familiar setting” ~Rumana Husain
“A novella with complex characterizations and an enchantingly humorous tone that may prove irresistible for both children and adults” ~Tanveer Anjum, a poet, translator, and an academic.
"An engaging plot populated by interesting characters that makes for an enjoyable read" ~Books & Authors, DAWN
- GenresFiction
160 pages, Paperback
First published November 14, 2014
3 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
About the author
Sajjad Haider
40 books4 followersSajjad Haider graduated from Ohio University with a Masters in Fine Arts. Previously a student of science, he was inspired to write his first novella while doing an internship at the National Geographic Society. Today, Sajjad works at a local studio in Karachi and writes for the love of it.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 4, 2015
I won this first-reads book from Goodreads.com.
A different kind of book for me. The story takes place in 1947 between the places of Pakistan and India and it is about a Cuckoo and his animal friends that try to save a very young elephant and to send him back home -India. All doesn't go well, so the story begins.
This is a short and somewhat interesting read.
A different kind of book for me. The story takes place in 1947 between the places of Pakistan and India and it is about a Cuckoo and his animal friends that try to save a very young elephant and to send him back home -India. All doesn't go well, so the story begins.
This is a short and somewhat interesting read.
January 16, 2015
If somebody writes a great write, people don't run around applauding the pencil, saying 'Oh, what a great pencil'...I'm a pencil in God's hands. For those of you in the cheap seats I'd like ya to clap your hands to this one the rest of you can just rattle your jewelry.
An Amazing write with passionate words. The story narrated by the cuckoo in the beginning is magnificent . This book is worth reading and even imaginary. The descriptions of each character and every moment is really well described. The writer knows a lot about birds and had really described them well, their behavior, their chirping, and fly. The use of character Ghafoor is amazing and his laughing voice is hilarious. It tells you a bit about Pakistani culture. The little innocent elephant quietness is imaginable. And the ending is marvelous.
An Amazing write with passionate words. The story narrated by the cuckoo in the beginning is magnificent . This book is worth reading and even imaginary. The descriptions of each character and every moment is really well described. The writer knows a lot about birds and had really described them well, their behavior, their chirping, and fly. The use of character Ghafoor is amazing and his laughing voice is hilarious. It tells you a bit about Pakistani culture. The little innocent elephant quietness is imaginable. And the ending is marvelous.
October 21, 2017
I received this as a goodreads giveaway.
A lovely folk tale told from the perspective of a cuckoo to a myna bird and eventually involving the myna in the adventure. This is a Pakistani tale written by a Pakistani author - and is in a style unfamiliar to many American readers - I've read some of the other reviews and feel that some of their critiques have to do with unfamiliarity with story telling in different cultures. I found the format charming.
The one area that did detract was what some have called editting, but I feel is most likely translation. I know several people for whom English is a second (or third) language and understand that our language is at leaast, idiosyncratic. There were a few true editorial issues, but most would have been fixed by a native English speaker editting after the translation.
I would like to read of other adventures Cuckoo and his friends find in life.
A lovely folk tale told from the perspective of a cuckoo to a myna bird and eventually involving the myna in the adventure. This is a Pakistani tale written by a Pakistani author - and is in a style unfamiliar to many American readers - I've read some of the other reviews and feel that some of their critiques have to do with unfamiliarity with story telling in different cultures. I found the format charming.
The one area that did detract was what some have called editting, but I feel is most likely translation. I know several people for whom English is a second (or third) language and understand that our language is at leaast, idiosyncratic. There were a few true editorial issues, but most would have been fixed by a native English speaker editting after the translation.
I would like to read of other adventures Cuckoo and his friends find in life.
August 6, 2017
I received this book in the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway
This is the first novella by the author and I regret to say it that it does not fulfill the needs to become a good novella. The story is much predictable and straight forward(nothing exciting that keeps the reader wanting to read more) and is told in a very boring and exhausting style (I found it very hard to read).The story may appeal to a young audience (12 years and below) but I do not think that it will appeal to older people. With due respect I think that such a story is not fit to be published; it fails at many fronts.
In the end I hope that in future the author shall try to bring out something better.
This is the first novella by the author and I regret to say it that it does not fulfill the needs to become a good novella. The story is much predictable and straight forward(nothing exciting that keeps the reader wanting to read more) and is told in a very boring and exhausting style (I found it very hard to read).The story may appeal to a young audience (12 years and below) but I do not think that it will appeal to older people. With due respect I think that such a story is not fit to be published; it fails at many fronts.
In the end I hope that in future the author shall try to bring out something better.
October 18, 2025
May be I am reading too much into the comprehension but still I think it was a good Allegory, A relaxing, light read after a hectic ER shift. Would recommend reading it in a green leafy surrounding.
March 16, 2015
This was the first book by a Pakistani author that I won through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. As if that wasn't enough to make it special, the book arrived the next day! Oh yeah :D Pakistan is home to many prolific writers and it is a source of great pride that the scope of Pakistani fiction in recent years has broadened.
I enjoyed the book. It was short and sweet! The writing was good and the story was engaging with a little emotional twist in the end. I don't want to give too much away because it's a novella and when you finally realise what had been happening all along it takes you by surprise and I don't want to ruin THAT!
Cuckoo was a loveable character and of course the Myna (who spoke Mayonese btw which I thought was very cute :P). Ghafoor the evil man who everyone will love to hate!
The interesting "facts" about the birds, subtle lessons about humans creating borders and misunderstanding everything with the animal kingdom (which is not really a kingdom btw :P) was fun. I would surely be passing this on to my nieces and nephews.
The author told me that he is planning to write another book in the series.. well good luck to you Sajjad and I would definitely be reading the next one in the Cuckoo Series :D
I enjoyed the book. It was short and sweet! The writing was good and the story was engaging with a little emotional twist in the end. I don't want to give too much away because it's a novella and when you finally realise what had been happening all along it takes you by surprise and I don't want to ruin THAT!
Cuckoo was a loveable character and of course the Myna (who spoke Mayonese btw which I thought was very cute :P). Ghafoor the evil man who everyone will love to hate!
The interesting "facts" about the birds, subtle lessons about humans creating borders and misunderstanding everything with the animal kingdom (which is not really a kingdom btw :P) was fun. I would surely be passing this on to my nieces and nephews.
The author told me that he is planning to write another book in the series.. well good luck to you Sajjad and I would definitely be reading the next one in the Cuckoo Series :D
November 25, 2015
Was a pleasantly enjoyable Goodreads Giveaway book that I received a few weeks ago. A fun little tale of a band of animals led by a cuckoo trying to help a little elephant escape captivity. Nicely told from the perspective of the Cuckoo (often being related in folk tale form to a myna bird), the story has fun twists and turns and fun pace to it. While the prose is good, the layout and editing could be tightened up a bit to make it all the more enjoyable.
January 14, 2016
A small but very unusual collection of animals all get together for the sake of helping a little elephant escape from the zoo to freedom.
The concept of this story is imaginative. I loved the animals. But it felt like a chore to read. It was somewhat boring and the editing was bad.
I won a copy through Goodreads First Reads.
The concept of this story is imaginative. I loved the animals. But it felt like a chore to read. It was somewhat boring and the editing was bad.
I won a copy through Goodreads First Reads.
December 31, 2015
I received this as a Goodreads giveaway and found this to be a charming story told from the perspective of two birds. The tale was quite amusing and entertaining.
June 20, 2016
Could do with editing, but that doesn't stop this delightful little story from engaging and amusing the reader in just the right amounts.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews