Buy new:
Save with Used - Very Good

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Theo and the Secret of Elshon (Book of Theo) Paperback – December 9, 2021
Purchase options and add-ons
Can they find the fabled Library of Elshon, and fight the human empire bent on turning animals into mindless beasts of burden?
"One of my favorite reads of 2021." - Amazon customer review
"A haunting, entertaining read...unpredictable and a real page turner." - Amazon customer review
In the sequel to the award-winning “Theo and the Forbidden Language”, Theo, Brune, and Indigo must find the infamous and feared muskrat, Orjo the Terrible. For only he can lead them to the legendary Elshon, a lost library in a land where reading and writing are punishable by death. At Elshon, Theo hopes to find the cure to Pacification—the empire’s power to make animals mute and mindless.
But can they find the Library and its hidden powers before Theo’s enemy, the vengeful human warlord Ornox, hunts them down? Can they even trust the notoriously conniving Orjo? It’s a race against time and overwhelming odds as Theo and his team must test their friendship, courage, and wits to uncover the secret to defeating the empire. For fans of REDWALL, THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and WATERSHIP DOWN comes a fantasy adventure about faith, self-acceptance, and the power of the written word.
Read the complete series today:
Theo and the Forbidden Language
Theo and the Secret of Elshon
Theo and the Stolen Library
- Print length320 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateDecember 9, 2021
- Reading age13 - 18 years
- Dimensions5 x 0.8 x 8 inches
- ISBN-100998089656
- ISBN-13978-0998089652
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
Frequently bought together

Frequently purchased items with fast delivery
Product details
- Publisher : Writing Rooster Media
- Publication date : December 9, 2021
- Language : English
- Print length : 320 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0998089656
- ISBN-13 : 978-0998089652
- Item Weight : 10.1 ounces
- Reading age : 13 - 18 years
- Dimensions : 5 x 0.8 x 8 inches
- Book 2 of 3 : Book of Theo
- Best Sellers Rank: #3,887,264 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,731 in Teen & Young Adult Classic Literature
- #3,447 in Teen & Young Adult Coming of Age Fantasy
- #5,739 in Teen & Young Adult Sword & Sorcery Fantasy
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Born in Canada and raised in China, Melanie Ansley is the award-winning author of the “Book of Theo” fantasy trilogy. Her stories involve magic, underdogs, and the power of art in our lives. Having grown up in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Beijing, she picked up fluent Mandarin and an incurable love of travel, but alas no cooking skills. Since then, she has written content that has appeared on Netflix, been held at gunpoint during a film festival, and penned a series that won a student Emmy.
Now based in Australia, she juggles writing, filmmaking, and raising two children (all of which involve a certain level of magic and a lot of luck).
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonTop reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2023Format: KindleVerified PurchaseIf you're wondering if its worth the read... it is! This book has everything! It has adventure, lots of surprises, and the introduction of many more great characters!
- Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2021Format: KindleOverall: a great fantasy story, in a unique world with fun characters. The story started off with a bang, but then it sort of slowed down a bit. I liked the character development, and the peeks into what was going on with the other main characters, but I would've liked the pacing to be a little quicker. This definitely hits the mark for young adult fantasy, and it was an enjoyable read.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2021Format: KindleThe adventure of Theo continues in Book 2, Theo and the Secret of Elshon. It doesn’t disappoint. What is impressive about this book is the author’s ability to take animals, rabbits in particular, and transform them into creatures with personalities that are believable. The reader discovers within its pages a world that is fantastical yet grittily real. These aren’t playful puffballs of fur but realistically portrayed beings dealing with hard choices and huge obstacles. Ornox, a human and the villain of the piece, is masterfully portrayed in that he emanates an aura of such competent evil that one can’t help but find him threatening and wanting to know what happens to those that cross his path. The story moves along quickly as a result. Of course, I wanted more when I got to the end and hope Book 3 is coming soon. What I enjoy about about this series is that it is so different from the typical fantasy novel, not because of what it describes, but because the characters and their experiences are more than simply make believe. They stay with you.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2021Format: KindleThis is a wonderful series and I love this author's style. It is a cross between Watership Down and Old Man Coyote. The characters are engaging and the story line keeps you interested until the last word of the book. I have been following her since the first Theo adventure and patiently, or maybe not so patiently at times, waiting for this new addition to the series. Now I start the process over again waiting for more. Talking animals looking for a lost library who love to read...what is there not to like about that story line. It is a wonderful book for young and old alike and I highly recommend it to all who enjoy reading.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2022Format: KindleI really enjoyed this book, but I highly recommend first reading Theo and the Forbidden Language (Book of Theo #1) before this one, as otherwise readers may be confused jumping in to this one first. The series is sort of like Watership Down meets Lord of the Rings. Melanie Ansley has created a unique world that will inspire the imagination. I particularly love the reminder that it's a privilege to be able to read, as well as challenging readers to imagine animals as more like us than not.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2021Format: KindleI loved this book. It’s an impressive installment of the Theo series. The plot moves swiftly and the characters are wonderfully drawn. What I find most striking about this series is how thought provoking it is. Ansley steadily explores ideas about power and morality, while her characters tumble from one peril to the next. Her writing is both gripping and poignant, and the world she's created is immersive in the best of ways. I received a gratis copy with the request for an honest review, and I'm glad to say it's one of my favorite reads of 2021.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2021Format: Kindlea wonderful read! imagine a place where it is punishable by death to read! A haunting, entertaining read! unpredictable and a real page turner. this book will keep you wanting more! I loved it!
Top reviews from other countries
- young at heartReviewed in Canada on January 2, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read with a great story that was told intriguingLy.
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseThis is a great bedtime story!!
- Sj KeenReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 6, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars WONDERFUL SERIES, impatient for the next one !
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseFABULOUS BOOKS WICH ARE ON PAR WITH THE DUNKTON WOOD SERIES BY WILLIAM HORWOOD