The title caught my attention on today's read, which is a little strange since I'm not a zombie fan. But I am a mystery fan, and this read should hold tons of that. This is the first in a planned five book series, and I'm excited to get to meet these characters, since the duo could be quite entertaining to follow. I'm hoping for some Goosebump-like vibes, adventure, and tons of sleuthing fun.
Let's open it up and see if it holds all of this or something completely different!
ZOMBIE ZOO
Felix & Ninja
Adventures in Tub
by Melanie Abed
Oculus
Middle Grade Mystery
244 pages
ages 8 to 12
COMING SEPTEMBER 15th!!!
Creepy, clever, and laugh‑out‑loud funny, ZOMBIE ZOO blends STEM investigation, paranormal mystery, and friendship forged in chaos.
When mysterious bioluminescent green goo turns orphans into wood‑eating zombies, 13‑year‑old naturalist Felix can’t hide in his tree fort anymore—someone unleashed this plague deliberately, and they’re still out there. Forced to team up with Ninja, a shadow‑dwelling orphan who trusts no one, Felix must trade his field journal for action. Two loners with opposite methods—Felix relies on scientific observation and data; Ninja depends on instinct and spycraft—race to uncover who released the plague and find a cure before their wooden island town of Spinachi is devoured. As the outbreak spreads and Doc Brunne’s loyalties crumble, buildings collapse, and clues point to sabotage, the pair must solve the mystery, deploy a cure, and learn to trust—before they become the next victims.
First in a 5-book series exploring the territories of Tub. Perfect for readers who loved Goosebumps,Amari and the Night Brothers, Last Kids on Earth, It Found Us, and anyone ready for a zombie adventure where being different might just save the world.
MY TIDBITS
Quirky and tense adventure unfolds in an odd town, where spinach flourishes and an orphanage holds more secrets than first appears.
Felix is a naturalist and takes pride in documenting the world around him in his little notebook. If it weren't for the orphanage's bully, who was constantly demanding chocolate tax, life would be okay. That is...until Felix discovers glowing green slime, while trying to hide from Felix and his gang. Thanks to Ninja, a fellow orphan he never knew existed, he's able to escape the gang for that night. While he and Ninja are very different, they soon realize they have a couple things in common. Both work alone in the shadows, and both have noticed that very strange things are going on. When the other orphans seem to mutate into zombies, Felix and Ninja are forced to work together to figure out what is going on. After escaping the orphanage, they head to the only person that might believe them and, more importantly, help. But even the odd doctor is at a loss when animals in town float in the air, and the people chew through every piece of wood they see.
There is a lot going on in these pages, and it melds together to form an exciting, rich, and quick paced adventure. The first chapters let Felix's focused, observational personality shine through to the extreme as he views the world through a fact-based lens, jotting down everything he sees. The first clue for the mystery and a tiny dash of paranormal tension hit immediately to hook readers' interests right before the life in the orphanage unfolds...which adds tons of tension during the world building, too. Ninja brings another layer of spice thanks to her amazing, ninja skills and confident personality. But then, every character beams in their own way, and each even holds a little edge to make it clear that no one is as simple as they first appear. The author seems to be already using these introduction chapters to lay clues and hints for the books to come, too. So, there are tons of layers building from the very beginning.
Tension, which already hums gently in the first pages, mounts right along with the increasing action and danger. After all, if the mystery isn't solved, Tub will cease to exist. The paranormal aspect adds unexpected moments and makes it very difficult to guess what will happen next. Still, everything weaves together nicely to create a logic of its own that works. There are even little dashes of science sprinkled in here and there, which gives a little knowledge goodness while the green goo and flying cows and otherworldly ocean life and... As said, it's a packed, fun read.
Then, there's the friendship. Felix and Ninja have two very different ways of handling life. Felix hides in the shadows and maintains distance from everything around him, documenting rather than participating. Ninja also remains unseen but uses this to change and influence things to help others. The two viewpoints crash hard, which creates another layer of tension and clever dialogue with humor. Of course, there's a message about learning to work together, and each of their weaknesses is fill be the other's strength. And this works wonderfully to mix right along with the already, racing plot. Add that their points of view switch every other chapter, and the reader gets to know both very well.
It's a fun read with some paranormal edge, tense mystery, danger, action, quirky humor, odd situations, vibrant imagination, and many, many surprises. Readers who love the unexpected and that in a fantastical way...and very rich, fast paced reads...are sure to enjoy this one quite a bit.
You can learn more about Melanie Abed and her works HERE!