Nothing exciting ever happens in the town of Kraaipan. Especially not to Martjie, who lives on a farm nearby. But when Bertus Botha dares Martjie to climb on the Mafikeng train and peep inside one of the crates to see what’s inside, it’s the beginning of a huge adventure. Martjie ends up in one of the carriages – with a circus lion! Soon, she gets to know the circus owners, Mister and Madam Pagel, and the other performers at the famous Pagel’s Circus. Mister Pagel is the world’s strongest man and sticks his head inside the lion’s jaws during every performance. Madame Pagel drives to the bank with a lion sitting next to her in the car. And plain old Martjie knows her life will never be the same again. This exciting novel is loosely based on the history of the Pagel Circus, which was known in every South African city and town in the previous century. A wonderful story full of action, adventure ... and the timeless magic of circus life.

Emerald City: The New Adventures of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz by Arnold Schildkret is a new take on the Oz tales that L. Frank Baum invented. Unlike so many of Baum’s followers who have through the years written imitations of the Oz books, Schildkret invents anew the main characters and the landscape of Oz. His conception of the Deadly Desert is especially different from that in other Oz books, as are his conceptions of Dorothy, Ozma, Roquat and most of all Uncle Henry. In addition, his book tells an exciting tale of adventure and conflict, including dangerous threats to the Land of Oz and even war. -Richard Tuerk, Professor Emeritus of Literature and Languages, Texas A&M University, Commerce, Texas. Author of Oz in Perspective: Magic and Myth in the L. Frank Baum Books The New Adventures of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz The Story – The Author’s View Emerald City is a modern sequel to the Wizard of Oz novel and film. It is an original story based on the characters of the novels of Frank Baum. Emerald City is a story of the bond of loyalty and friendship in the Land of Oz. Post 9/11/2001, we can all relate to a story of a utopian city where everyone loves each other and in which good triumphs over evil. The World of Oz has been changed by the loss of the Love Magnet. With its loss comes the immanent danger of the loss of the city, destruction of its way of life, and destruction of all of its magical creatures and inhabitants. Other events seem to conspire to ensure the Kingdom will be lost to Roquat, the evil Nome King. It is the humanity and foibles of all of the characters, even the evil ones, which will stir you and tug on your emotions. Humor and sadness, love and hate, good and evil, loss and redemption are mixed in a potpourri of fantasy and reality. Recurrent themes throughout are understanding our differences, loving each other, giving strangers the benefit of the doubt, and standing together in the face of evil. The story plays on four levels, as a fairy tale for children, as science fiction, and social and political satire for teenagers and adults.

Mila is a lion tamer. She has everything she needs to be one. Except lions. So she practices on her dog Ralph, who doesn't care for his paper mane and would much rather be asleep on the sofa. Luckily, Mila's parents are lion tamers too, they're part of a circus and they have lions. Mila isn't allowed to tame the real lions, but she's going to try anyway. When she opens the gate to the lions' cage to slip in they slip out. Quite casually. They have sharp teeth and pointy claws. This could be a problem. Will Mila be able to catch the missing lions before anyone finds out? The stunning debut picture book from Celeste Hulme, featuring a feisty, resourceful heroine with one very big problem to solve! The beautiful retro illustrations will appeal to both children and parents. Filled with gorgeous vintage circus details, this is a must-have addition to any library. Celeste Hulme grew up in Africa, so knows exactly how big a lion's claws are. She spent most of her childhood wandering the deserts of Namibia and exploring the rainforests of Swaziland. Celeste studied a BA Hons in Visual Communication and Design at Stellenbosch University. Celeste dreams of running off to join the circus as a lion tamer or a human cannonball.

Menagerie is the story of the panoply of exotic animals that were brought into Britain from time immemorial until the foundation of the London Zoo--a tale replete with the extravagant, the eccentric, and--on occasion--the downright bizarre. From Henry III's elephant at the Tower, to George IV's love affair with Britain's first giraffe and Lady Castlereagh's recalcitrant ostriches, Caroline Grigson's tour through the centuries amounts to the first detailed history of exotic animals in Britain. On the way we encounter a host of fascinating and outlandish creatures, including the first peacocks and popinjays, Thomas More's monkey, James I's cassowaries in St James's Park, and Lord Clive's zebra--which refused to mate with a donkey, until the donkey was painted with stripes. But this is not just the story of the animals themselves. It also the story of all those who came into contact with them: the people who owned them, the merchants who bought and sold them, the seamen who carried them to our shores, the naturalists who wrote about them, the artists who painted them, the itinerant showmen who worked with them, the collectors who collected them. And last but not least, it is about all those who simply came to see and wonder at them, from kings, queens, and nobles to ordinary men, women, and children, often impelled by no more than simple curiosity and a craving for novelty.