Hachette India

If Elephants Could Talk: A Novel in Verse

Ranjeeta Raam

If elephants could talk,

they would narrate tales

~~of forests~~

of pain,

~~of rivers~~

of suffering,

~~of freedom~~

of bondage.

But they can't,

so I must.

Twelve-year-old Meenakshi hasn’t spoken a word since her Amma passed away about six months ago.

Teased and troubled at school, she finds her safe place in dance, where she can escape from her reality for a few hours. One day, she meets the temple elephant, Ganeshan, and an unusual friendship forms between them. But when the gentle Ganeshan is ill-treated, Meenakshi decides to speak up to save other elephants from a similar fate.

Will Meenakshi find her voice again to help the elephants?

Find out in this heartwarming and uplifting story of friendship, hope and healing.

Ranjeeta Raam

Ranjeeta Raam grew up in a small town in Kerala, India, wishing she could find a way to jump into the pages of her favourite books and become part of their worlds. As an adult, she worked in different areas of writing before leaving her last job as a scriptwriter to become a fulltime novelist. She loves verse novels and believes in the economy of words to tell a powerful story.

Writing deepened her connection to her culture, and she is now keen to bring out those aspects of it that the world knows very little about. Culture, environment, social awareness, animal welfare, and empathy are a few things close to her heart, and she hopes to raise awareness of these in her readers.

If Elephants Could Talk (2025, Hachette India), her first novel, is also a middle-grade book in verse. She is currently based in Dubai with her husband, two daughters and three cats. You can find Ranjeeta at www.ranjeetaraam.com and @ranjeetaraam.

If Elephants Could Talk: A Novel in Verse

Ranjeeta Raam

Ranjeeta Raam

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