Zoobreak (Swindle Series #2)

by Gordon Korman

Overview

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!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545125000
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/01/2010
Series:	Swindle Series , #2
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	40,528
Product dimensions:	5.66(w) x 11.28(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Gordon Korman is the author of The 39 Clues Book 2: One False Note, which debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and The 39 Clues Book #8: The Emperor's Code. Gordon has written more than sixty books for kids and young adults, including Zoobreak, Swindle, and Son of the Mob, as well as the On the Run series and the Island, Everest, Dive, and Kidnapped trilogies. A native of Ontario, Canada, Korman now lives with his family in Long Island, New York.

Editorial Reviews

Poor Luthor, Savannah Drysdale's pet Doberman, is absolutely devastated missing his best friend, Cleopatra, a capuchin monkey who has been missing for weeks. Griffin Bing, Savannah's school teacher has scheduled a class trip to a floating zoo where Savannah discovers Cleo and the harsh, dirty, unhealthy atmosphere of the zoo. Knowing that Cleo has been stolen, Savannah and her friends are so appalled by the conditions of the floating zoo they plan to rescue not only Cleo but the entire lot of animals. This is a wonderful, unique story that is tension-filled from the very beginning and does not let up. With the help of Savannah's friends, one with a sleep disorder, one who claims to be "The Man With A Plan," and a wonderful assortment of adult characters, this story pulls the reader in right from the start. The idea is clever, and Savannah is portrayed as Cedarville's greatest authority on animals. There is a lot of information woven throughout the story that kids will find interesting as well. Riveting, humorous and well told, this book is a great read for kids. Reviewer: Joan Elste

Children's Literature - Joan Elste

Eleven-year-old Griffin Bing was known for being The Man with the Plan. So when his friend Savannah's pet monkey goes missing, she enlists his help in finding her. While on a school trip, they discover Savannah's beloved Cleopatra aboard a filthy floating zoo run by an unscrupulous zookeeper, Mr. Nastase (aka Mr. Nasty) and his gigantic security guard, Klaus. When no adults are able to prove the monkey is hers, Savannah prevails upon Griffin to come up with a rescue plan: he launches Operation Zoobreak. To complement his skills as a burglar and Savannah's expert animal knowledge, Griffin recruits an unlikely team that includes an accomplished climber, a computer wizard, a would-be actor, and the smallest kid in town. Like any good planner, Griffin is prepared for most contingencies, but what he does not count on is Savannah insisting that they rescue all of the animals on board. Heisting a monkey is one thing, but where can they stash the other forty animals without getting caught? Griffin realizes this turn of events might definitely require another plan, or perhaps even two. Korman again knocks it out of the park with his sequel to Swindle (Scholastic, 2008/ VOYA April 2008), which features the same rag-tag cast of misfit characters. Both children and adults will find the story fast moving and enjoyable. The often-unpredictable plot is interesting, full of humor, and good fun. This book should be highly appealing to middle school girls and boys. Reviewer: Judith Brink-Drescher

VOYA - Judith Brink-Drescher

Gr 5–7—The characters from Korman's Swindle (Scholastic, 2008) are reunited in this action-packed story. Eleven-year-old Savannah Drysdale's pet monkey has gone missing, and Savannah is sure that Cleo was stolen. On a class field trip aboard a floating animal zoo, she is convinced that the monkey in one of the exhibits is her pet. She enlists the help of her friend Griffin, known as the "Man With a Plan," to execute a zoo break. But, as Griffin knows, what looks good on paper doesn't always turn out quite as planned, especially when furry creatures are involved, and the rescuers end up with a lot more than they bargained for. Although the novel is heavy on plot and includes some very predictable bad guys, Korman manages to involve readers in the adventures of some likable young people who believe that they need to act, and not wait for adults to save the day. A satisfying read.—Kathy Kirchoefer, Prince Georges County Memorial Library System, New Carrollton, MD

School Library Journal

Griffin Bing, "The Man With The Plan," and his full complement of co-conspirators from Swindle (2008) are back. Animal whisperer Savannah's Capuchin monkey Cleopatra turns up missing, and a suspicious banana leads Savannah to the conclusion that Cleo's been monkey-napped. They find her in a run-down floating zoo, but adults and authorities are no help in getting the monkey back. Griffin already has worries enough, since his best bud, the narcoleptic Ben, is about to be shipped off to a special school for those with sleep disorders. Even so, everyone agrees to a plan to spring Cleo-but they end up having to spring the whole zoo. The plan to hide 40 animals from parents and police and Mr. Nastase, the awful zookeeper, only works for so long, prompting Griffin to move on to plan three . . . . Possibly more improbable and even sillier than the first, Korman's second tale of 11-year-old Mr. Fix-it Griffin and his friends is a page-turning adventure that reads like a Disney movie waiting to be made. The author's fans will be more than pleased, and those unfamiliar with the first will likely look it up. (Fiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews