The Secret Zoo

I would recommend this book to anyone my age (12-13) it is a very interesting book that I like a lot
I gave it five stars because I can't stop reading it

The rest of the series was also very good

I would recommend this book to anyone my age (12-13) it is a very interesting book that I like a lot
I gave it five stars because I can't stop reading it

The rest of the series was also very good

This book is adventurous and a cool book for a kid to read it really gets you thinking if you put your mind to something you can accomplish it and this book also is very good for getting your imagination thinking

My daughter started the summer prior to third grade really resisting the idea of reading "chapter books". We signed her up for an optional reading incentive program anyway. Once she discovered this series our struggles were over. I read some of the first book of the series to her, and she read the majority of it plus all of this book on her own. She is asking for another "Secret Zoo" book. The teacher said her reading has greatly improved in her first quarter of third grade. Another thing that worked for us...I let her read it on my Kindle. That seems to be extra motivation for her.

I am gonna get the next one. I just couldn't get my eyes away from such an eeeeppppiiiicccc book. My favorite character was definitely a boy called Noah. He and his best friends Rickie and Ella are trying to save Noah's sister Megan from the shadow lands, a place inhabited by strange, scary animals. Although it's a fantasy book for kids, it's really believable. The animals can't talk or anything... they're just really menacing. If you're a kid aged 9-12, this book is definitely for you. It will have you hanging on the edge of your seat until the very end.

As a child I loved the times my mother read out-loud to my sisters and I. They are fond memories and I cherish them a lot. I cannot wait until I can give the same gift to my kids and this book and the series are a must on the list. I can't wait until my two pre-schoolers are old enough for me to read these books to.
It is a story of adventure on an child-size epic scale, a story of courage and hope, and a story of friendship. It has brave kids, the best kind of kids, and heroic animals, the best kind of animals. It has magic, the family-friendly kind of magic, and it has hope, the best - hope they get their sister and friend back - kind of hope.
I have been recommending this book and its series to everyone I know. Love, love, love it! Thanks for the great read!

It is funny in some ways but yet it is like a mystery book because of the shadowist. I read all of Bryan chick books. I love this series. I would recommend it for people who like funny books, mystery books, are age level is 10 and up. I was nine when I read the first book of the series an I didn't understand it but now that I'm ten I understand what they mean.

i got this for my granddaughter to read. she did not finish it because she got kind of lost in the story. she is reading about 2 levels above her grade so i know this wasn't too hard for her, just not a book she likes.

It was a cool story, except the a part that was overdramatic and kind of traumatizing. Overall though I think it was a great book.

A boy named Noah sets out to find his sister, Megan. Then the animals start acting strange at the zoo. When Noah and his friends sneak in to try and find out what's going on they get caught and find the secret zoo.

After having just finished a 700-page novel, I was looking for a less heavy read to tackle next. This seemed to fit the bill so I gave it a shot. If you are looking for an airtight plot, impressive literary talent or perfect word choice, you won't find it here. But if you are willing to suspend your criticisms and just enjoy something for what it is, you will find a delightful little weekend read in this book. It is funny, at times suspenseful, at times silly, and reads to me like a story a parent would invent for their children (in fact, this may be a read-aloud for my daughter when she gets a little older. Kids will love it and parents, steal it from them so you can read it too! It is just the kind of lighthearted material that can bring a smile to your face after a long day at work. And since I was the kind of kid who used to love imagining I could interact with the animals at the zoo, the storyline was totally indulgent of my inner child. Great fun!

Unfortunately, this was a little bit of a disappointment to me (unlike the original). I kept waiting for something to happen, but I feel like the plot developments were insufficient for an entire book. Since its part of a series, I will probably still get the next one in hopes that at least some of the loose ends will be addressed, since I don't feel like this installment did that at all. It did leave me in suspense for the next part (maybe a little too much), I just didn't feel like there was enough plot to build an entire book around. As an adult though, I am wondering if my expectations are too high for children's fiction, because my 8 year old absolutely loved it. Bottom line, looking forward to the next book, but hoping that there's a little more to it.

This is the best book I have ever read! And I read a lot of books! It was awesome and I liked how funny Podgy and the other penguins were. Keep writing more books. -Gracia, age 9

I really liked it. Especially Podgy. And the polar bear Blizzard. -Calvin, age 8

I started reading this to my kids, not knowing anything about it, but soon, all three of us were hooked. Its hard to put down with all the cliffhanger chapter endings. Thanks for the quality family time! -Katy, age 30

A very wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful wonderful book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I recommend this book.

Great fun and adventure for kids 9 and up who love animals and fantasy. The story starts at a run and never slows down. I love the imagination and the secret world. I will look forward to reading the rest of the series.

As an adult who sometimes enjoys reading books for YA or kids, this book was okay, but I imagine kids will enjoy it. The big battle (which the entire book leads up to) happens in one brief chapter. I found that very disappointing. This is a series, which I usually adore, however, this time I don't plan to read the rest of the books.

I bought this because of the reviews and my grandchildren were coming to visit. I found it disappointing and felt that it was not well written. I would not recommend it. (didn't read it to the grandchildren)

As an adult who sometimes enjoys reading books for YA or kids, this book was okay, but I imagine kids will enjoy it. The big battle (which the entire book leads up to) happens in one brief chapter. I found that very disappointing. This is a series, which I usually adore, however, this time I don't plan to read the rest of the books.

I bought this because of the reviews and my grandchildren were coming to visit. I found it disappointing and felt that it was not well written. I would not recommend it. (didn't read it to the grandchildren)

Megan has disappeared. When it becomes evident that Megan's disappearance is tied to the zoo's secrets, her brother Noah and Action Scout friends (Richie and Ella) jump to the rescue!

My seven year old daughter would not part with this book during the day, so I read it after she finished it. What I loved about this book: ORIGINAL plot, dual perspective point of view (Ella and Richie alternating with Noah), personalities of the animals, short but fun-filled chapters. Highly recommend for chapter readers who love mystery, suspense, animals, adventure, action, and a bit of fantasy!

Because some reviewers have written a caution for emotional children, I'd like to address that. A brief passage references death. My daughter was not traumatized in any way. She understands that ALL living things (including people) die in one way or another. The circumstances were tragic, and she felt bad for the family involved. But it was a very minor portion of the story. Of course, you know your own child best.

http://readfantasybooks.wordpress.com

When I found The Secret Zoo at my local bookstore I was so excited to read it! I love children's books and I am trying to catch up on everything I missed when I was a kid. As soon as I started reading the book I was hooked. The book was very mysterious, which kept me interested throughout, and there were lots cute animals that all have their own personalities. Blending mystery and fantasy makes for an awesome read.

I loved the plot of the book and found it very entertaining. I was glad to read something a little different for a change. There were tons of cute animals as the secondary characters in the book, and I thought it was interesting that for a children's fantasy book the animals don't talk. I loved this! It was incredible how the author was able to create such loving animals as characters without them talking. All the animals and the story itself were my favorite parts of the book. Also, the pace of the book was perfect! It was never too slow, or too fast, and I was always interested in what was going on.

The characters were what brought my rating of the book down to four stars. The main characters: Noah, Richie, and Ella were not developed at all and I never got to know much about them. All I can tell you is that Noah loves his sister, Richie is the smart one in the group, and Ella is impatient. Other than that I couldn't tell you much. I was very disappointed in the main characters. I don't think it is too difficult, especially for a children's book, to describe and develop characters a little more. However, I am not going to be too harsh because there are four other books in this series. Hopefully, I learn more about them in the following books and they develop more of a personality.

I actually enjoyed the animal characters a lot more. They all had their own personalities, were very cute, and none of the talk. Any kid who reads the book who loves animals will adore these characters! I especially liked Blizzard and PDog was just funny!

I thought the book was very well written for a children's book. There were many shorter sentences and everything was simple, easy to understand, and the dialogue was believable and fit in with the rest of the writing. Also, if I remember correctly there might have been a few words that younger children may not know, which would be good for vocabulary development.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to any fantasy and animal lover. Younger children, boys and girls alike, would love this book as well. I can't wait to read it to my son, although he did make me read him several chapters already and he is only two!

This book reminds so of the Magic Tree House series, only this series revolves around a zoo and 4 children. The Secret Zoo is the first in the series of books, and you will quickly be pulled into the mystery and drama of the story line.

Megan disappears, and her brother, Noah doesn't give up hope that she can be found. Their friends Ella and Richie are quick to help look for her. But will they ever find her? Mysterious things begin to happen, animals drop off little things to get Noah to go the Zoo. But will he find Megan there? Or will he only get in trouble with Charlie the guard?

Children in elementary school and middle school will enjoy this book. Teachers of younger children or parents can easily read this book a chapter a time after recess or at bedtime. It is sure to be a favorite!

We read this as a family (two adults and an 11 year old daughter). The first book was pretty good. We listened to that on a summer road trip. However, this time around the story seemed to drag and drag. Description came across as overly detailed, and while our daughter generally liked it, she was disappointed in the end. It's not horrible, but it wasn't great either.

I did not read this book, my now 10 year old son read it and it is the only book and series he has actually wanted to read for the past 2 years. It seems to hold his interest and that makes me happy. He's just starting the 4th book in the series and I think there are only 1 or 2 more!!

What a great book. I was giving this to my 9yr old nephew. He doesn't like to read and has problems reading. So at first I read the book to make sure it was something he could handle. Not only could he read, he LOVED IT! He talked about how fun it would be to make friends with animals at a real zoo and how cool it would be if there were secret zoos to protect animals. His mother had just purchased the next 3 books of the series.
I must say this would make a wonderful film. Live with computer imaged animals. Hope someone in Hollywood finds this book and does justice to it in a film formate.
If you have (or know of some) child between 9 & 12 who just hasn't found the right book to catch their interest try this book. Wonderful for kids who really love animals.

Bought this book for my daughter's eighth birthday last week. After the first night of reading she said in a wide eyed expression "ITS VERY INTERESTING" after being asked if she liked it. She is an avid reader but was a tad overwhelmed at the number of pages (320), four days later, she finished it..... Needless to say, I ordered the next several books in the series so I can keep up.

This book is great. It leave suspense at the end so now I have to read the next book. The book was awesome in the beginning, funny in the middle, and at the end it left a lot of suspense. Which isn't a bad thing because I LOVE to read so I have to do more reading and buy the next book. Now don't get me wrong I love this series, but the only part I didn't like was when Blizzard and Little Big Horn got shot at the end. I think there okay though so no worries. Other than that the book was awesome, great and fantastic. Thanks Bryan Chick (your one of the best authors I read from)for making this book. Also thank you readers for reading my review.

Just think this book is 500 ? instead of only 5. I ????????? this I love animals and this book loves me excuse me while I partay ???????????????????????????????????????????????? this was every thing sad happy and mysterious lol and col ( cry out loud) I seriously cried of mostly joy but some of this was spooky please rate «5» ????? stars

My 10 year old daughter's review:
This book was so good I could not put it down. It's about a boy named Noah, who was looking for his missing sister, following the clues that she left behind inside the zoo. In the process he finds a few friendly animals that lead him to a secret underground zoo, there he finds out that his sister is in the dark-land taken by a sasquatsh which is part ape part human. In this book, Noah is taken on a great adventure filled with friendship and excitement.
I recommend this book to kids and adults who like mysteries and adventure.

After reading the first book I was really looking forward to reading this one. However, the author spends waaaaay too much time describing everything and everyone. It was hard fighting the temptation to put it down and just give up on it. I think maybe if you hadn't read the first book than maybe all the description would be needed, but I still think it is excessive. Then the book just ends with no warning. I seriously had to keep flipping pages wondering if I had missed a chapter. It was like the author just decided to stop right in the middle of the story. Not sure I will read the next one.

I lead a book club with my son's class each year. He is in 4th grade. Our group read The Secret Zoo this winter. All 7 kids loved it! I assigned pages each week and they complained every week about having to wait to read on. They stopped me in the halls to discuss what they thought was going to happen next.

They story is unique and very well told. While some parents may be put off by the "missing child" in the beginning of the story, we must remember that adult imagination is far more dark than a child's imagination when it comes to that topic - it never occurred to my group that she wouldn't be found, safe and sound. They were more excited about how she would be found. The vivid descriptions get the kids started in the right direction, but then let imagination take over.

The 4 heroes of book have traits with which every kid can identify. The characters bring a lot of humor to the books, especially Ella and Richie. My son was laughing out loud at times. The resolution is intense, but the humor and quick pace keeps it from getting too frightening.

The concept of the story really intrigued my group. I know when I took my son to the zoo a couple weeks after reading it, he found all sorts of potentials "secret zoo" entrances.

So, I have 7 kids anxiously awaiting the start of book club next year so they can find out what the Adventure Scouts are up to next. They've passed the book on to friends so my book club may be a little larger next year! Kids excited about reading - isn't that every parents dream?!

FYI - I also read The Secret Zoo aloud to my 1st grader and she loved it, too!

I am a third grade teacher who is still reading this book to my class...and we are ADDICTED to it! It is one of the best books I have read to my class in a long time. The book is filled with descriptive language, suspense, and a lot of action and adventure. My students beg me to read more and more each day. We have had a lot of great discussions and have applied the story to many of our literacy lessons...especially with vocabulary. I can only imagine that with more exposure, this book is going to be a hit. I can even see it becoming a successful movie! We are looking forward to the next book in the series!

this is a very good book for all people. i know alot of people love to enjoy reading. this book is very interesting to me because there is a secret zoo. besides i love animals.
have a vreat time enjoying this book. love kayla

This book is very interesting to me. I would recommend this book to anyone at all, and all the characters and what happens makes people feel very glad to have this book. I rated it five stars because I thought it was fun to read, and it shows us all what life is like, and how it could be like if we had real magic in our lives.
Go on, try reading it. You will absolutely love it!! (Avery, age 9)

The students (and teachers) love The Secret Zoo series. This is book four in the series. We had the honor of having the author Bryan Chick come to our school last year to do a presentation. The adventures of the Action Scouts : Noah, Megan, Richie, and Ella are exciting. Their adventures are inside the zoo, not inside the zoo like you and I know .... but actually "inside" the zoo through secret passages and doorways. This book continues their adventures. My students could not wait for its release. I cannot keep the books on the shelf. Every librarians dream....books in the hands of excited readers. Thank you Mr. Chick!

I love it his book can't wait til I read the next book!!!!!! The best book in the world!!!! Awesome this one of my favorite books because it keeps you on the edge of your seat especially when they go into the Dark Lands but I don't want to give away any other parts of the book. But it is in the #1 of my favorite series and trust me when I say I have read a lot of books and series!!! So please read this book and you will be so interested and also read the other books of the series. Please trust me and read this book.

This book is REALLY good even my bird loves it
he demands for that book to be read to him
i know its just a bird but thats not the point
i am only 8 but i reaaaalllly love animals
i recomend it for animal lovers
i like how on about the 3rd page i think the animals come into i so it dosent take ages to set the scene and introduce
the people
THUMBS UP!!!!!
it has good lannugue for kids like me to understand
i really love fiction books so if your like me its the book for you!
allot of action goes on even at the start!!!
i really really enjoy this book and reading it to my bird to

I Thought This book was exciting. It was a great way to kick off the series. I thought that it was exciting because you can tell that the author put a lot of thought into the book. For example, some of the characters have secrets that the reader doesn't know about until the end of the book.

The book is very good but there is something very sad at the end it made me an 11 year old girl cry . There is a crush in the book between a scout and a teen a girl can u guess who they are ? You will find it in the middle of the book and at the end . You should read if you are 8-13 and if you are younger have some one r read it to you .have fun reading!

I teach Kindergarten and we took a field trip to the Phx Zoo, this series was in the gift shop and I decided to get it for my students. W LOVE IT! We are now on book 3 and have had a great time getting to know Ella, Richie, Noah and Megan. My students are sad that we will not have time to finish the last two books before summer vacation. I do caution parents that some of the language is really not suitable for Kindergartners, the book does say ages 9-12, I made the decision that my students were mature enough to handle words like "jerk" and "stupid". Overall, I think this is a wonderful series. I can't wait to read it to my 7 year old son!

I have a 7-1/2yo son who is reading years above his age. Often, the content is either not of interest to him, he doesn't understand the mature undertones, or is prone to giving him nightmares. He read this book and the first Harry Potter book--and when presented with the second book in each series, he proced to follow The Secret Zoo (much to my delight and joy). The plot was equally captivating and imaginative in a less scary way for younger children who need the challenge that comes with higher level reading.

I cannot wait for the rest of the series to be published!

This book was awesome. I really liked this book. I just wish it never ended. If your reading this Bryan Chick then you should know that your my favorite author, and that I'm always looking forward to more books WRITTEN BY YOU. I also recommend this whole series to EVERYONE. I hope you found my review helpful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have recently read this book. I thought it was amazing! I would love to get other books in the series.
I would recommend it to any one that likes a good adventure, and true friendship type of book.
To find out more visit this website
[...]

Only Megan, an Adventure Scout, knows that the zoo across the street has a secret!

Weeks later, Megan disappears!

Noah, Ella, and Richie, formal Adventure Scouts, must bring her back. Going through crazy adventures with animals who understand them, they have to make a choice to go through the Dark Lands to save Megan. With the help of their animal friends, they might be able to accomplish this task or to turn their backs and hope that the Shadow Master doesn't find them...

This was a great book! It would be a good book for people who like mysteries, animals, and cliff hangers.

You will like this book if you liked the "Mysterious Benedict Society"

(Submitted by Juliette - one of the two...)

This book only has 1 sad part and it is at the the very end it brings tears but that is 1 of the reasons the book is so good. I can think of 2 words that describes this book, touching and amazing. The book is great for 6-12 year olds. And will never get old it's money well spent !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi my name is Sydney. I'm going into 4th grade and my dad got me this book over the summer. This book is definetly an adventure.This would be a good book for you if you like action,animals and freaky monkeys. :)
I can't wait until Bryan Chick comes out with his next book!

This book was great. I love books that have adventures and mysteries. This book is especially great because it was unusual in a good way. I think this book should be given a book award because it is so wonderful and special. I just want to thank Bryan Chick for making this book happen.

By: Erin

It really deserved this rating, because it is SO hard to put down!
I recommend this book to anyone who loves action, adventure, comedies (basically sarcasm) and magic. Not to mention mystery!!!

Definitely a awesome read.

The book, The Secret Zoo, written by Bryan Chick is an adventurous and thrilling book. This page-turner is about a girl named Megan who secretly visits the zoo. She thinks that something secret is going on, but she's not sure what. Suddenly, Megan disappears. Her brother, Noah, and her friends, Ella and Richie have a feeling that her disappearance has to do with the zoo. On a mission, they decide to go look for her at this mysterious place. Once they get there, they immediately tell that something is mysterious. Some of the animals are acting strange, and the zoo guards are avoiding contact with the three kids, and many other things. Suddenly, when they are there, they get kicked out by an odd security guard who is willing to help them. He tells the kids most of the secret things going on and why they're happening. He also has a secret connection with the animals and can speak to them. He tells the animals to help the kids to find their best friend by showing them something secret that very few people know about. The secret zoo. Throughout this book, the animals, the kids, and the help of some kind people, the adventure is a suspense for all readers. This is an amazing book that everyone should read. I'm 14 years old, and I can't wait to read the second book.

This book is so amazing that I wish I could be one of the characters, preferably Ella, and have the same adventure. The book is action packed with a bit of humor. But it is also heart-warming watching the Action Scouts look for a lost member. I highly suggest getting it. You will not regret your purchase of this incredible book.

My daughter(then was 8.5y) loved this book. She didn't want to put it down. So I read it myself, just to get familiar with the book and talk to her about the characters and the plot. It is a really nice story for kids.

I got this book for my 8 year old daughter with intentions of reading it out loud to her. The trouble is, when she goes to bed or school I find myself reading ahead to see what happens next! This story really pulls you in and makes you want to know what happens next. I'm ready for the next book in this series!

I read the review of this book written by a third grade teacher who said that she and her third grade class were addicted to this book. I completely agree! Our entire family is interested in this book and my son carries this book around and reads it despite it being a little bit too difficult for him. He has always loved being read to, but he can't stop reading this book by himself. This is a must buy book!

As a mother who screens everything her 11-year-old daughter reads, I was sold on all the positive reviews for "The Secret Zoo" by Bryan Chick, and couldn't wait to get my hands on the book. I had expected it to be a little like "Jumanji" but I think, in this case, my expectations were just a tad too high. While said daughter enjoyed the book, and, had I not been expecting quite as much, I, too, might have, I found, first, the title and chapter-title fonts terribly distracting and totally incongruent with the book itself. I also found the categorisation and naming of the various animals in the book vey inconsistent: the birds in the book were identified by their sub-categories - penguins, parrots, etc, - but the simians were just langurs and monkeys. Langurs belong to the "Old-World" sub-category of monkeys, so the monkeys should have been more specifically identified. Thus said, my real complaint is how the book reads like a movie script - there is certainly plenty in the book to rival the screen effects of "Jumanji" and even "Avatar" - but I like my books to read like books, and this one just fell a little short for me. For said daughter, however, Mr. Chick will be glad to know, his work delivered the goods:

"The book, 'The Secret Zoo' by Bryan Chick is a hilarious, exciting story.

"Noah, his sister Megan, and their best friends, Richie and Ella, live next to the zoo. Megan insists that the animals 'are up to something' right from the start of the book. However, it is only when Megan disappears, that the Action Scouts become convinced that the zoo has something to do with her disappearance. But are the Action Scouts up to creepy zoo-keepers, secret entrances, and a flying penguin friend called Podgy? Read on to find out.

"My favorite human character is Ella because Ella was so funny, impatient and brave, unlike Richie!

"I would give this book four stars: two stars for the characters and two stars for the adventure. I would also recommend this book to kids who like the Narnia books and animals."

I have recently read this book. I thought it was amazing! I would love to get other books in the series.
I would recommend it to any one that likes a good adventure, and true friendship type of book.
To find out more visit this website

[...]

I loved this book because it has emotion, feeling, action, and the characters show love and care for each other. But beware...there are some scary parts.
I would probably have to recommend this book to all kids ages 7 and up because of the scary parts. If you like animals or adventure, you should read The Secret Zoo.