Lionboy

Rating:
Summary: Fast-Paced, Yet Going Nowhere
Review: Let me start off, no book is ever perfect. This book was a great adventure story! Charlie Ashanti is a truly believable character and the cats and people he encounters are truly rememborable. But, there are some flaws in some parts. A) It seems to be poorly written during some parts of the book. No don't get me wrong, the story and the plot are very creative and orgional (I won't give to much away), but, it seems that some sentences were written by the young child rather than the mother's more mature style of writing. B) Sometimes the dialogue seems a bit rough and childish between the villan, R.S., and not really villiany (don't know if that's a word?) at all. Although, I'm currently reading the second adventure in the series and it seems like a huge step up from the first; written better, more epic descriptions and memorable characters. All I can say about this rising series is watch out Harry Potter!

Rating:
Summary: An inventive new world and exciting story
Review: A world where cars have been banned for all but the most powerful and rich because of concerns over asthma, and featuring a boy who can speak to cats, this is an inventive book that marches to the beat of its own drummer. Charlie knows that his parents do important work, but never imagines that anyone would want to harm them, until he comes home one day and discovers them kidnapped. Charlie runs away from his parents kidnappers and sets out to find his parents. With major parts of the book taking place on a floating circus, the streets of Paris, and aboard a train, the book has numerous delightful subplots while never losing focus of Charlie's overall goal. The book ends somewhat abruptly and will lead many readers to wait somewhat impatiently for the next book.

Rating:
Summary: A Lion-Sized Book
Review: I bought this book after reading the reviews and thought it was an interesting premise. I still think it's an interesting premise--talking to cats and all--but it was so slooooow. I usually plow through books but found it very easy to put down--and then it doesn't even end with a satisfying conclusion. I will not be getting the sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Beyond the story
Review: I bought this book because my niece has a great interest in cats. I read it before I gave it to her 11yo daughter. I was pleased with the story itself. Its featured character was young in age and personality, so young people can associate with him as the plot progressed. The supporting characters had a nice variety of personalities that contrast. The unconventional persons (sometimes cats) presented to young impressionable people something else to consider besides rejection when they meet an unconventional person. The bad persons clearly stood out from the good persons. This plants the idea in the minds of young impressionable people the idea to consider the important things when confronted with similar personalities. In particular, to ignore the skin on the outside and view the crucial characteristics to determine whether a person is good and bad.

Related to this, one of the themes of this book is racism. It is not very explicit, because explicit racism is only seen skin deep. This book treats the deeper feelings of racism and its effects on people. This is a unique approach. So it does not talk about racism, but rather about behavior in the context of good and bad.

The theme that I think is especially good was the reaction of the featured character when he was presented with various problems. His first reaction would be to avoid panic and thoughtfully analyze the situation. He then reviewed his resources and possible solutions. Sometimes there was not a 'good' solution so he had to select the best action available which eventually led to a livable solution.

So now it is on to the next in the trilogy. (Hint to author: I am looking forward to the dog trilogy. I suspect my grand-niece is looking forward to the horse trilogy.)


Rating:
Summary: Finally, a rival to Harry Potter...
Review: I have lost count of the number of times I've read that a new book is "the new Harry Potter", yet I never really found the claim to be true. Here, finally, is a book which promises to deliver the same exuberant love of detail, imagination, adventure and character development which set Harry Potter apart from any children's book written at that time.

This dynamic writing duo of mother and daughter have drawn on their own multi-racial family experience to give us a hero of enormous appeal, interest and truthfulness. Charlie is a boy any child would like to be, for a day! He can talk to lions and is on a quest to rescue his brilliant scientist parents from exploitative businessmen who want to get their cure for asthma so they can make tons of money.

It is set in an alternative near future in a Europe where cars are banned because they've had such a bad effect on the environment. Fish, and fishing boats, have returned to the Thames in London. A wonderful ship called the Circe is a traveling circus, where Charlie frees the lions and begins a trip on the Orient Express to Venice, where he will be the guest of a king. What's not to like?

Buy this book! I've never written a review before, but was compelled to do it for this one. You'll love this book and I already can't wait for the next one!

Rating:
Summary: Great book! I'm dieing to read the next one in the series.
Review: Lionboy is about a boy named Charlie who has the amazing ability to speak the language of cats. His parents are kidnapped by this crazy person named Raffi because they are doctors who know the cure for a disease. Charlie sets out to save his parents and meets some lions on the way. I enjoyed the book allot. The lions were really cool the way they were so kind and wise. I love the way Charlie's relation develops with them. Deffinately read this book, especially if you are a cat lover.

Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected.....
Review: Loved this book. I liked the way the author lets you get into the minds of the lions and cats. They become just as much of the story as the human characters. The author always kept the story interesting, just when things started settling down for young Charlie, something would happen. Can't wait to read the next two.

Rating:
Summary: Lionboy
Review: This book is wonderful!! My husband and I just finished reading this to our seven year old (bi-racial) boy. Alll three of us couldn't wait for the next chapter. A clever tale about a bi-racial child who can talk to cats. We are always searching for quality reading that has multi racial main characters or racial at all - let's face it Harry Potter is an all white crowd as are most of the exciting and well written books for children. BIG HUGE PRAISE FOR THIS BOOK. We loved the story and identify with the character. THANK YOU Zizou Corder!

Rating:
Summary: A lovely book
Review: This is a delightful story about a young boy on a quest to rescue his parents. He can talk to all species of cats and uses this ability on his journey. He helps and is helped by a group of lions. I enjoyed reading this novel. It is short and just took an afternoon. I was dissapointed that the ending was "to be continued..." because there is no sequel yet available. If things weren't left hanging I might not feel so cheated at the end. I would recomend this book for children but you might want to wait for the next book to be published before starting this one.

Rating:
Summary: WHAT?!! To be continued?!
Review: You've got to be kidding me. A book that ends in mid-stream, with the words "To be continued"? This book contains a cardinal sin in publishing. I have absolutely no problem with continuing action across several volumes, but like the Harry Potter series, at least make each of the volumes capable of standing alone. There is absolutely no resolution at the end of this volume. Maddening. And if it was well-written, I would have at least given it 3 or 4 stars, the "to-be-continued" transgression notwithstanding. But the author ("authors" if you count the child) repeats words within sentences and between sentences (those must have been the sentences written by the child) to maddening effect, relies heavily on trite statements and cliches, and has no sense of pacing. It's as if someone sat down with a list of things children like -- "Well, they like circuses, they like lions, they like big boats, they like choo-choo trains, they like chases, and they like kings! Let's put together a book with all these ingredients!" Although my two sons, ages 7 and 9, to whom I was reading this, are not bothered by repeated words and cliches, they were very upset with the pseudo ending. ("Keep reading!" "Well, sorry boys, the only thing left are the acknowledgements." "Oh.") Charlie and his silly escapades will have to be taken up by other readers. This is where we get off the train.