The Last Leopard by Lauren St John
Martine is looking forward to the holidays and riding Jemmy, her white giraffe, until an accident sends her and Ben on a journey to the Matobo Hills wilderness in Zimbabwe. It is a lawless land, where nothing is as it seems. When they uncover a plot in which the fate of a magnificent leopard and the lost treasure of an African King are mysteriously linked, their friendship faces its greatest test. Far from home and the help of Grace and Tendai, and with Gwyn Thomas languishing, under false accusations, in jail, Martine and Ben must use every survival skill they possess. They'll come face to face with Griffin, Mercy, Mr Ratcliffe (known as Rat), Magnus the hornbill, and a witch doctor, not to mention Khan, the last leopard. They must decide who their friends are, and who are enemies, as they race against time to save the world's rarest leopard and each other. This third African adventure is written with all the zest and skill that have endeared so many readers to THE WHITE GIRAFFE and DOLPHIN SONG.
'St John's refined prose and assertive young protagonists convey a profound regard for the beauty and magic of the vast African backdrop..a hugely enjoyable and gripping summer read for both girls and boys' THE BOOKSELLER '[the series are] wonderfully refreshing in their celebration of Africa - its people, culture and resources. The author's love and respect for the country of her childhood shines through on every page. Equally delightful is a capable, adventurous, identifiable and compelling female lead...there is much to be celebrated here' -- Tamara MacFarlane THE BOOKSELLER - BACK TO SCHOOL 'Mingled themes of animal conservation and magical adventure should have strong girl appeal.' -- Lesley Agnew BOOKSELLER CHILDREN'S BUYERS GUIDE "The most accomplished to date" -- Amanda Craig THE TIMES 'Lauren St John enthrals you fromthe first page to the last' SUTTON & EPSOM ADVERTISER 'Another triumph for St John' SUFFOLK PRESS 'A thrilling and enchanting story' -- Julia Eccleshare LOVEREADING 'This is a wonderful book because the plot is inventive and original and the book is filled with descriptions of wild African scenery and animals' -- Maddie Leggett (Aged 9) UNDERCOVER 'Captivating' FOUR SHIRES MAGAZINE 'An extremely enjoyable action adventure' SCHOOL LIBRARIAN
Lauren St John was born in Rhodesia in 1966 and lived on a farm there until she was 16. She worked as a journalist for several years and has written biographies of sporting heroes and Nashville musicians - golf and country music being two of her obsessions - for Transworld, Picador and Fourth Estate. Her memoir of growing up during independence in Zimbabwe was published by Hamish Hamilton in 2007.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781842555347 |
| ISBN 10 | 1842555340 |
| Title | The Last Leopard |
| Author | Lauren St John |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Hachette Children's Group |
| Year published | 2008-08-01 |
| Number of pages | 208 |
| Prizes | Short-listed for Independent Booksellers' Week Book of the Year Award: Children's Book of the Year 2010 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |