Lionboy (Lionboy, Book 1)

Mysteriously missing parents, a boy who speaks Cat, an extraordinary floating circus, and a handsome hoodlum villain...get ready for one of the most spectacular adventure stories around! When young Charlie Ashanti returns home one day to find an empty house, he launches immediately into the journey of a lifetime. Sleazy Rafi, a teenage boy who can usually be found lurking around the playground, shows up, claiming that Charlie’s parents have gone on a trip. Our hero plays dumb and quickly escapes Rafi’s clutches only to find himself stowed away on the most remarkable ship the Thames River has ever kept afloat. Taking advantage of his astonishing ability to speak the language of cats, Charlie sets in motion a chain of communication from London to Paris via scruffy alley toms, fluffy lap kitties, and even a ferocious lion or two. Along the way, the clever boy manages to stay one step ahead of the rogues pursuing him, but unfortunately always one step behind his parents.!

Penned by a mother/daughter team who call themselves Zizou Corder, Lion Boy is the first in a trilogy that is bound to become a classic. Readers will shriek when they read the evil yet tantalizing words at the conclusion--"To Be Continued..."--and won’t rest until they get their hands on all three breathtaking, funny, well-written titles. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter