Lionboy: The Truth

By Zizou Corder
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

You definitely need to have read the first two books in the Lionboy trilogy: Lionboy and Lionboy: The Chase to follow and appreciate the last book, but it is well worth it! To briefly recap (and not spoil too much), we meet Charlie and his parents sometime in the future of the planet Earth. Charlie was scratched by a leopard as a baby and somehow developed the ability to speak and understand all species of cat. His parents are scientists who have just discovered, they hope, a cure to the Allergenies--basically a severe allergy to cats. However, Charlie's parents get kidnapped by the evil Corporacy and Charlie, narrowly escaping capture himself, sets off to find and rescue them. What follows is an amazing adventure, spanning several countries and including many characters and villains. Charlie's ability as a Catspeaker enables him to recruit cats to aid him in the rescue mission, which includes some circus lions as well as ordinary house cats. Charlie travels with a circus for awhile, meets a king, and has many fabulous and dangerous adventures. You'll have to read the books to find out if he manages to rescue his parents, solve the mystery of the Allergenies, and help the lions get back home, but you'll want to! I have read few books that were as fun and inventive as these, written by a mother and daughter team. This last book is as satisfying as the first two. If you like adventures, animals, good characters, and good versus evil, you'll enjoy the Lionboy trilogy.