A bling-loving capybara likes to make leftover shiny sweet wrappers into jewellery she can wear in her zoo enclosure – and hits the jackpot when she hears the Queen is turning up. And hits it again – not because she sees the Queen, as she falls asleep by mistake, but she finds the Queen's missing tiara. Oh if only she could keep it…

This is a reasonable entertainment, with the message that owning up – to mistakes, to finding things, etc – pays off in the end. It looks fine, although the critters do have OTT expressions that don't really match the low-key drama of the piece at times. But I certainly liked the effort in finding more rhyming names for these capybaras to have, and it's clever and cute enough to get three and a half stars. No more, mind – there aren't exactly hidden depths here.

Where have these capybaras been all my life?
It’s 2025, and they’re suddenly everywhere: on socks, mugs, in cartoons, reels, even dance songs on the radio. Cute? Absolutely. (Maybe less so in real life, but who’s checking?) We can’t resist their faces or their stories.

This one is sweet, kind, and a little bit British (because for Zara, the ultimate dream is a queen’s tiara). A gentle, funny adventure for anyone who’s already on the capybara bandwagon… or about to hop on.

Reminiscent of Madagascar the Musical and Zootopia -- Zara the Capybara lives happily at a London zoo until one day she 'finds' a tiara and refuses to give it back! She knows what is right, but her love of jewelry almost stands in the way!

I wanted to like this book, and the illustrations are cute and the premise and great, but it was easy to get bogged down in the details. My son also didn't walk away with a clear picture of what had happened or with the lesson the book was trying to teach. I think hiding away something you know isn't yours and then getting rewarded for returning it isn't a great precedent to set.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of Zara the Capybara and the Lost Tiara by Gina Symmons.

This is a charming story about Zara, a capybara who loves shiny things, and her adventure after finding the queen’s lost tiara. Although she initially wants to keep it, her friends help her understand the importance of doing the right thing—returning what doesn’t belong to her. In the end, Zara is rewarded for her honesty.

This is a sweet, well-illustrated book that gently teaches children the value of honesty. It’s a great choice for young elementary-aged readers—short, engaging, and meaningful.

This was such a fun and engaging story. We loved the illustrations and the animals. As a parent I really appreciated that the moral of the story was easy to follow, while also being entertaining for my children. They loved Zara and thought that it was really nice of her to tell the truth and return the tiara and they were tickled that in doing so she was given a reward. This is sure to be a new favorite in out house.

Thank you NetGalley and Gina Simmons for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My toddlers are on their way to 1,000 books before kindergarten and we were excited to read this after recently learning about Capybara's (so cute!). Before reading, we talked about where they live, some of their habits, and thought of what they might sound like (and then had to look it up because even I wasn't sure!). Initial impressions: before art! My kids are in a fairy-tale era and loved the queen aspect.

While this book was too long and wordy for my toddlers, it's perfect for the intended older child demographic. I like the story and the meaning within about doing the right thing. Although they may be a touch too young to fully understand the meaning, it would definitely resonate well with older kids. As a teacher, it's imperative to teach children to be selfless and empathetic towards others.

Thank you for allowing me to enjoy your work.
Valkyrie

Thank you so much to Troubador Publishing and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Zara the capybara loves shiny things, she creates jewellery out of sweet wrappers. Then one day the Queen visits the zoo and loses her tiara. Zara finds it and keeps it for herself, until her friends convince her to give it back.

The story was really good it showed that doing the right thing even if it isn’t what you want to do can have a great reward. Zara wanted the Queen’s tiara for herself as it was so pretty, but knowing it had to go back she hid it selfishly, but her friends remind her of the right thing to do and help her. I really enjoyed the message behind the story it’s a great way for young readers to understand how to do the right thing.

The illustration’s were adorable, I loved how the capybara’s were drawn they were so cute, with glasses on and with all the jewellery. I enjoyed looking at them on each page, very sweetly created.

I enjoyed the storyline and the characters, they were all very cute and I loved their friendship together and that they all cared and respected each one’s individuality. I think young readers will enjoy this book a lot, it has a sweet story, lovely illustrations and an important lesson to learn.

I enjoyed the illustrations in this books and the story was cute, encouraging to do the right thing.

This beautifully illustrated but slightly wordy picture book features Zara the Capybara and her fabulous jewelry (primarily made up of discarded candy wrappers). When the Queen visits the zoo, she loses her tiara which is later found by Zara who thinks, finders keepers! Luckily she's surrounded by friends that (eventually manage to) convince her that she should return it which leads to a very pleasant afternoon with the Queen.

Thank you to Troubador and NetGalley for the advance reader's digital copy. #ZaratheCapybaraandtheLostTiara #NetGalley

This is such a cute story! Zara the capybara is excited to see the Queen and her tiara - but things take a turn as she finds one of her own. Is there something suspicious about the tiara Zara found? Zara learns about the importance of honesty from her friends in this adorable tale.

I read this to my 6 and 9 year olds, and they both enjoyed it. The vocabulary is pretty advanced for the younger ages, at least for them to actually read the story themselves, but it held both of their interest throughout. The illustrations were very cute as well. My son was asking for bedtime stories about capybaras earlier this year, and given their popularity, I was surprised to find that there weren't many actual kids' books about them. This is perfect for him, and he loved it.

Definitely one to recommend!

Such a cute story for young reader about friendship and helping others do the right thing. Also, how cute is it that Zara makes her own jewelry out of candy wrappers? The illustrations were precious, and the addition of the queen was the perfect.

A beautifully illustrated and fun story with important messages and the importance of friendship and doing the right thing. This would be a lovely gift for a young reader.

A sweet capybara (appropriately named Zara) is a lover of trinkets and shiny things (same, girl.) When the Queen comes to visit the capybaras, Zara makes the biggest mistake of all: she naps through the entire visit! But after everyone tells their tales of the Queen's kindness and fabulousness, Zara finds a tiara that the Queen accidentally left behind. Should she keep it to herself? Should she hide it?

A classic tale of honesty and doing the right thing alongside adorable illustrations. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was so beautifully illustrated! The story was fun with a good message behind it to do the right thing! A wonderful addition to any child’s library!

Zara the Capybara is a playful little zoo resident in London who loves turning sweet wrappers into jewelry. When she stumbles upon a sparkling royal tiara after a visit from the King and Queen, she hides it instead of returning it, only to forget where she put it. With the help of her friends, Zara not only finds the tiara but also learns that doing the right thing can lead to unexpected rewards.

This book is such a delight. If you’ve ever seen a capybara in person (I was lucky enough to once!), you know how charming and expressive they are, and this story captures that personality perfectly. Beyond the adorable characters, it carries a warm message about integrity, cooperation, and not judging each other when mistakes are made. Instead, it focuses on helping one another make the right choices, even when it’s hard. I loved how the capybaras’ names rhyme and add a fun, playful rhythm that kids will adore during storytime. It’s the kind of book that sneaks in positive lessons while keeping young readers entertained, and I truly enjoyed every page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.