Zoobreak

I didn't like Zoobreak quite as much as Swindle, but not because Korman did anything wrong in this book. Zoobreak was mostly a repeat of the formulas used in the first book, so the story and characters were just fresher in Swindle. I don't see this as a negative per- say. I love authors who put out a whole bunch of very similar works, especially high-interest/low-level books. Kids can discover and then devour a series, ripping through tons of books without realizing how much reading they're actually doing. So while I don't feel the need to read the rest of the seven book series, I am really glad they exist.

The animal mishaps were fun, and I did think the ending was sweet.

Korman has to be one of the hardest working children's authors out there. This LFL find is yet another funny and exciting adventure, with the author's trademark sensitivity to authentic characters and plausible situations... no magic, no unsupervised orphans, no cliched bullies....

Reading the first adventure is not necessary to enjoying this.

I will continue to read the author as I come across his work.

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

If it weren't for Savannah's capuchin monkey, Cleopatra, being stolen, none of this would have happened. But Cleo was stolen, and it did!

Griffin and his friends (if you've read SWINDLE by Mr. Korman, these are the same kids that managed to pull off the baseball card caper) are on a class field trip to the traveling exhibit All Aboard Animals. An old paddleboat has been converted into a traveling zoo. The kids are grossed out by the stench of the animals, and when Savannah finds Cleo in a cage marked Eleanor, she is absolutely livid. She demands her monkey back, but the zookeeper, Mr. Nastase, insists he bought her legally and has a bill of sale to prove it.

The kids, grumbling, leave the floating show more zoo, but Savannah is determined to get Cleo back. It's Griffin who comes up with the idea: Zoobreak. He assembles a team of friends, each with a specific job, and comes up with the plan.

The kids successfully (though with some hiccups in the execution) retrieve Cleo, along with all the other animals in the exhibit. If they had left the other animals, they'd have been home free. But Savannah can't stand the thought of leaving the rest of the animals in such squalid conditions.

Trying to conceal such exotic animals as a meerkat, loon, beaver and more create havoc in the kids' lives. They realize they have to get rid of the animals before they are found out. Their only option is to break the animals INTO another zoo.

If you think this is as crazy as it sounds, it is! The adventures Griffin and his friends get into are hysterical. The fact that the plans actually work are astounding. But of course, there are obstacles along the way, and it's navigating the obstacles that are the most fun.

This is the first story I've read by Mr. Korman, and after enjoying ZOOBREAK so much, I know I'll read more. show less

Griffin Bing is known as the Man with a Plan, so when his friend's stolen monkey is discovered in a floating zoo, Griffin and his friends devise a plan to steal her back. The only problem is that they have no idea what to do with the other 40 animals they released

I liked the responsible parenting demonstrated in this novel. How refreshing!

Griffin Bing is known as the Man with a Plan, so when his friend's stolen monkey is discovered in a floating zoo, Griffin and his friends devise a plan to steal her back. The only problem is that they have no idea what to do with the other 40 animals they released

I liked the responsible parenting demonstrated in this novel. How refreshing!

When Griffin Bing's class goes to a floating zoo, they don't expect to see animals being treated so badly. They don't expect to find Cleo, Dog Whisperer Savannah's pet monkey who's been missing for weeks. And they really don't expect to have to hide the animals once they've rescued them! Hilarity ensues as Griffin's team once more pulls off a heist...trying to break the animals back into a (better) zoo!

The kids from Swindle are at it again, with Griffin Bing leading the charge. This book is geared for a young audience, and me, being an adult, am giving an adult perspective...I don't like stories that put kids in a position of breaking the law and disobeying their parents. I hope kids who read this sequel don't get the impression that the choices these kids made were the best ones even though everything turns out "okay" at the conclusion. The characters were in peril on more than one occasion because of decisions they made without having their parent's approval.