Publication Date: 15 May 2025

The Blurb

The legendary Captain Carver and his wicked pirate crew commanded by the GLOOM BADGER have arrived in the Jumble Jungle Wood on board their pirate ship THE SHIFTING SHADOW in search of monstrous beasts to capture and use to tyrannise all the animals in the wood. They have already captured the Ravenoserous, the Chargemeleon and are heading for FIRE ISLAND beyond the DEEP DARK DEPTHS with the daringly wicked plan to steal the eggs of the GORGONCONDA, a two head snake whose eyes can turn you to stone. The GLOOM BADGER is in daily charge of a dastardly crew of rodent pirates and above him is the legendary CAPTAIN CARVER. But they haven’t reckoned with THE NARZAT, THE LOOKY LIZARD AND THE CHATTY CHIRPER! Dive into a host of comic characters and an unpredictable plot!

The Review

A wildly whimsical, adventurous romp through the jungle full of mischief, monsters and marvellous mayhem!

Full of laugh-out-loud names, fast-paced action and unexpected twists, Luke Marchant’s story is the perfect mix of funny and fierce. The jungle setting leaps off the page with its vibrant, chaotic energy, and the characters—both heroic and horrible—are full of personality. Every page is packed with imagination, and young readers will love the quirky names and clever wordplay.

This is a brilliant read-aloud for KS2 classrooms or a fantastic independent read for newly confident readers who enjoy a bit of danger, a lot of laughter and a battle between good and evil where jungle justice rules! After the success of The Narzat in our local book awards, I already have a waiting list for the second book in this fabulous series for younger readers.

Will the Gloom Badger get his claws on the Gorgonconda’s eggs? Or will The Narzat and friends save the day? There’s only one way to find out—grab a copy and set sail for adventure!

Great for fans of:

• The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle
• The Legend Of Kevin by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
• The Nothing To See Here Hotel by Steven Butler

The Guest Post

Monsters in the Jumble Jungle Wood by Luke Marchant

The Deep Dark Depths is the scariest and most dangerous place in the entire Jumble Jungle Wood. And what makes it so perilous? It is full of the deadliest monsters imaginable.

Within the Narzat and the Shifting Shadow, readers get to meet a whole host of monsters—and can safely turn the page if any of them get too feisty.

For a start, there is the gigantic shapeshifter—the Chargemeleon. The beast lurks beneath the bony branches of the Skeleton Tree, disguising itself in case of any new prey passing by. Then there is, of course, the Gorgonaconda. This mighty serpent lives in the mysterious Fire Island, yet nobody knows what it looks like… it is said that anyone who has ever encountered this legendary snake has been turned to stone. There’s plenty more to mention (a giant Fangdoodle, the Great Bone Bird, and more), and even the fan-favourite Ravenoserous makes a return in this book.

But what brings so many monsters into the story? Perhaps the greatest monster of all, Captain Carver, is to blame. The masked pirate captain has been travelling through the Deep Dark Depths hunting something more valuable than treasure. He is hunting monsters, to add to his fearsome collection. As to why he is doing this? That is another mystery waiting to be solved…

And speaking of mysteries, perhaps there’s more to some of these monsters than meets the eye. You’ll have to take a closer look to find out. But not too close. They are dangerous monsters after all.

Huge thanks to Luke for such a marvellously monstrous guest post, and to Everything With Words for inviting me to take part in the Blog Tour. Do make sure you check out all of the other stops!