A whimsical fantasy adventure about a magical city inside a gentle, wise whale, where friendship and kindness keep the whole world in balance.
In Leviatopia, a hidden city thrives inside Livi, a warm-hearted whale. But as Friend-Sheep Day—a celebration of care and responsibility—approaches, chaos erupts. Instead of learning from their humans, the city’s sheep have begun mimicking every selfish argument and careless word they witness. When best friends Ella and Alex are called back to help, they find a world out of balance. Accompanied by the eccentric Alex Tootley, his nervous dog Luna, and a high-tech hoverboard, they journey through magical bakeries and toy shops to understand the spreading chaos. They soon discover a profound truth: the city’s harmony depends entirely on the examples they set. With humor and heart, the group must find the courage to lead by example, proving that real change begins with kindness. Leviatopia: Friend-Sheep Day is a playful yet thoughtful adventure for readers ages 8–12, ideal for families who love stories full of warmth and imagination.
Leviatopia: Friend-Sheep Day by Ran Cohen is a wholesome children’s story with a big heart and admirable messaging.
Part of Cohen’s Leviatopia series, this book isn’t a standalone, as there was minimal context to get a new reader settled into this world. Sure, it encourages kids to find the additional books to read, but if this had been gifted by someone who hadn’t noticed it wasn’t the first book, it would be frustrating.
Not to mention, there were important things near the end that the author took time to break down, like the time difference between the real world and Leviatopia, that showed he knows the importance of those continuity issues. I wish there had been more of that in the beginning.
One of the parts I really enjoyed were the illustrations peppered throughout the story, aside from one that didn’t fit, looking more like stock art by the jarring change in style. It gave solid credence to the genre, and several really made me smile.
The story, though... it felt messy and all over the place, even for a kids’ story.
I’ve been a parent since 1997, so I wasn’t expecting high-level literature. However, the execution hindered the great message of kindness Cohen wove into every part of this book. The flow stumbled, from the beginning when the kids talked about missing the magical land of Leviatopia and suddenly deciding to use the magical bike to go back, to watching them run all over the place.
And I understand it’s a children’s book, so repeating the message is necessary. However, it happened so often, I had to reread interactions to see if I missed something, some deeper message. I didn’t find one, but it was there, I don’t know how a kid could suss it out either.
I liked the wide-eyed sweetness of the main characters, Alex and Ella. They are definitely the kind of kids I’d want younger kids to emulate. They took their time to think about what to do next, especially Ella, and it never came off as bossy or forced. Instead, they tackled the big issue on Friend-Sheep Day with real determination.
That dialogue felt stilted, though, even for kids, but honestly, I think that was more about the formatting. The way the author used dialogue tags disrupted how the conversations moved within the chapters.
I enjoyed enough of it, that I just want it to get a better polish, because I think it could be a solid choice to get that message of kindness across to the right demographic. Mr. Cohen has the ability--I saw it several times throughout the book, which is why I gave this three stars--and I hope he continues to grow as a writer. Leviatopia deserves it.
I received this book for free through Reedsy’s Discovery Program for ARC Readers. You can read free books in exchange for your honest reviews, too.
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