Lionboy (by Zizou Corder)

He hooks up with a floating circus headed to France, where the cats say his parents have been taken, and meets a family of lions longing for escape. While working as the liontamer's helper he plots a way to arrange the lions' return to Africa while following his parents, who are now headed to Venice. But Rafi is closing in.

It's a brilliant premise: a boy who can talk to cats (and lions!), a floating circus and later the Orient Express for settings, a child out to rescue both lions and his parents, a touch of fantasy, and an adventure spanning the width of Europe. This should have worked. And it does start to work -- about three-quarters of the way through.

The whole thing has the pacing of a fly in honey -- lots of buzzing, but not getting much of anywhere. It might have worked if Charlie had some personality or voice or humor, but he's pretty much a cipher -- Our Hero Who Speaks to Cats. Those children who make it to the end will be rewarded by a very exciting last section and a cliffhanger ending, and will want the sequel immediately. But many kids won't get that far.