Possum, Mopoke and Desert Wind have found a wild boy – one with a pet lion – and brought him back to the Valley. But who is he? How can he have tamed a lion? The only way to find out is to leave the Valley again and brave the world outside, where the climate has made life harsh, hot and dry...

First published in 1993, The House of a Hundred Animals is the third book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French's Children of the Valley series, a dystopian series presciently written long before the trend for dystopian children's and young adult fiction emerged – or climate change was a global concern.

According to her website, 'Jackie French AM is an Australian author, historian, ecologist and honorary wombat (part time), 2014–2015 Australian Children's Laureate and 2015 Senior Australian of the Year.' She's written over 200 books, which range from picture books and books for younger readers, to historical fiction for adults, to non-fiction about gardening and ecology. Her books have been won a wide range of prizes both in Australia and internationally. For more visit jackiefrench.com.