Wild Magic: Legend of the Black Lion

Twins, Misha and Ziggy, share a secret. Misha can talk to animals whilst Ziggy can shapeshift into them. When they accompany their dad, a wildlife TV presenter, on a trip to Ethiopia, they are determined to help him find the legendary black lion. However, when they discover poachers are threatening the wildlife, they are sure they can use their powers to help.

‘Legend of the Black Lion’ is a very engaging and enjoyable adventure story. The idea of being able to speak to animals is really appealing, making this sure to be a very popular book- the first of a new series.

The twins are lively and full of personality, who share a lovely relationship with their hard-working dad. Excited to see all the wildlife, they are also keen to use their powers to help their father get footage of the famous- and elusive- black lion. Their adventure contains just the right amount of jeopardy and tension to make the story exciting without causing upset and reaches a very satisfying conclusion where the goodies triumph and all is well!

Another lovely thing about this story is the amount of general information it contains about Ethiopia and its wildlife. Readers are sure to be fascinated by the fact that Ethiopia has a different calendar to the Western one, for example. Additional information at the end of the book about both black lions and Ethiopia is included and there are plenty of lovely illustrations, bursting with personality, which add much to the story.

‘Legend of the Black Lion’ would make an excellent class story!

Wild Magic: Legend of the Black Lion

Abiola Bello, illustrated by Emma McCann

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398520486