Author: Brett Bean
Illustrator: Brett Bean
© Date: 2020
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Pages: 73
Chapters: No
Illustrations: Yes, graphic novel
Publisher Recommended Age: 6-9 years
Bonus Activities at End of Book: Yes, fun facts about the types of animals in the story
Summary from Book: It’s a wonder-fowl day in Wild Zoo yonder as Penny the Pig leaves the petting zoo behind in favor of excitement and adventure! When she runs into Fennlock Fox in the midst of a karate-chop action sequence, she thinks she’s found a partner with the perfect koala-fications. There’s just one problem-Fennlock has never actually left the safety of his cage.
But when animals start disappearing all over, launching the zoo into total panda-monium, will Fennlock be able to help Penny save the day?
Page Pig Thoughts: Fun animal facts are sprinkled throughout the adventurous story as Fennlock and Penny work outside their comfort zones to solve a mystery. I appreciated that more unique animals (fennec fox, naked mole rats, and glow worms) were featured in this story. Some of the pages have illustrations that you can spend awhile appreciating all of the little details hidden inside. We enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more.
Family Unit: Fennlock lives by himself in his cage. Penny left the petting zoo to find a new home.
Conflict/Social Issues:
- Someone is stealing all of the royal animals from the zoo/animal sanctuary/park.
Positive Items:
- Fennlock Fox lets his desire to help Penny guide his actions rather than letting his fear get the better of him.
Items of Interest:
- Fennlock Fox had spent his days as a major fan of an action hero tv show and had never left his cage. As the story progresses, he uses the show to inspire his actions.
- Penny is not necessarily the best at physical skills, but she has “mad brain skills.” She uses facts and knowledge to help work through situations.
- The naked mole rat queen has big plans for Wild Zoo Yonder. She doesn’t think that anyone would like her ideas, so her naked mole rat colony has been taking all of the other royal animals so she can have the ultimate opinion. The other “royal” animals try telling her that their names, like King of the Jungle, don’t really mean anything.
- Turns out that a mean spirited otter has been giving the naked mole rat queen bad advice and is the one that really had to be stopped. Morry the otter had been in a naked mole rat suit/costume, so he was unusually large.
- Kinda potty humor – Fennlock and Penny are a bit mortified when they wind up with a close-up view of a hippo butt.
- Evil doing Morry the otter winds up on trash duty being overseen by the animal cops.
- The Mayor listened to all of the naked mole rat queen’s ideas.
- The Mayor commends Fennlock and Penny for their actions during the first time out of the cage and first week there. The Mayor asks Fennlock and Penny to be the first ever Zoo Patrol Squad, and they agree.
Other Books in Series (At Time of Posting):
- Book 2 – Run, Monster, Run!
- Book 3 – A New Sheriff in Town
- Book 4 – Medieval Mayhem
- Note – We read the other books in the series and found them in line with the first one, all were fun.