It's a Zoo in Here!

Middle School #14

by James Patterson, Jomike Tejido (Illustrator)

The fourteenth book in the hilarious illustrated children's series

Genres: Fiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Contemporary, Comedy, Humor

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 24, 2022

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
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James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Jackson Straight · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was pretty funny I loved it a lot

[Lynn Shreve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just for fun I read this book as an audio book. As expected from James Patterson it was a fun story. Might try listening to more while I walk the dog.

[Cover Lover Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best way for me to explain this book is it is a fun, silly, full of hijinks, middle school-ey book. If you're looking for something realistic, keep looking. The happenings are improbable, but that’s what makes this story fun.

I haven’t read any other books in this series (this is book 14) so I didn’t have any background on the main character, Rafe Khatchadorian. But that didn’t slow things down at all. He has a big personality, and the reader gets a good feel for him beginning on page one. Rafe’s experiences at his job at the zoo is hilarious. Most people can relate to having to do menial, gross, or messy jobs when we were young, but Rafe takes the cake.

Middle School: It’s a Zoo in Here! is a fast-paced chapter book for kids 8-12 years old. The chapters are short and easy to read, and the generous line-drawn black and white illustrations add lots of smirks and giggles.

Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.

#LittleBrown
#JamesPatterson
#MiddleSchool

[Steven Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

afe feels like a caged lion at his summer job at the zoo--until a real lion desperately needs his help.

Rafe Khatchadorian is days away from sweet, sweet summer freedom until bad grades threaten to land him in . . . SUMMER SCHOOL.

It’s impossible to fail out of a summer job, right? Wrong. He strikes out at the zoo then grosses out at a billionaire's country club:
Digging a pit for the annual clambake

Scrubbing chewed bubblegum, sooty fireplaces, and . . . toilets

Polishing the chrome on his boss's ATV

Rafe is destined for the Failed Jobs Hall of Fame until an encounter with an endangered lion puts his wildlife knowledge to the test . . . and it's more than his grade on the line this time.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another wacky entry in the "Middle School" series about Rafe Katchadorian. Rafe finds out that he has failed science and must take summer school. But Mom arranges for a summer job working with animals to complete his biology requirement instead. Rafe suffers a series of misadventures and even end up switching jobs midsummer. The book seems disjointed, almost two completely different stories that don't really tie together until the end.

That said, kids will willingly suspend their disbelief for the rediculous events. The book will thrill the preteen target audience. As usual, the illustrations are lots of fun as well.

[Karrie Hiatt]

Summer job is good opportunity to learn something new and useful. I started my first summer job this summer and I like it. But no lions here – only old goat :) Also I am writing essay about my summer job. It was not that easy for me, so I got help from one of the top-10 essay review services https://essaypaper.review/top10-essay... and now I can write better texts. I have lot of funny stories here. There is a long summer ahead, so maybe I will try to write a book with short stories even if it will be interesting only for my friends.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's wonderful when such a thing as possible stuck inside summer school turns into a wonderful outdoor caring for animals and ... I can't give it all away adventure. Rafe and his family all learn to grow this summer and life was anything but dull. Now comes back to school time...

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was way overdue to jump into a Patterson Sites Middle School book. Rafe is up to his endless supply of disasters that keep getting worse. That is his M.O. which keep you going into the next chapter. I loved the illustrations by Tejido. Those make the book so much fun.
Thanks Lainie.

[Roxanne Marie Leino · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is for the 10 year old mindset. It is tells a story enjoyable to that age group.

[Julia Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was awesome. Rafe has to work at a zoo/rehab center. He slips up a few times but its okay because he bounces back.

[Sasha Bredenhof · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Didn't love this one as much as the other Middle School books, but since it was one of the newer ones, it was better than expected! A nice, light and funny read for a day at home. :)

[Oni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite his never-ending misery, Rafe is just lovable and kinder than most of human being.

[Jaqie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book where Rafe’s lemurs were mischievous! The illustrations are cool!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's my first Middle School book.This is a fun book! It's very similar to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but the protagonist is much more likeable. My daughter loves this series.

[Endrit Nikqi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Middle School book since “From Hero to Zero” that I really loved. The illustrations were amazing, and the story was really fun. One of the best books in the entire series.

[A Wise]

Awesome book

[Riley McKee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Love first five books but gets boring

[robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love healing my inner child

[Capi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious as in a real LOL.

[Rex . · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is good, and it is really fun. Introduction isn't that funny, but after the introduction, it get's really fun

[coriolis]

Not Rafe's best work, but fun nonetheless.

[Sandra 💜 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Status: read
Edition: paperback
My Reading Dates: 11 Dec - 14 De
Genre: Humor, Contemporary, Children's, Fiction
Pages: 336
Pace: medium

My Thoughts
Honestly, I think I am going to give up on James Patterson children's books. They all are starting to feel a bit dry, and I have no clue why I am still reading. I think I mostly don't like it because I am the wrong audience, but who knows?

And on top of my original thoughts, I also read an article that James Patterson doesn't actually write any of his own books anymore, and instead gets someone else to write it. Which make sense, seeing as he is always co-authoring books. My real question is, if they really agreed to co-author, why the hell is his name taking up a whole quarter of the cover, and the other writer taking up a minimalistic amount of space? Anyways, it is all business and as long as both authors agree, I don't really care.

Overall, I just feel like this book had a lot of subplots that lead from one to another instead of an actual plot taling up the whole book. A bit disappointing, but I was kinda expecting it at this point.

↝2.5 stars

[Luke Foust · Rating 5 out of 5]

HA HA HA

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this book and it is great! I have read all the other ones and was so exited to see that there was a new one! It has a great message and Rafe is just as mischievous as ever!