Belly Up for Throwback Thursday

Thought I would join Throwback Thursday and repost a book from last year that my son and I loved. The author has just come out with the sequel, Poached (FunJungle) which I can't wait to read and my son is begging me to bring home.

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Title:       Belly Up

Author:   Stuart Gibbs

Target:    Grades 5-8

Series:     Yes

What this book is about:

Teddy’s parents have gone to work at America’s newest animal theme park, FunJungle.  Teddy has the run of the place while his parents are working, but when the beloved mascot Henry the Hippo turns up dead, Teddy believes something is afoot other than natural causes!  The more he investigates, the more danger he seems to be in.  Will he be able to prove what happened, or will he be the next victim?

Why I love this book:

This is a fun mystery, but I have to admit it tips the gross scales a bit.  That will probably be a big selling point for kids, but as an adult I could have done with a little less hippo poop.  That said, I was totally caught up in the mystery and actually learned quite a few animal facts in spite of myself.

Teddy is a good character and with his sidekick Summer, they make a strong team.  The mystery had enough twists and turns to keep the story moving and the reader guessing.  It was also quite educational to understand what goes on behind the scenes at your favorite amusement parks.

Who this book is for:

I have targeted it a little older because there are some language issues and dead animals, which may bother some.  But there is a lot of humor and great twists and turns in the story, so most kids will be thoroughly engaged.

Final thoughts:

I prefer my animals belly down after this read!

To purchase this book: 

click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Belly Up  A portion of each purchase goes to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for the support.