A series of novels by Gary Northfield. After trying to sneak back home from his smelly water hole in Africa, Julius Zebra is separated from his mother and brother and he gets captured with Milus the lion and Cornelius the warthog. They meet other animals and must train up to be gladiators.
Tropes featured in these books:
- Accidental Misnaming: Julius is called Julia, Julie, Julianne, and Juliette by people throughout the first book.
- Ancient Rome: Julius, Cornelius, and Milus are sent here in the first book.
- Big Brother Bully: Brutus.
- Damsel in Distress: Julius's mother in the third book.
- Disappeared Dad: Julius's father isn't seen or mentioned anywhere in the books.
- I Choose to Stay: In the third book, Pliny goes back to Rome to practice his new fighting moves.
- Toilet Humor:
- In the first book, Julius does not want to drink from the watering hole due to animals doing their whatnot in it.
- One of Felix's rocks is presumed to be old poop.
- An animal says that he needs to pee when Julius and his friends are in a cage.
- In the third book, Brutus says that he isn't sitting under some poop, said poop being under the ship, not the other meaning.
- Sibling Rivalry: Julius and Brutus have one.
- Squirrels in My Pants: Julius and his friends get red ants all over themselves after putting on their gladiator outfits.
- Zebras Are Just Striped Horses: Played with throughout the series. The first book shows a comparison between horses and zebras, and Julius is called a stripy horse in some parts. The third book has Julius and Brutus race against horses in a chariot race.
