Welcome to my stop on The Great Animal Escapade Blog Tour!

I was delighted when I heard there was going to be a sequel to The Elephant Thief, one of my favourite books of 2017, and couldn’t wait to see if Danny and Maharajah were settling into their new life at Belle Vue…

(You don’t need to have read The Elephant Thief first, but I would recommend it to understand the characters and their relationships fully).

Cover illustration by Alexis Snell

As Danny settles into life at Belle Vue with the Jamesons and Maharajah, he still finds himself out of place. With Mr Jameson trying to impress investors, keep the neighbours happy and organise the biggest extravaganza Belle Vue has ever seen, he has little time for his new ward.

When things start going wrong, Belle Vue’s employees are quick to blame Danny. It seems no matter what he does, he can’t get anything right or please Mr Jameson. When a stranger turns up with stories of his past, Danny begins to question whether he has a future at Belle Vue. He can’t even speak to best friend, Hetty, about his worries as Aunt Carkettle won’t let him near her.

The only thing he does know, is that he has to find out who is behind the mysterious goings on, and perform in the extravaganza before he leaves…

Atmospheric, mysterious and with danger lurking around every corner, The Great Animal Escapade is a gripping page turner that has you rooting for it’s hero from the off. Immersive settings and a brilliantly balanced cast of characters see you transported back in time to the heart of Belle Vue.

There is much to discuss beyond the story too. Danny has to not only learn a new way of living, but learn who to trust and how to be part of a family. Having found his voice, he struggles to use it when he needs it most.

With fascinating insights into the way zoos ran in Victorian times and their role in conservation, it opens up the debate about ethics on caging animals and whether zoos should even exist.

Great for fans of The Peculiars, Sky Chasers and Warrior Boy.

Like what you’ve read? Head over to Chicken House for a sneak peak at The Great Animal Escapade.

About The Author…

Jane Kerr  grew up in North Wales and wrote her first book at the age of seven. ‘The Jones Family have a Picnic’ was not a big-seller, but it sparked a life-long love of writing and story-telling.

After a brief detour working as speech therapist, she trained as a journalist, and has since written for newspapers, online, radio and television. The story telling never stopped.  She is married with two children and a guinea pig.

Do make sure you check out Jane’s fabulous guest post about the truth behind the people who inspired the characters in The Elephant Thief and The Great Animal Escapade, Maharajah The Magnificent.

You can connect with Jane on Twitter  @janekerrwrites

THE GREAT ANIMAL ESCAPADE by Jane Kerr is out now in paperback (£6.99, Chicken House).

Thank you so much to Jane and Chicken House for inviting me to take part in The Great Animal Escapade Blog Tour. Do make sure you check out all of the other stops.