LIONBOY
by Zizou Corder
Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0803729820
Ages 8-12
288 pages

• About the Book
• Read an Excerpt
• Author Interview

Ever since an accident in the jungle when he was just a toddler, Charlie Ashanti has been able to speak Cat. His hidden gift comes in handy when he needs to know the latest gossip, and he enjoys making friends with the many cats that prowl near his London home. When his parents are kidnapped for their scientific knowledge, though, Charlie must take advantage of the extensive cat network stretching from London to Paris and beyond, as he frantically races to track his parents and their captors.

Along the way, Charlie finds himself on board the Circe, a marvelous tall-masted ship that carries a circus across the English Channel and upriver to Paris. To Charlie's surprise and delight, his ability to speak Cat means that he can communicate with the circus's lions, too. He is upset to discover that the lions have been drugged to keep them docile, and together they hatch a plan that will give the lions their freedom and put Charlie one step closer to finding his parents.

In the meantime, Charlie tries to enjoy being part of the circus folk, although his worries about his parents make that nearly impossible: "With the Calliope creaking away . . . and the gabbling of the crowd as they settled into their seats, the smell of the fresh sawdust from the ring, and the gentle glow of the yellow lights shining down, Charlie wished that he had no troubles --- that he could just be an excited kid at a circus."

Although LIONBOY is set in the not-so-distant future, it feels somewhat like a Victorian adventure story. Part of this old-fashioned feel comes from the fact that in Charlie's time, the world has run out of oil, so people rely on antiquated modes of transportation. The author (actually a pen name for a mother-daughter writing team) also includes Mabel Stark, an early twentieth century tiger trainer, as a character, and even sets part of Charlie's adventure aboard the Orient Express. Delightfully detailed line diagrams and maps enhance the text and add depth to Charlie's world, as do the songs (including musical notation) that are scattered throughout the text.

LIONBOY includes subtle commentaries on the environment and on race and prejudice, but it is primarily a rollicking good adventure tale. It's a good thing that the title page informs readers that LIONBOY is part one of a trilogy. Otherwise, readers might hurl the book aside in frustration when they reach the end, only to see those maddening three words: "To Be Continued . . ." Readers will be on pins and needles, eager for their next opportunity to enter Charlie's world.

   --- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

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