The Butterfly Lion

Celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the stunning, classic story of an unforgettable friendship with a glorious colour gift edition, fully illustrated by Christian Birmingham.



“All my life I’ll think of you, I promise I will. I won’t ever forget you.”



Bertie rescues an orphaned white lion cub from the African veld. They are inseparable until Bertie is sent to boarding school far away in England and the lion is sold to a circus. Bertie swears that one day they will see one another again, but it is the butterfly lion which ensures that their friendship will never be forgotten.


From master storyteller Michael Morpurgo, this extraordinary tale of friendship, loyalty and overcoming adversity has spoken to readers the world over since it was first published twenty-five years ago. This stunning colour gift book, with new illustrations from Christian Birmingham, will be treasured by a new generation of children.