The secret zoo by Bryan Chick

307 pgs.
Target audience: Ages 9-12
Rating: Wizard

The Clarksville zoo is not your normal everyday zoo, hidden in its bowels is a secret zoo protected by a secret society. During the day Noah, Megan, Richie and Ella attend the nearby Clarksville Elementary School while under the guise of volunteering at the zoo, they serve as Scouts for the secret society. The return of the shadowist, DeGraff, someone intent on a path of destruction with the help of his sasquatch army, has everyone high alert. DeGraff uses the shadows and fog to elude capture until Halloween night when he leads the Scouts and their new allies, the four teen Descenders, on a spine tingling chase through the secret zoo right into the middle of Clarksville Elementary. Here the children make their last stand  using their costume accessories to battle the sasquatches – a fake sword, an ink squirt pen and a special key. Their beloved animal friends, Blizzard the polar bear and Little Bighorn the rhino add their talent to the mix. DeGraff uses his shadow skills to escape leaving the school looking like a war zone.  The fourth installment in the Secret  Zoo series builds on the close friendship of the scouts and their bond with the wonderful animals of the secret  zoo. There’s plenty of mystery and clues to be followed. This is an action packed animal fantasy series sure to appeal to young readers. Recommend to fans of the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. (This book provided for review by children's lit - www.childrenslit.com)
 

Invasion of the Appleheads by Annette and Gina Cascone
188 pgs.
Target audience: Ages 8-12
Rating: Wizard

When Katie's family moves to the sleepy town of Appleton, Katie and her brother Andy imagine endless days of boredom. They were very wrong. On the night before Halloween their parents take them to a haunted hayride at the local apple orchard where things get interesting but not in a good way. According to legend the orchard was once owned by a witch who used a potion to poison the apples and turned all the children into zombies. The ghouls and witches running the orchard are eerily realistic. Their parents, thinking they'd finally hit pay dirt with something cool for the kids, don't see what's really happening until it's too late. The kids discover that the witches are using the apple cider to turn the adults into appleheads and the kids into zombies. Katie and Andy must team together, use their wits and find a way to stop the invasion and save their parents and the town. Cascone offers up a roller coaster ride of spooky fun. There is no need for illustrations with such creepy and grotesquely detailed descriptions of the evil taking over the town. Though the parents are a bit clueless, this approach does allow for the children to solve the mystery unimpeded. The story ends abruptly with the hint of the next disaster looming allowing readers to imagine one their own what comes next. This book is part of the Deadtime Stories series, but each installment stands alone with unique characters.
(This book was provided for review by children's lit - www.childrenslit.com )