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Zoey and Sassafras #8
Bips and Roses
Oh no! There's a big problem with the forest roses . . . magical roses that are very important because they are the first food for newborn griffins. Can Zoey, Pip, and Sassafras use their science know-how to fix the magical roses before the griffin eggs hatch?
96 pages, Hardcover
Published October 20, 2020
134 people are currently reading
346 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
May 15, 2021
We love the Zoey and Sassafras books! We actually purchased this and read it when it first came out -- it's one of the few series that we own. It didn't disappoint, though I did wish that more of the scientific concepts used were new-to-the-series (I felt like it was a bit redundant from some of the others in the series) and I wanted more with the very cute little magical creatures. But, on the whole, it is still well worth reading. I highly recommend the entire series. They are wonderful, fun, wholesome and inspiring filled with a winning combination of real science and the most delightful magical creatures. Both my five-year-old and eight-year-old love them, and I do, too! :-)
August 28, 2023
4 stars. These books are the perfect blend of story, science, magic, and humor. I'm bummed there's only one left we haven't read yet; my kids love this series.
May 19, 2023
I read the first book in this series, as well as the last book in the series (I'll be focusing on the last book for my review). I found this book while exploring Dr. Quiroa’s fantasy/sci-fi shelf on Goodreads. The first book won the Washington State Book Award for Books for Young Readers (ages 6-8). This most current title has not yet won or been nominated for any awards.
These books follow Zoey, a bright young girl, and her cat Sassafras as they help the magical animals that live in the forest near her home. They come to her barn and ring a magic doorbell that only Zoey and her mother can hear. Zoey then has to figure out how to help the creatures (many of them can’t speak our language!) using a series of science experiments that she and her mother come up with. In Bips and Roses, a mysterious swarm of bugs have eaten all the “bips” - an algae-like organism - off the magical roses that baby hippogriphs need in order to survive. Without the bips, the roses cannot grow. As soon as Zoey learns of this, she springs into action, conducting experiments to figure out how to make the bips multiply so there are plenty of roses in time for the hatching of the baby hippogriphs.
I did very much enjoy these stories - they are lighthearted and whimsical, which helps break up my weekly reading as some of what I consume is more serious in tone. Zoey and Sassafras are a fun pair, and it’s hard not to like them as they attempt to solve the various mysteries surrounding the magical creatures they help. The reader always knows (SPOILER!) that Zoey and Sassafras will solve the case, but that is part of the book's charm. We, the reader, want her to succeed because we know how much she cares about being a good, helpful person.
The book is a mix of both fantasy and science fiction. The magical creatures, such as dragons and talking frogs, make up the fantasy aspect. Zoey using various scientific experiments in order to solve a problem afflicting the creatures of the forest is the science fiction aspect. In Bips and Roses, for instance, Zoey develops a hypothesis about what might help the bips grow. She then collects the bips, exposes them to various stimuli - such as various amounts of heat and moisture - and records her data, just like a scientist from the real world. To be fair, CBCH does imply on page 226 that a science fiction book should contain story elements that could be plausible in our world. The experiments Zoey conducts could therefore be considered pure fantasy as they are predicated on the magical nature of the creatures she encounters. Said another way, the experiments she conducts could never happen in our world. However, I would maintain that the scientific methodology Zoey employs makes the series a hybrid fantasy/sci-fi genre (not necessarily science fantasy, as I think the two elements are presented as very distinct as separate from each other), and gives the books some “credibility” as they do reflect the kind of “real” science someone might actually employ if they encountered magical animals.
I do have one major complaint about the book - Zoey is depicted as a person of color, but the series is written and illustrated by two people, who as far as I can find, are both white. This becomes startling apparent when the reader realizes that Zoey could be any race or ethnicity and that her cultural background does not play a role in the story. To be sure, I have only read two of the six books in the series. But never once was her culture a part of the story (except for maybe the night cap she wears to bed to maintain her curly locks - but even that feels like it's based on the character’s aesthetics and not an integrated cultural aspect of Zoey’s character). If it were not for the fact that the illustrations present Zoey as a person of color, my implicit bias would have led me to believe that she was white. Now, I think it’s great that the series features a main character of color. However, it is apparent that the series is written from an outsider's perspective, and lacks the authenticity of books like the Planet Omar series, Swim Team, and King and the Dragonflies.
That said, I would recommend these books for younger readers in the 3rd to 6th grade range. I think they would find the amusing and lighthearted nature of the books fun and engaging.
These books follow Zoey, a bright young girl, and her cat Sassafras as they help the magical animals that live in the forest near her home. They come to her barn and ring a magic doorbell that only Zoey and her mother can hear. Zoey then has to figure out how to help the creatures (many of them can’t speak our language!) using a series of science experiments that she and her mother come up with. In Bips and Roses, a mysterious swarm of bugs have eaten all the “bips” - an algae-like organism - off the magical roses that baby hippogriphs need in order to survive. Without the bips, the roses cannot grow. As soon as Zoey learns of this, she springs into action, conducting experiments to figure out how to make the bips multiply so there are plenty of roses in time for the hatching of the baby hippogriphs.
I did very much enjoy these stories - they are lighthearted and whimsical, which helps break up my weekly reading as some of what I consume is more serious in tone. Zoey and Sassafras are a fun pair, and it’s hard not to like them as they attempt to solve the various mysteries surrounding the magical creatures they help. The reader always knows (SPOILER!) that Zoey and Sassafras will solve the case, but that is part of the book's charm. We, the reader, want her to succeed because we know how much she cares about being a good, helpful person.
The book is a mix of both fantasy and science fiction. The magical creatures, such as dragons and talking frogs, make up the fantasy aspect. Zoey using various scientific experiments in order to solve a problem afflicting the creatures of the forest is the science fiction aspect. In Bips and Roses, for instance, Zoey develops a hypothesis about what might help the bips grow. She then collects the bips, exposes them to various stimuli - such as various amounts of heat and moisture - and records her data, just like a scientist from the real world. To be fair, CBCH does imply on page 226 that a science fiction book should contain story elements that could be plausible in our world. The experiments Zoey conducts could therefore be considered pure fantasy as they are predicated on the magical nature of the creatures she encounters. Said another way, the experiments she conducts could never happen in our world. However, I would maintain that the scientific methodology Zoey employs makes the series a hybrid fantasy/sci-fi genre (not necessarily science fantasy, as I think the two elements are presented as very distinct as separate from each other), and gives the books some “credibility” as they do reflect the kind of “real” science someone might actually employ if they encountered magical animals.
I do have one major complaint about the book - Zoey is depicted as a person of color, but the series is written and illustrated by two people, who as far as I can find, are both white. This becomes startling apparent when the reader realizes that Zoey could be any race or ethnicity and that her cultural background does not play a role in the story. To be sure, I have only read two of the six books in the series. But never once was her culture a part of the story (except for maybe the night cap she wears to bed to maintain her curly locks - but even that feels like it's based on the character’s aesthetics and not an integrated cultural aspect of Zoey’s character). If it were not for the fact that the illustrations present Zoey as a person of color, my implicit bias would have led me to believe that she was white. Now, I think it’s great that the series features a main character of color. However, it is apparent that the series is written from an outsider's perspective, and lacks the authenticity of books like the Planet Omar series, Swim Team, and King and the Dragonflies.
That said, I would recommend these books for younger readers in the 3rd to 6th grade range. I think they would find the amusing and lighthearted nature of the books fun and engaging.
December 23, 2020
My step-granddaughters, especially the five-year-old, love this series about a girl who loves science! That alone makes my heart sing.
Zoey and her cat, Sassafras, eagerly await the next time the doorbell rings in the barn because that means that a magical creature that lives in the woods behind their home needs help! Today was their lucky day---the doorbell rang. Well, they hate that there is a problem, but they love to solve problems. When they open the door, there stands Pip, a talking frog whom Zoey’s mother first befriended years and years ago.
Pip tells them that the hippogriff babies are in danger! Magical grasshopper have swarmed through the forest and eaten almost all the roses. The hippogriff babies need the magical roses. On the roses leaves, bips, or tiny bugs that are as cute as a button, become the hippogriff babies’ first food, which helps them grow their wings.
Pip, Zoey and Sassafras must come up with a way to restore the rosebushes so that the hippogriff doesn’t become extinct.
I was a little disappointed in this book. It didn’t seem to have many experiments at the end of the story as in the previous stories, and the story seemed rushed---not as fleshed out as the previous books. Still, it was filled with magical creatures, science and animals. Therefore, Zoey & Sassafras: Bips and Roses receive 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
Zoey and her cat, Sassafras, eagerly await the next time the doorbell rings in the barn because that means that a magical creature that lives in the woods behind their home needs help! Today was their lucky day---the doorbell rang. Well, they hate that there is a problem, but they love to solve problems. When they open the door, there stands Pip, a talking frog whom Zoey’s mother first befriended years and years ago.
Pip tells them that the hippogriff babies are in danger! Magical grasshopper have swarmed through the forest and eaten almost all the roses. The hippogriff babies need the magical roses. On the roses leaves, bips, or tiny bugs that are as cute as a button, become the hippogriff babies’ first food, which helps them grow their wings.
Pip, Zoey and Sassafras must come up with a way to restore the rosebushes so that the hippogriff doesn’t become extinct.
I was a little disappointed in this book. It didn’t seem to have many experiments at the end of the story as in the previous stories, and the story seemed rushed---not as fleshed out as the previous books. Still, it was filled with magical creatures, science and animals. Therefore, Zoey & Sassafras: Bips and Roses receive 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
February 22, 2021
I discovered this Zoey and Sassafras book by accident at the library while collecting holds, but I'm so glad I did. My son and I love the series and I have been reading it to him for a few years now. I love that the characters are smart and lovely and the main character uses the scientific method to solve magical creature problems. In this volume, Zoey must learn how to save not only the forest roses but also tiny magical creatures named Bips that live on the roses and help them attract baby hippogriffs which need the magical forest roses to survive. The book did a great job talking about symbiotic relationships between the Bips, roses, and hippogriffs, as well as per usual how to use the scientific method to conduct experiments and solve the problem. Zoey has to figure out a way to create more Bips in a short amount of time before the hippogriff eggs hatch? Will she be able to do it in time? To find out, read this adorable addition to the Zoey and Sassafras series! Recommended for ages 5-9, 4 stars.
January 23, 2023
When a pest that eats bips wipes out a huge swath of the magical forest roses (which bips love), Pip calls in Zoey and Sassafras's help. The roses are the food for newborn hippogriffs. Can Zoey figure out how to help restore the magical roses before the hippogriffs hatch?
Another lovely little scientific mystery for Zoey and her cat Sassafras to solve using actual scientific methods. Thanks to magic the process takes less time than usual, but kids can learn a lot about how to run real experiments from these books. This one looks at how different organisms in an ecosystem are integrally linked, and what kinds of things can help one species at the base of the food web survive so that the others can all get a boost. The magical creatures involved are an imaginative mix of newly thought up (like bips) to old classics (like hippogriffs). Hand this to fantasy lovers and future scientists.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. There's some devastation from a locust-like critter. And there's some eating of other creatures but it is non-bloody (mostly plants being eaten).
Another lovely little scientific mystery for Zoey and her cat Sassafras to solve using actual scientific methods. Thanks to magic the process takes less time than usual, but kids can learn a lot about how to run real experiments from these books. This one looks at how different organisms in an ecosystem are integrally linked, and what kinds of things can help one species at the base of the food web survive so that the others can all get a boost. The magical creatures involved are an imaginative mix of newly thought up (like bips) to old classics (like hippogriffs). Hand this to fantasy lovers and future scientists.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. There's some devastation from a locust-like critter. And there's some eating of other creatures but it is non-bloody (mostly plants being eaten).
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November 28, 2020Zoey and Sassafras are back! After a series of magical grasshoppers decimates all of the forests' rose bushes, the forest creatures are panicking. The hippogriff babies are expected to hatch any day now, and the magical roses help their wings grow. Talking frog Pip recruits Zoey and her cat Sassafras to help. The only way to restore the eaten rosebushes is to help tiny bugs--bips--reproduce. Quickly. Can Zoey and Sassafras use the scientific method to save the day?
Another wonderful addition to the Zoey & Sassafras series. I particularly liked the detailed experiment charts and write-ups in this book--they felt a little more nuanced than previous novels. Looking forward to more!
Another wonderful addition to the Zoey & Sassafras series. I particularly liked the detailed experiment charts and write-ups in this book--they felt a little more nuanced than previous novels. Looking forward to more!
January 19, 2022
4.5 stars. I enjoyed this one a lot! My son had a little bit of trouble following the problem-of-the-week (which was a bit more complicated than usual), but once the goal was established I thought the way the experiments proceeded was delightful, as was the unexpected return of a character from a previous book to aid in the last part of the solution. The destruction caused by the hophops near the beginning got my son interested in learning more about locusts (which is what I assume they're based on), so that was a bonus tangent we went on. I can't believe we're almost at the end of the books that have been written so far!
September 21, 2021
We really continue to love this series. In this one, a swarm of grasshopper-like creatures eat all the forest roses. This starts a chain reaction in the forest's magical creatures eco-system, and Zoe tries to help. Like the previous books, this book uses Zoe's experiments to model the scientific method.
My 6 1/2 yo daughter and I really enjoy reading these books together. We started reading them shortly after she turned 5 and her interested hasn't waned yet! We highly recommend them for any kids who love magical creatures, science, cats, or all three!
My 6 1/2 yo daughter and I really enjoy reading these books together. We started reading them shortly after she turned 5 and her interested hasn't waned yet! We highly recommend them for any kids who love magical creatures, science, cats, or all three!
September 4, 2025
I was not expecting this book to be extremely good . the reason why I got it just because it had a pink frog on it and it looked so cute and cool . and here's a story so I went back to the library because I was done with my other book for my school year so yeah . I went there and I was walking to see all the books in there I thought they were going to be gone but they were still there. and I already got the snow one so I got the frog or garden one instead of that one . this one was supossed chapter 8 . I don't know what the snow one is supossed to be I think it is chapter 2 or 4
June 13, 2023
Zoey & Sass are at it again, and I am loving how this series continues building on the stories as we go. Magical creatures featured in the previous books continue to make appearances, and science facts that they have learned continue to be helpful tools in figuring out answers to new challenges. My daughters are 5 and 8, and this series is the perfect fit for both of them, with the right blend of science, magic, and friendship between a girl and her cat. We can't wait to read the next book!
November 30, 2025
Zoey is challenged to figure out how to save the forest roses after grasshopper like creatures come through and devour the Bips that help them grow. Readers see her struggle to figure this out and set up several experiments to test her theory. I love how Citro takes readers through the steps from hypothesis to conclusion. In the end, she and her mom work with several creatures to save the roses and thus save the hippogriffs.
February 9, 2021
A very fun book, just the right length, well described, with good stakes. It's not preachy, but does an excellent job promoting compassion, environmentalism, and creative thought. I don't really feel it's as creative as the earlier books of the series, but still, my family isn't tired of them yet!
March 3, 2022
Zoey and her cat, Sassafras, are on a new scientific mission: to save the baby hippofgriffs. The bips have been eaten by the hop-hops, the roses are dieing, and there will be no bips for the baby hippofgriffs once they hatch. So, Zoey, her mother, Pip and Sassafras have to find a way to make new bips grow on roses. Will they find a way in time to save the babies?
March 13, 2022
It’s been a long time since we read a book in this series, but yay, our library just got this one and the next one! This one focuses extra clearly on the whole process of scientific experiments, how you test several different things and compare it with the control. Kids enjoyed listening to me read it.
January 11, 2025
I chose to read this book because I sent a book from this series to one of my great nieces for Christmas and I like to read what I’ve sent. I was surprised at how science and the scientific method are woven into the story. I like that the main character is a little girl. Her mom is prominent in the story too. She has a dad, who in this book he mainly is preparing meals.
January 7, 2021
This series does not disappoint. My kiddos and I eagerly devoured this 8th book in solving the problems of the bips! As always, her books open up great conversation about science and nature and experiments.
May 14, 2021
Read this book back in February with my 7 year old son. Over the last two year we have read this series of 8 books outloud together. I always learn something new and he is hooked. Clever , fun and engaging so we will definitely continue on in this series.
June 21, 2022
This is a cute story but I felt like the science talk was lengthy and if it wasn’t for my daughter prompting to keep reading I would have given it a break. I’m glad she loved it. I think it’s cool she’s learning about science while hearing a story.
June 7, 2023
This series is an absolute favorite! Learning about science experiments and meeting mythical creatures make these books very enjoyable. Page turners for sure! My 6 year old and 3 year old love listening to these books. Great read aloud and the audio books are awesome!
October 21, 2020
My 7 year old absolutely loves this series. The book arrived last night and he immediately sat down and read it. He says the whole series is five stars!
November 19, 2020
We love this series. The kids love the magical creatures and I love that each book reinforces the scientific process.
January 3, 2021
Another cute one for this girl power, science series. I did find it to be less relatable than some of the others though.
January 16, 2021
Loved it! Cute book!
February 13, 2021
This one was especially great for describing the importance of ecosystems and how organisms rely on each other for survival! I love this series so much, and my daughter and I are eagerly awaiting #9.
February 21, 2021
We weren’t as into this one. I feel like there were too many magical creatures and it was a bit confusing for my 6yo.
March 5, 2021
I’ve read the whole series with my kids. Zoe is a strong and smart female protagonist and each story gives a wonderful introduction to the scientific method.
April 6, 2021
Dad comes through! Lessons getting more complex.
April 28, 2021
cute cute cute
May 15, 2021
Really fun series for early elementary-age kids
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews