What do you think?
Rate this book
Lepunia : Kingdom of the Gallopers
It was Founding Day, and the jackrabbits of Lepunia were busy preparing for the centennial celebration. For one of these, Jackson Swift, a lifelong dream of becoming a Galloper would finally be realized. As a leveret, he had dreamed of following in the pawsteps of his grandfather, the renowned Colonel Spurge. At last, Jackson would run the Gallop and be vested. Yet not all is well in Lepunia. The treachery and betrayal of one of their own lies hidden, and an enemy too great for them waits for the storm to break. Nothing is as it ought to have been, but one thing Jackson's unbreakable friendship with his friends Lily and Fluff. No tragedy can break that bond, and in all things the Swiftness is working for their good. Legends are proven true, unexpected heroes arise, and the kingdom remains within them.
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2023
14 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 19, 2024
“Taking the garment from Jackson, she helped him put it on. She stepped back, and they all looked solemnly at Jackson. Lily spoke again, her eyes filled with hopeful tears.”
Tears. It was tears that I unexpectedly found myself holding back as I read the last page of Lepunia—a page that my girls and I were so eager to get to and yet did not want to read as we did not want the story to end or at least pause for now.
Kevin Ford is a gifted writer whose first book in the Lepunia series now lies anchored in our hearts as we have grown to love and admire so many of the characters. At 346 pages, this is a tale with strong themes of Christian symbolism, as well as adventure, virtue, valor, loyalty, family, friendship, and hope.
Though recommended for ages 7+, I did read this with all three of my girls who are 7 (almost 8), 6, and 3 (almost 4) and because there are some brief scenes of violence, I do recommend that you read ahead to ensure the content is appropriate for your reading audience. But with that said, all three of my girls enjoyed the book and it was often my youngest daughter who would happily recap what happened in our previous day’s reading.
Thank you, Kevin, for our copy of Lepunia in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Tears. It was tears that I unexpectedly found myself holding back as I read the last page of Lepunia—a page that my girls and I were so eager to get to and yet did not want to read as we did not want the story to end or at least pause for now.
Kevin Ford is a gifted writer whose first book in the Lepunia series now lies anchored in our hearts as we have grown to love and admire so many of the characters. At 346 pages, this is a tale with strong themes of Christian symbolism, as well as adventure, virtue, valor, loyalty, family, friendship, and hope.
Though recommended for ages 7+, I did read this with all three of my girls who are 7 (almost 8), 6, and 3 (almost 4) and because there are some brief scenes of violence, I do recommend that you read ahead to ensure the content is appropriate for your reading audience. But with that said, all three of my girls enjoyed the book and it was often my youngest daughter who would happily recap what happened in our previous day’s reading.
Thank you, Kevin, for our copy of Lepunia in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 12, 2024
Reminiscent of The Mistmantle Chronicles and the epic quests and battles from The Lord of the Rings, Lepunia: Kingdom of the Gallopers is both a refreshing and heartfelt journey of good overcoming evil. And though the battle has just begun, I’ve already grown so attached to all the characters and the beauty of the deep themes and wisdom interwoven throughout.
I’m eagerly awaiting the second installment, ever hopeful that victory will come again for those pursuing the light.
The plot was engaging, the setting was well developed, and all the poetry was superbly executed with rhyme that made sense and held a solid tempo (as a musician, this was something that made me extremely happy).
Overall, an excellent read I would recommend to anyone who loves talking animals and stories of courage, valor, and friendship.
Favorite Quotes:
“A poor king may not awe you by his grandeur…nor will he take that which by rights belongs to you. Our greatest wealth lies in what we are, not in what we possess.”
“Only the plainest and most mundane of clay can be shaped into the most beautiful pottery… It is not for us to choose, but to let ourselves be made into something great.”
*Thank you to the author for providing a free copy of this book! A review was not required, and all opinions expressed are my own.*
I’m eagerly awaiting the second installment, ever hopeful that victory will come again for those pursuing the light.
The plot was engaging, the setting was well developed, and all the poetry was superbly executed with rhyme that made sense and held a solid tempo (as a musician, this was something that made me extremely happy).
Overall, an excellent read I would recommend to anyone who loves talking animals and stories of courage, valor, and friendship.
Favorite Quotes:
“A poor king may not awe you by his grandeur…nor will he take that which by rights belongs to you. Our greatest wealth lies in what we are, not in what we possess.”
“Only the plainest and most mundane of clay can be shaped into the most beautiful pottery… It is not for us to choose, but to let ourselves be made into something great.”
*Thank you to the author for providing a free copy of this book! A review was not required, and all opinions expressed are my own.*
October 29, 2024
This was a good read aloud. A bit long - it has taken us quite a long time to cover. Granted we took significant breaks. Enjoyed the themes of friendship, sacrifice, perseverance, and others. Has an allegorical faith element to it that we are looking forward to seeing how it's implemented in the next book. My 7 year old boy especially enjoyed this story. He gave it a 5/5.
December 13, 2025
My seven-year-old and I really appreciated this first installment of a trilogy (?). Some of the grief and loss felt too deeply tragic for my taste in kids’ literature, but we pressed on. Well-written with timely themes.
December 2, 2023
I loved this book..didn't want it to end. Can not wait for the next in the series!!
Adults and children both will enjoy this story. It is wholesome and has a great message. Kiddos will all want to name their stuffed bunnies Jackson after they hear/read this story.
Adults and children both will enjoy this story. It is wholesome and has a great message. Kiddos will all want to name their stuffed bunnies Jackson after they hear/read this story.
April 22, 2025
Reminiscent of the tales from Mossflower, this book had me from page one. Each of the characters leapt to life in my imagination as I read and the the Kingdom of Lepunia was vivid in my mind. I cannot wait to read it aloud to my children. I read it first so I could get a feel for the characters, and thus, work on my voices. 😆
This tale of virtue vs. vice, thankfulness vs. greed, the strength of family and friendships, and helping others in need is a must-read. Can’t wait to read Book 2!
This tale of virtue vs. vice, thankfulness vs. greed, the strength of family and friendships, and helping others in need is a must-read. Can’t wait to read Book 2!
February 13, 2024
This book is soooo good. It's well written, I love the characters. Kingdom themes run throughout, both the animal kingdom and God's kingdom. Good entertainment isn't good enough for my time. I have to have kingdom value to love a book.
"You didn't become a star because your destiny is not to be a star," the hermit said, "I think rather your destiny is to be a spark."
"It is my sincere hope that you do not have to ride any more tornadoes on your return trip, but it's also my sincere hope that you have learned something of the ways of the Swiftness. The assistance he sends is at times not what we anticipate. The road to our destination is almost never the one we would choose."
"You didn't become a star because your destiny is not to be a star," the hermit said, "I think rather your destiny is to be a spark."
"It is my sincere hope that you do not have to ride any more tornadoes on your return trip, but it's also my sincere hope that you have learned something of the ways of the Swiftness. The assistance he sends is at times not what we anticipate. The road to our destination is almost never the one we would choose."
June 19, 2024
What a great kids' chapter book! I was completely engrossed in the story, wondering what would happen to the beautiful land of Lepunia.
Kevin Ford is a gifted writer. He vividly describes Lepunia, making it easy to picture. The illustrations are stunning and add so much to the story.
This book is recommended for ages 7 and up, which I agree with. I tried reading it to my 5-year-old, but at 336 pages, it was too long for him. I finished it on my own. Be aware that it discusses death and war casualties.
I can't wait for the next book to see what happens in Lepunia!
Thanks to the author for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Kevin Ford is a gifted writer. He vividly describes Lepunia, making it easy to picture. The illustrations are stunning and add so much to the story.
This book is recommended for ages 7 and up, which I agree with. I tried reading it to my 5-year-old, but at 336 pages, it was too long for him. I finished it on my own. Be aware that it discusses death and war casualties.
I can't wait for the next book to see what happens in Lepunia!
Thanks to the author for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2024
I feel like this book was written especially for families to enjoy together! Kevin’s writing is super smooth — such a beautiful balance of diverse characters, a carefully crafted plot, and descriptive world-building. Really loved all of the seasonal descriptions and yummy comfort foods mentioned! There are also some lovely black and white illustrations that add a special touch.
This middle grade fantasy is the beginning of a hero’s quest, a coming-of-age story that highlights good overcoming evil, strong families and friendships, and communities uniting for a common cause. So much wisdom dispersed throughout and allegorical themes Christians can appreciate. Would make a great homeschool read aloud with lots of topic options to discuss such as traditions, obedience, friendship, pride, greed, and suffering — just to name a few. Even though my kids are grown, I couldn’t turn off homeschool mode. I kept thinking if all the things I’d want to do IF I was reading aloud. (Scroll through photos to see quotes and some homeschool inspiration.)
QUICK SYNOPSIS: It’s Founding Day in the jackrabbit kingdom of Lepunia, and Jackson Swift can’t wait to officially go from being a leveret to a full grown buck. The celebration will include clarification of his long-awaited apprenticeship as a Galloper, a messenger and defender of Lepunia, just like his grandfather. However, evil’s been brewing and enemies threaten the survival of the only home Jackson has ever known.
As I was reading, I couldn’t help but think of Narnia, LOTR, and The Green Ember. Lepunia has also been compared to The Mismantle Chronicles, but I’m not personally familiar with those. If you are drawn to these kinds of stories, be sure to check out Lepunia. I*I received a complimentary paperback.
FYI: battle scenes, death of characters
.
This middle grade fantasy is the beginning of a hero’s quest, a coming-of-age story that highlights good overcoming evil, strong families and friendships, and communities uniting for a common cause. So much wisdom dispersed throughout and allegorical themes Christians can appreciate. Would make a great homeschool read aloud with lots of topic options to discuss such as traditions, obedience, friendship, pride, greed, and suffering — just to name a few. Even though my kids are grown, I couldn’t turn off homeschool mode. I kept thinking if all the things I’d want to do IF I was reading aloud. (Scroll through photos to see quotes and some homeschool inspiration.)
QUICK SYNOPSIS: It’s Founding Day in the jackrabbit kingdom of Lepunia, and Jackson Swift can’t wait to officially go from being a leveret to a full grown buck. The celebration will include clarification of his long-awaited apprenticeship as a Galloper, a messenger and defender of Lepunia, just like his grandfather. However, evil’s been brewing and enemies threaten the survival of the only home Jackson has ever known.
As I was reading, I couldn’t help but think of Narnia, LOTR, and The Green Ember. Lepunia has also been compared to The Mismantle Chronicles, but I’m not personally familiar with those. If you are drawn to these kinds of stories, be sure to check out Lepunia. I*I received a complimentary paperback.
FYI: battle scenes, death of characters
.
April 23, 2025
When I first began reading this aloud to my 7 and 5 year old boys, they had a hard time following due to words like “vicar” and references they didn’t quite comprehend and required more explanation and patience… but once we got a few chapters in, we were all engaged and enjoying it. By the end, we loved it! It’s a well written and exciting story of a (jack)rabbit kingdom that gets overtaken by an enemy… and how the leaders remaining respond. We loved the characters and I enjoyed it as much as my boys did, which always makes for a great read aloud experience. We are now reading the second book and enjoying it, too! Highly recommend.
June 18, 2024
Review details to come...hopefully in a few weeks. One word for now: OUTSTANDING.
September 19, 2025
This was such a fun story. I read it aloud to all of my kids, ages range from 6-18 and we all wanted more. We can't wait to start the next book.
November 10, 2025
Great plot and cast of characters! I got a little mixed with the time between some of the events but other than that really good. Maybe a little bit violent for some of your younger children but use your own judgement:)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews