Title: The Royal Rabbits of London
Author: Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore
Illustrator: Kate Hindley
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s UK

Teacher review

This is a wonderful, fast-paced story that takes us from a quiet woodland burrow all the way to the hustle and bustle of London.

Our hero, Shylo, a little country bunkin, is in search of a secret society known as the Royal Rabbits of London. He has to inform them of a dastardly plot against the Queen. Delightful characters come to life, as we journey with Shlyo on this perilous undertaking.

Beautifully written, The Royal Rabbits of London captivates the reader, pulling them deep into the story and making them care.

Our little hero finds out that you don’t have to be big to be brave, and that, by will and luck, with a moist carrot, a wet nose and a slice of mad courage, anything is possible.

Kate Hindley‘s illustrations are a perfect match to the book, and I cannot wait to for more stories set in this world.

Perfect for key stage 2 readers.

Anna Tomlinson is a teaching assistant and school librarian at Charnock Hall Primary School in Sheffield. She writes a book blog, and tweets as @ScoutFinch_75

Pupil reviews 

Shylo is the James Bond of the rabbit world! I enjoyed his adventures in The Royal Rabbits of London.
Constance, age 9

I didn’t like the book because you knew what would happen next. We didn’t get to know the characters very much, except Shylo. I found the book predictable.

My favourite character was Lazer. I liked her because she’s brave and kind. The book was an adventure story, because Shylo had to go to London to try and save the Queen from the rats.

I kept on reading it because I wanted to see if I would enjoy it.
Isabelle, age 8

‘Funny, exciting and gruesome’

I loved The Royal Rabbits of London, and I think kids of six and above would love to read this book.

Every time I thought everything was fine, something would happen to make me wonder if Shylo would be OK. A great tale of adventure and action!
Adam, age 10

I enjoyed The Royal Rabbits of London, because I found it funny, exciting and gruesome. At the end it made me wonder what adventures Shylo would have next.

‘Some surprises’

I liked this book because it’s a mixture of adventure, happiness and sadness. I liked how the author described the characters so that I could picture them really well in my head.

The part I didn’t like was when some rats get eaten by dogs, but I think it needed it because it gave the story a dilemma.

It was easy to read and there were some surprises, which made the story more exciting. I would definitely recommend this book to boys and girls aged nine years and over who like adventure stories.
Milly, age 9

‘Magical story’

This is an exciting and adventurous story. There are happy, sad and thrilling moments, as Shylo finds himself on a mission to save the Queen.

Shylo the little bunkin is my favourite character, because he is brave, kind and respectful. He likes Horatio and makes friends with him even though everyone else is scared of him, because he is a stranger.

I really didn’t like Shylo’s big brother, Maximillian. He’s mean and a bully.

The Royal Rabbits of London is a beautifully illustrated magical story.

If you or your class would like to write a review for TES, please contact Adi Bloom at adi.bloom@tesglobal.com

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