#BookReview: League of Llamas Books 1 and 2 by Aleesah Darlison

#BookReview:

League of Llamas #1: The Golden Llama, League of Llamas #2: Llama Impossible, Aleesah Darlison (author), Simon Greiner (illus.), Penguin, March 2020.

Blurb – The Golden Llama:

The League of Llamas is on a mission to save the world!

And – if Agent Phillipe Llamar can stop looking at his luxurious fringe in every mirror he sees and Agent Lloyd Llamanator can resist the temptation to eat everything in his path – they might even succeed.

But first, our bumbling heroes must foil the plans of the evil badger General Bottomburp, solve the mystery of the alluring lady llama in red and find the Llama Republic’s most prized relic: the Golden Llama.

Blurb – Llama Impossible:

A speeding train, a bold bank robbery and a dazzling diamond heist – trouble is afoot in New Llama City!

Luckily, the LEAGUE OF LLAMAs’ top agents, Phillipe and Lloyd, are on the case. And luckily for them, Mama Llama and Elloise Llamaresky are on their cases to make sure the job actually gets done.

Is General Bottomburp to blame? Or could there be a new kingpin in town? After all, every secret agent should know that appearances can be deceiving…

Review:

How many ways can you describe this ‘hillarious’, ‘llama-rific’ and ‘spit-tastic’ new series, chock full of literal llama treats and llama misgivings to make junior readers ‘LOL (laugh-out-loud) a minute’?! Llots, I’m sure! Get yourselves into the headspace of these wacky characters and their lloony antics, and prepare for a zipping ride of adventure, mystery, (wool) piles of comedy, and word play to the max.

Aleesah Darlison’s League of Llamas (LOL) books definitely engage with her mix of dry humour and plays on language, idioms and analogies that both children and adults can appreciate, making these reads adaptable to a universal and shared audience. The storylines are fun and easy to follow, providing a freshness to well-known plots; in likeness to Mission Impossible (aka Llama Impossible) and James Bond (007 adapted to 0077) secret agent-type mysteries.

The Golden Llama sets the scene by unravelling the capabilities (and lack thereof) of elite spy agents, Phillipe and Lloyd, their team and their nemesis, badger General Bottomburp (apt name, too!) in a mission to retrieve stolen relic, the Golden Llama and avoid such llama-tastrophes such as pools of llama-gnashing fish. The second instalment, Llama Impossible, whilst can be read as a standalone but more beneficial to read in succession, continues the llama drama of solving the mysteries of a bank robbery and diamond theft. Both editions are scattered with Simon Greiner’s supporting, animated black and white illustrations, and text formatting in alternating bold and font styles to highlight pertinent words or phrases.

This LOL series is packed with OTT comedic goodness, there are just too many facets to mention! So, kids from age seven, hoof yourself a copy and you’ll be parping and spitting with laughter the whole way through. Now awaiting Books 3 and 4 – BRB!

Review by Romi Sharp.

*Special thanks to Aleesah Darlison and Penguin for providing complementary copies, luxurious llama socks and merch, in exchange for an honest review.

Available from all good bookstores: visit www.penguin.com.au for more information.

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