Zoobreak

Griffin and his friends take on a new mission when Savannah's pet monkey Cleopatra goes missing. On a field trip to a floating zoo, they discover her monkey has been stolen by the zoo's corrupt owner, Mr. Nastase. The group must assemble a team of skilled friends to plan and execute a rescue operation. Their investigation reveals that many animals in the floating zoo are actually stolen pets, leading them to expand their mission into a full zoo break. The story centers on friendship, teamwork, and standing up against wrongdoing when adults fail to act. In this middle-grade adventure novel, Korman explores themes of loyalty and justice while delivering an action-packed plot that will appeal to young readers.

Readers call this sequel fast-paced and engaging for middle-grade students. Parents report their reluctant readers stayed interested throughout. Liked: - Strong themes of friendship and doing what's right - Griffin and Ben's character development - Animal rescue storyline resonates with young animal lovers - Humorous moments balance serious topics - Works as standalone despite being book #2 Disliked: - Some found the plot too unrealistic - Less complex than book #1 (Swindle) - Side characters need more development - Resolution feels rushed to some readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (6,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (280+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 "Perfect for kids who love animals and adventure" appears in multiple reviews. One teacher noted: "Even my most struggling readers got invested in the story." Some parents mentioned the book prompted discussions about ethics and standing up for beliefs.

Masterminds by Gordon Korman A group of kids uncover dark secrets about their seemingly perfect town and must plan an escape.

The Unteachables by Gordon Korman Misfit students band together to help their teacher and prove their worth to a school system that has given up on them.

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs A middle school student joins a covert CIA academy and works with fellow students to uncover a mole within the organization.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt A seventh-grade boy forms unexpected alliances and hatches schemes while spending Wednesday afternoons with his teacher during the Vietnam War era.

No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman A student faces consequences after writing an honest book report and turns the school play into an unexpected production through a series of mishaps.

🔹 Gordon Korman wrote his first book at age 12 as a seventh-grade writing assignment, which was published when he was 14, launching his career as one of North America's most prolific children's authors. 🔹 Traveling zoo boats, like the one featured in Zoobreak, were real attractions in the early 1900s, bringing exotic animals to riverside communities along America's major waterways. 🔹 The book is the second installment in the Swindle series, which includes six additional books following the same core group of characters on different adventures. 🔹 Many of the problem-solving techniques used by the characters are inspired by real-world animal rescue operations, where careful planning and teamwork are essential. 🔹 The character development in Zoobreak reflects Korman's signature style of creating ensemble casts where each member has a specific skill set, similar to heist movies but adapted for young readers.