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Cover of The Battle for Roar
Illustrated · ages 8–11

The Battle for Roar

Written by Jenny McLachlan · Illustrated by Ben Mantle

Book 3 in The Land of RoarView the full series

In the final showdown of the trilogy, Arthur and Rose voyage further into Roar than ever, beyond The End, where a mysterious storm shipwrecks them and a shocking discovery could spell the end of their imaginary world and their long battle with Crowky.

  • Best for8–11
  • FormatIllustrated
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The vibe

What it’s like.

Style

  • Conversational
  • Comedic

Tone

  • Exciting
  • Adventurous
  • Warm
  • Funny
  • Whimsical
  • Heartwarming

Themes

On the pageimaginary world, twins, sea voyage, shipwreck, dragons

Experience meters

Energy4/ 5
Humour3/ 5
Scariness3/ 5
Peril3/ 5
Wonder4/ 5
Cosiness3/ 5
Emotional intensity3/ 5
Conceptual intensity2/ 5

What’s it about?

The story.

Arthur and Rose return to Roar for a voyage that takes them beyond The End, further into their imaginary world than they have ever dared, past secrets, surprises and fairies with fangs. But a mysterious storm changes everything: shipwrecked on a strange island, the twins make a discovery that could mean the end of Roar itself. And the danger of Crowky has never gone away. As long as a piece of Grandad remains in Roar, the scarecrow-crow can still reach Home, and this time the confrontation between the children and their old enemy will bring the whole story to a head. Jenny McLachlan's third and final Roar adventure, illustrated throughout by Ben Mantle, is a fizzing, funny and surprisingly moving finale, with real character growth for both Arthur and, unexpectedly, Crowky. It ends on a hopeful, open note that honours everything the trilogy has said about imagination, family and growing up, a satisfying close for readers who have followed the twins from the very first book.

Fit check

Right for your child?

Where it lands by age

Aimed at 8-11s reading independently, with illustration support throughout and strong read-aloud appeal from about 7. As the trilogy finale it only fully lands for readers who have followed Arthur and Rose from the earlier books.

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  • 5
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  • 11
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  • Best fit · 8–11
  • Read aloud · 7–10
  • Independent · 8–11

Prose load

Moderate

Visual support

Moderate

Reluctant-reader friendly

Very

Read-aloud quality

Strong

Works well for

  • Reading aloud
  • Reading together
  • Reluctant readers
Low sensitivityNo content warnings

Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.

Bedtime suitability

3 / 5 · Workable

Sensitive-child

3 / 5 · Mostly fine

Graphic intensity

2 / 5 · Mild

Best for

  • Imaginative adventure
  • Portal fantasy
  • Reluctant readers
  • Series finale

Avoid if

  • Wants realistic fiction

Why it lands

Why they love it.

Why kids love it

This is the big finish: a stormy sea voyage past the edge of Roar, fairies with fangs, a shipwreck and a last reckoning with Crowky. The stakes for Grandad and for Roar itself have never been higher, and the ending really pays off.

  • Secret world
  • Going on a quest
  • Adventure and freedom
  • Surviving danger
  • Having a nemesis

Why parents love it

The trilogy's closer earns its emotional payoff, giving even the villain Crowky a genuine arc and ending on a hopeful, open note. Funny, pacey and warm, with Ben Mantle's illustrations throughout keeping it welcoming for younger readers.

  • Nostalgia
  • Conversation starter

In the series

The Land of Roar.

5 books · open the series →

About the creators

About the creators.

JM

Jenny McLachlan

Writer · United Kingdom

Jenny McLachlan is a British author who, after years as a secondary-school Head of English, turned to writing full time. Following a run of teen novels, she found her middle-grade home with The Land of Roar, an imaginative, fast-moving trilogy about twins Arthur and Rose, who rediscover the wild imaginary world they invented as children when their grandad is pulled into it through the folding attic bed. Illustrated by Ben Mantle, the Roar books are big-hearted adventures full of dragons, mermaids and the scarecrow villain Crowky, threading real feeling about family, growing up and the magic we risk losing through their whirlwind quests. A newer dragon-school arc extends the world for readers who love How to Train Your Dragon. McLachlan lives by the sea on the South Downs and is a popular, funny school-visit author.

More from Jenny McLachlan
BM

Ben Mantle

Illustrator · United Kingdom

Ben Mantle is a British children's illustrator based in Brighton, whose warm, characterful line brings a wealth of stories to life for younger readers. He studied animation at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design and worked on Tim Burton's Corpse Bride before turning to book illustration in 2008. In this corpus he is the illustrator of Jenny McLachlan's bestselling Land of Roar series, where his lively black-and-white artwork populates a wild imaginary world of dragons, mermaids, ninja wizards and the scarecrow-crow villain Crowky; he continues to provide the striking cover art as the series moves into its dragon-school arc. Beyond Roar he has illustrated many picture books, including The Best Birthday Present Ever!. Mantle's energetic, big-hearted style is a natural fit for funny, fast-moving adventures that pull children into the page.

More from Ben Mantle

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Last reviewed · July 2026Suggest a correctionHow we recommend

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