Kingdom Caper

Zoo Patrol Squad #1

by Brett Bean

Crack the case with the Zoo Patrol Squad in this series of younger graphic novels filled with zany animals, wild adventures, and unbelievable mysteries.

The lion has gone missing? The king cobra has vanished? Sounds like a job for the Zoo Patrol Squad! Timid Fennlock Fox and outgoing Penny the Pig team up for their first adventure as they look for clues to track down the missing animals in their usually peaceful zoo.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Animals, Humor, Comics, Adventure, Childrens, Mystery

80 pages, Hardcover

Published July 7, 2020

Reviews

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of comic slapstick energy here! Wild Zoo Yonder is a sanctuary for many different animals. Penny, a potbellied pig in a striped scarf, is a new inhabitant. Although it seems peaceful enough, after the visitors leave, the animals – hippos, alligators, gorillas, elephants, lions, etc. – go wild (dillo ball is one sport they play.) But Fennlock, the Fennec Fox, never leaves his cage, and only plays video games. When animals start disappearing, Penny convinces him to help her solve the mystery. Spoiler alert! A group of zombie like naked mole rats is kidnapping animals with the goal of creating a new animal kingdom. When Fennlock is accused as the culprit, Penny really come into her own as a detective, and with Fennlock’s help, solves the mystery, along with some adorable Maori glow worms. They find that the queen of the naked mole rats is not who she seems, and the ending promises further adventures. Zany action, slapstick humor, loads of comic onomatopoeia (“Kaslammo!”), and bright cartoon art make this an appealing title for lovers of silly graphic humor. Several pages of humorous/factual animal information at the end.

[Runa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free unfinished ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I would have rated this higher if it wasn't a blatant Zootopia ripoff. A society with different animals living together, animals mysteriously disappearing, and a coincidental duo solving the case? If your kids were a fan of Zootopia, obviously this would be a great extension read and might even spur them to write their own stories/graphic novels, but no points for originality here. It's also marketed as a graphic novel for the younger crowd, but as an in to GNs, it's not a very accessible one. I found the picture order hard to follow and I don't think it's going to be as easy for kids to figure out how to read as some other introductory graphic novels are.

[Sarah Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic novel for young fans of animal adventures that reads like a cross between Zootopia and the Penguins of Madagascar. This zoo operates like a big city with a mayor and other jobs. A newly arrived pig seeking adventure sees the heroic poses of a TV watching Fennec fox and decides they will be crimefighting best friends. When kidnappings occur, the fox must come out of his enclosure and help his new friend. Ends with descriptions of the main animals real world features, plus a set-up for more adventures.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a book for kids who love Zootopia, or Pixar in general. Lots of jokes peppered in. Some may go over younger kids heads (there’s a Rodent of Unusual Size in there), but as kids revisit it odds are they’ll start to understand some of the references. Relatively easy to follow along with, and it includes some cool double-page spreads. Penny and Fennlock certainly make a dynamic duo, and there’s plenty of missions left for them to tackle at Wild Zoo Yonder. Thanks to Penguin Kids for an ARC!

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun kids graphic novel featuring a Fennec Fox who yearns to be a superhero but is anxious at the idea of leaving his enclosure; a plucky pig who wants to be a detective; a misguided villain; and another villain hiding in the shadows. Great for fans of Zootopia.

Miss 7 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

we've read this one 3 times now. very enjoyable story (as an adult i like the themes of pushing past anxiety to get out there and live life to fullest, friendship building courage to explore, etc.; kids like naked mole rats and cartoon violence; so something for everyone!). we also liked guessing which animals would be nabbed next based on 'royal' monikers. animal facts at end were an added bonus for wildlife fanatics.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very cute graphic novel about a Fennec fox and a pot-bellied pig that team up to solve a series of animal nappings at their home - Wild Zoo Yonder.
If you have kids that enjoy Narwhal and Jelly, this is a step up the reading ladder. There isn't a lot of violence - but the naked mole rats look a bit creepy and there's some mild potty humor. If you have kids that enjoy DogMan - then this is an alternative while they wait for the next book to be published.

[blueygurl2016 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book! Fennlock felt a little bit like Arnold from Magic School Bus “I knew I should’ve stayed home today” or some of those movie characters lol. There’s another one I’m thinking of that I swear literally says “I knew I never should’ve left home” but now of course I can’t find it lol. Anyway, I liked it and it was a good lesson of overcoming fears and friendship too. I will be interested to see where this series goes.

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun little adventure! Nonstop action, some animal facts sprinkled throughout, charming cartoonish illustrations. I love the idea of a team of zoo residents solving crimes. A nice subtle message about getting outside your comfort zone is included too. I'd definitely read more about Fenn and Penny's adventures.

[emyrose8 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure, one of my fifth graders read this and talked to me about it; I flipped through the pages and didn't read it fully myself. This graphic novel reminds me a lot of Zootopia with the human like animals and the mystery. He said it was funny and he liked it, but not as much as the Bird and Squirrel books.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Penny the Pig leaves the petting zoo seeking adventure, she moves into Wild Zoo Yonder, and meets Fennlock Fox, who has never left his cage. But when certain animals go missing, the duo join up to help solve the mystery, and their success leads them to become known as The Zoo Patrol Squad.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. I thought the beginning was very funny and cute. The animals were disappearing and i liked how they got into the mystery part of it. I DNF’ed this book beacause there were creepy animals with bright white scary eyes. I thought that was very strange.

[Lisa D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute book! Not my favorite

[Rob S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the FCBD 2020 preview

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute graphic novel about animals solving a mystery at the zoo.

[Sharon Buxton]

C. fiction, children's fiction grade 3, graphic "novel," disjointed

[Mary T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh...quick read. Not all that memorable. Some great moments. My sons enjoyed it.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute story with some great messages.

[Jaime Guzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book for the kids that is drawn by one of my favorite artists, Brett Bean. Checkout his art on Instagram @brett2dbean and you will see why he is one of my favorites.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son giggled the entire time we read this together.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. It was an easy read and an interesting concept. It just wasn’t a favorite of mine. Kids who enjoy books about animal adventures or who enjoyed Zootopia will probably enjoy this.

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 4 out of 5]

sweet first volume about a pair of animals that become detectives in their local zoo.

[Holly Letson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun story. It gave off Disney vibes.

[JoJo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Basically Zootopia?

PnF Book of PnF goes hard

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Naked mole rats and hippo butts….what can I say? The 7 year old is still giggling!

[Bryan Loar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fast-paced graphic novel by Brett Bean has the right mix of adventure, humor, and mystery. An uncorrected, advanced reader copy was reviewed.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.