Book Reviews and More: Zoobreak - Gordon Korman

Zoobreak

Swindle Book 2

Scholastic Canada

ISBN 9780545125000

eISBN 9780545457378

ASIN B006N5PKJM

Zoobreak - Gordon Korman - Swindle Book 2

This was the 75th book I have read from Gordon Korman’s the masterful. I did not read much when young because of a dual form of dyslexia, because of that I have a great fondness for Middle Grade books, and books for tween and teens. Korman is one of the all-time masters. I set the goal of reading all his books about 2020. I have read books in all his series, and all of the standalone stories. My introduction to Korman’s works was the 39 Clues back in 2009. But I really did not get into them until my son’s teacher gave everyone a book with a note in it at the ends of the school year. Since then my son and I have read many of his books together.

Not counting omnibus editions I believe that as of the summer of 2025 Korman has published 109 books. And one coming out in a few weeks and one planned for release early next year. As of the reading of this volume I am down to 41 unread books. With each that I read I am entertained and often challenged.

This book and was released originally in 2009 and the last in the series in 2016. The description of this volume states:

“The sequel to Gordon Korman's SWINDLE---the Man With A Plan is back! 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 about the author for this edition states:

“Gordon Korman’s last novel featuring Griffin Bing and his team, Swindle, was called “pure plot-driven fun from top to bottom” by School Library Journal and “scary, funny, and hysterical” by a middle school reviewer in the Chicago Tribune. His other books include This Can’t Be Happening at Macdonald Hall (published when he was fourteen); the trilogies Island, Everest, Dive, and Kidnapped; the series On the Run; and No More Dead Dogs and Son of the Mob. He lives in New York with his family and can be found on the Web at his website.”

I really did not know what to expect when I started this series. I left this series till the end for 2 main reasons. First it is the longest series to date by Korman. And Second, I am not a huge dog guy, and also not into anthropomorphic stories. I had never read the descriptions, and just kept skipping over it until it was the last series for me to start. Once I started that first one I really did not want to put it down. And it took a lot of effort not to just jump to this volume, or rip my way through the series.

Book one is described as Ocean’s 11 with kids, it lived up to that statement, and to some extent even more so in this second instalment. I am so looking forward to where it goes in the next seven stories in the series. This is another excellent story about friendship, about kids standing up, and about life in a small community. And about helping other out even if they are a different species. Griffin Bing is the man with a plan, and a plan B, and C, and D. The problem is when you keep improvising plans on the fly, something is guaranteed to go sideways, and buy does it ever! You will love the characters. The action is at times very intense, and the fun almost non-stop. A fast passed story with a double caper of breaking animals out of one zoo and … to find out the rest you will need to read this excellent story.

This is a great story. It continues of what is shaping up to be an amazing series. I can easily recommend it. A great read from the master of the school story! Whoot Whoot or should I say hoot hoot!

Books by Gordon Korman:

MacDonald Hall Series:

This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall (1978)

Go Jump in the Pool (1979)

Beware the Fish! (1980)

The Wizzle War (1982)

(formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)

The Zucchini Warriors (1988)

Light’s Camera, Disaster (1991)

(aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)

The Jokes on Us (1995)

(formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)