Survive This Safari

by Natalie D. Richards

You're invited to the wildest ride of the year! An exciting novel featuring a group of kids competing in a giant safari park challenge, this book is packed with animal facts, puzzles and more making it the perfect book for readers looking for their next adventure.

Twelve-year old Lucy can’t believe her luck when she is selected for the Wildlands Safari Escape Challenge, which involves solving a series of mind-bending puzzles to unlock access to new animal habitats across the local safari park. Her team will be racing the Wildlands Ambassadors, a group of student animal experts. And if they win, wildlife-loving Lucy will get the chance to be an Ambassador herself!

But this challenge is trickier than Lucy expects—her team is in for a wild ride! Broken locks, downed electronics, and empty animal enclosures are just the start. Lucy discovers something truly Wildlands’ beloved baby elephant is on the loose and might be in danger! The team is sure this can’t be part of the competition—and with their walkie-talkie on the fritz, they have no way to call for help.

Their fun puzzle has turned into a serious test, but Lucy and her team will surprise everyone with how they tackle the real Wildlands challenge.

Genres: Animals, Middle Grade, Mystery, Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Fiction

380 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 8, 2025

Reviews

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a super fun adventure with puzzles and a kiddo who is grappling with anxiety while trying to fit in. Lucy is very relatable in that she desperately wants to be a part of something, but feels inadequate. Her new increased anxiety and panic attacks make her feel even more “other” when grouped with peers. Watching her (and the other kids) feel more comfortable and accepting of the selves and others was a delight, and the adventure did not disappoint!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Lucy Spagnola is excited to receive an invitation to the Wildlands Safari Escape Challenge, but is leery of attending because her last visit ended badly, with her freaking out on an observation platform. Her sister Alex is an intern at the site, and encourages her to go, because there were very few students asked. The competition pits the middle school age students against the interns, competing for a spot in the intern program, which Lucy still really wants despite her fears. Lucy feels inadequate, and often compares herself to her sister or mother. Along with Adam, Amelia, Isaac, Emma, and Amelia, Lucy sets off to compete in the escape room style competition, with lots of puzzles. There are even notes reminding readers to grab a pencil and paper to work on cryptograms, anagrams, crossword, and other puzzles. While traveling around the Wildlands looking for clues, the children start to realize that Tabora, an elephant calf, has been separated from her mother and appears to be chased by men from the neighboring Happy Time Farms. Will Lucy be able to overcome her anxiety in order to work with the other competitors to solve the puzzles and save the calf? There are many footnotes explaining a variety of topics.

Richards, who also wrote 15 Secrets to Survival (2023), does a good job at portraying outdoor adventures, and Lucy’s anxiety is very on point with current trends. I was enthralled at the setting; since Richards is from Ohio, I’m convinced that the Wildlands is modeled on The Wilds, a nature preserve for large animals that opened in Muskingum County in 1994 (https://www.thewilds.org/). I took my children there years ago, and it is a fascinating place. Since I’m not a fan of puzzles, I found that the huge number slowed down the story for me, but readers who like books like Grabenstein’s Mr. Lemoncello’s Library or Currie’s The Mystery of the Locked Rooms will love this one.

[Luna Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Survive This Safari by Natalie D. Richards is a fast-paced, high-energy middle grade adventure that blends puzzles, teamwork, and wildlife conservation into an irresistibly fun read. Set inside a sprawling safari park, the story immediately hooks readers with its exciting premise and keeps the tension high from start to finish.

Lucy is a relatable and enthusiastic protagonist whose love for animals makes her easy to root for. Being chosen for the Wildlands Safari Escape Challenge feels like a dream come true, until the competition spirals into something far more dangerous. Richards does a fantastic job escalating the stakes, turning what begins as a clever puzzle-solving game into a real-life survival situation that demands bravery, quick thinking, and trust in one another.

The book shines in its balance of excitement and education. Animal facts and environmental themes are woven naturally into the story, reinforcing the importance of wildlife protection without slowing the action. The puzzles and challenges feel inventive and engaging, inviting readers to think alongside Lucy and her teammates as they race against time.

One of the most compelling elements is the mystery surrounding the missing baby elephant. This twist adds emotional urgency and reinforces the heart of the story: caring for animals means taking responsibility, even when things go wrong. Lucy’s growth throughout the novel, learning to lead, adapt, and stay calm under pressure, is both empowering and inspiring for young readers.

With strong pacing, vivid settings, and an uplifting message about teamwork and conservation, Survive This Safari is an excellent choice for adventure-loving readers. It’s an exciting, thoughtful story that proves courage and compassion can make all the difference, even in the wildest situations.

[Angie Gazdziak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the longest book my son and I had ever attempted together. It's a good story and touches on a lot of different themes. I felt like the characters were pretty well-developed, but by the halfway mark I was really tired of reading, "absolutely, positively" and "she was something-and-something-percent sure about...." There were four characters in the core group, and each conversation with them was written in the same format:

"Something something something," Jemma said.
"Something else," Harrison said.
"A third thing," Trey said.

There's a lot of conversation and dialogue in the book, so that format was incredibly redundant after about 10 chapters.

That said, I thought the depictions of ADHD and anxiety were really well-written. A lot of the animal facts in the book have footnotes for young readers who are interested in learning more, and the games and challenges in the book were a fun way for my son to participate alongside the characters.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy is struggling mightily with anxiety over her panic attacks and is reluctant to enter the zoo contest even though her older sister will be by her side as a zoo employee. She and her team have been asked to test a new escape room/puzzle challenge for zoo visitors and one member of her team will be asked to join their ambassador program. When Lucy’s sister is stranded behind a locked gate and the gates and walkie-talkies malfunction, Lucy and her team soon realize there is more going on than solving puzzles.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so used to this author writing dark, YA mysteries. So when I read her middle grade books, I'm waiting for the darker twist. :) But I did really enjoy this one. I thought the setting (wildlife park/zoo) was great! I thought the plot was well done and it made sense for why the kids were on their own.

[Kecia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy is a pretty typical middle-grade student, except for her love of all things animals and those occasional panic attacks. Invites to participate in an event at The Wildlands, she’s both excited and nervous. Along the way, she learns a lot about herself, seeing all aspects of other people, and bravery.

[Mary Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting diversity of characters (ADHD, panic attacks, neat freak, overly competitive), lots of animal facts, including foot notes with even more, puzzles to solve along with the characters. But it dragged on a bit for me.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun adventure!!!! I loved the how engaging this was. The puzzles, mystery and actual factual animal facts really caught my interest the entire time. The ending came on really quickly but I’m glad I came across this book

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightfully suspenseful and intriguing story for middle graders, SURVIVE THIS SAFARI offers adventure and education, plus puzzles and riddles that readers can work through for themselves.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. I've read others by this author and can't wait to read more by this author.

[Jessica Lerbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

A super-cute, trivia-full puzzle adventure for young elementary schoolers with lots of learning and growing

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Ohio and gives Ohio a positive light. Main character has panic attacks and anxiety which are realistic and well written. Oh ya, and lots of animal fun!

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved Richards' Survival book, but this focuses so much on the protagonists panic attacks that it took me out of the story. I just didn't care for it.