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: Great in places, ho-hum in others
Review: Although LionBoy has the standard "parents are missing and in peril" basic story, it also has a believable central character with a great secret ability. The environmental and anti-big company stuff is a little preachy for my taste, the parents are too saintly and some of it is based on bad science though. When it's just trying to be an adventure story it's fun and exciting. It certainly makes a chnage from the magic and Middle Earth derivatives we're bombarded with.
Rating:
Summary: A SPELLBINDING READING
Review: Broadway and film veteran Simon Jones gives a zesty, fulsome reading of this unusual tale about a boy who speaks a strange language - Cat. Yes, Charlie Ashanti can speak the language of cats. Fortunately so as he needs all the feline help he can get in this first adventure in a planned trilogy.Charlie came home from school one day and found his parents gone - kidnaped. What can Charlie do but go in search of them? His quest, first aided by stray city cats, proves fruitless. Undaunted the boy presses on by joining a floating circus en route to Paris. Once on board he enlists the help of the caged lions by offering them their freedom in return.
Of course, there are bad guys here - thugs who would do him harm and a none too happy lion tamer. The unique cast of characters almost equals the unheard of adventures encountered by Charlie. We can only eagerly await the second installment from this spellbinding mother-daughter team. (Zizou Corder is Louisa Young, the author of several books, and Isabel Adomakoh Young who is a little young to have written very much yet.) - Gail Cooke
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: Look Out Harry!
Review: Lionboy by Zizou Corder is right up there with Harry Potter. I had a lot of fun with this book and think you will like it too! Give it a try! Fun genre!
Rating:
Summary: Lionboy!!!
Review: Lionboy is the story of an African boy named who loses his parents to a sneaky teenager named Rafi. The coolest part is Charlie can speak Cat! A feature like that really makes a difference in a book. I love how the lions have such a nice relationship with Charlie. It gives lions a better name than just vicious and scary because they're really not.
Rating:
Summary: Lionboy
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.
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