Terror at the Zoo

Ellen and Corey #1

by Peg Kehret

Ellen Streater received the perfect birthday present—an overnight camp-out at the zoo. Too bad she had to invite her little brother Corey along. But as night falls in the zoo, her brother becomes the least of her worries, as they discover they're locked in the zoo with an escaped convict who's stalking their every move. Unable to run, and with no help in sight, their last chance for survival is Ellen's crazy science project on animal communication. But can they get the animals to help them in time, or will it be too late? 

"A compelling and fast-paced mystery with characters that are believable and well drawn." — The Horn Book

"Plausible incidents and believable characters combine in a fast-moving and well-constructed tale." — Booklist

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Childrens, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Horror

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Peg Kehret writes middle grade fiction and nonfiction. She's won dozens of state children's choice awards, where kids vote for their favorite book.

When she was twelve, Peg was paralyzed with polio. Most of her protagonists are the age she was then.

A volunteer with animal rescue groups, three of Peg's books are co-authored by Pete the Cat."

Reviews

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember enjoying this alot when I was a teen.. read it quite a few times :) Will have to re-read it one day to see if my opinion holds up.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had Terror At The Zoo in my collection for years.I remember going to a local Goodwill looking for Goosebumps books.This was a time in my life where If I didn't find any Goosebumps,I would get something that looked good based on the cover art.I ended up finding this book and thinking it looked intresting enough.I never read it as a kid.I remember trying to read it,but it never really grabbing me.If you've been following my YouTube channel.I mentioned how despite not finishing this book,it's still very nostalgic.I won't go into details,but my mom got sick when I was really young and she wrote in it.I still have the same copy to this day complete with the letter written on the back of the title page.I figured it would be fun to read this one for November because that's usually the time to spend with family and stuff.I try to not just do that on holidays.I think if you have the time to spend with family,you should any chance you get.I sometimes don't do exactly what I belive in though.Anyway the story begins with Ellen in her yard trying to get her dog prince to come to her with her mind.She is trying to do some kind of communication experiment for a science fair at school.It's her birthday,so she has her grandparents over.Her parents  tell her brother to call her inside and when she goes inside she gets an envelope.Inside the envelope it contains a certificate for an overnight at the Woodland Park Zoo.This present is a joint present for her brother.The next chapter we are introduced to the main antagonist of this book.His name is Tony.He just escaped from prison for armed robbery and is on the run.He stops and gets clothes  from a chothesline and is looking for a place to stay for the night.Ge ends up sneaking in with this class.The kids are waiting for their parents to get home from a flight.Corey starts talking crazy,saying his parents maybe got attacked by terrorists or something.Corey does this throughout the book.He has a very active imagination.The plan is for the parents to get home,pick the kids up carry them over to the zoo drop them off with a lady named Mrs.Caruthurs.She is the representitive for the zoo,that will show them the tent and stuff.The parents flight gets delayed and the grandpa ends up staying with the grandma at the hospital,so the kids call a cab and they end up at the zoo.They meet Mrs.Caruthurs.He goes to the zoo that these two kids are at.We get little mini chapters of sorts of the two main sets of adults finding out why they are late.The kids think they see the parents but they are not there.Mrs.Caruthurs ends up leaving them,because Corey assumes he sees their parents.Long story short the kids end up stranded in the zoo with this guy that just escaped prison.The guy Tony ends up running across this really rare monkey that he wants to steal for randsom.There is a back and forth cat and mouse game for these kids and the prisoner.I really liked Corey as a character he had some really great lines.There is even a line where he mentions someone having a disease by name which shocked me.Ellieen was way more grounded to reality and I liked her too.The premise of this book was very basic and even slightly slow at times but the ending definitely picked up and I had alot of fun towards the end.It was very cute.I know from a YouTuber that this is apparently a series and there is a haunted house book in the series I'd like to look at one day.I give Terror At The Zoo a four out of five stars.I did think portions of the book were a little repetitive and slow,but the ending was super cute and corey made this book alot more enjoyable.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book! when you stop reading and you have to put it away you are like no because every part of this book is AMAZING!! you have to read it! even if it is so sad at the end of this book it is worth reading! READ THIS BOOK!!

[Alejandro Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tis a weird a one, I’ll say that. Kicking off my readings for the ‘Ellen and Corey’ thrillogy, “Terror at the Zoo” is the first book of the series—and the one I had the least interest in. Of course, I like reading in order if there’s a recurring cast, so I stuck to my gut predictions and read it anyways (thank you, you’re too kind; American hero over here reading shit he wasn’t wholly anticipating *rose emoji*). The book? It was okay, I guess. The characters are really good—especially the main sibling duo, which felt really natural and well-written. The plot is bonkers but very unique, so points there. The story is relatively engaging, though it didn’t absolutely have me hooked. I quite enjoyed Peg’s writing (also, happy early birthday, Peg Kehret), and it’s evidently really well-written. But uh, not much else to say I here for upsides; just your run-of-the-mill “hey, pretty good basic plot elements.” For negatives, I felt the book was overstaying its welcome. This didn’t need to be as long as it was, and it was also quite slow in the first two-thirds. The main kids—whilst really solid and likable—make some decisions in here that are just blatantly foolish and stupid, and I couldn’t fathom what was going their heads. The book is a bit anticlimactic as well, and I’m really just left with a well-written story that should’ve ended much sooner. Not much else to say on this one. Overall, 6.5/10. Nice thriller with a wild concept and decent moments/characters/yaddayadda, but lacked much else to merit. Legitimately now: I just wanna get to the supernatural stories of this series, unless those are mere readbait like Mike Gonzo… uh oh.

[Chels · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my second read - I originally read this in my childhood. I remembered the book as we were walking through the Woodland Park Zoo after a ZooTunes Concert and I remarked to my wife, “I think I read a book where there are kids trapped in a zoo overnight.” Sure enough, this was the book - and the crazy thing is that it takes place at the Woodland Park Zoo! It’s definitely a book for young readers and the actions of the parents and grandparents are a little annoying but the overall story is good. It was fun to reread it!

[Jacqueline Barbeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

*reread from elementary school*

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH NO, TERROR AT THE ZOO!!!!!! I found this book in a box of early 90s gems at a flea market and got it for the low, low price of 50 cents. Score! Having just read Peg Kehret's Ghost Dog Secrets, I was totally primed for another supernatural, animal-centered adventure.

In Terror at the Zoo, Ellen's upset that her parents treat her like a baby even though she's twelve--WAIT A MINUTE, now she's conducting experiments in animal telepathy for her school science fair project and--WAIT, WAIT, her grandparents just gave her a pass for an overnight camp-out at the zoo--AND NOW A CONVICTED FELON IS ESCAPING FROM PRISON AND SNEAKING INTO THE ZOO FOR SHELTER!!! AND HE HAS A KNIFE AND A WICKED PLAN THAT INVOLVES HARMING ANIMALS AND ONLY ELLEN (and her annoying kid brother Corey) CAN STOP HIM!!!! OH NO!!!

God, I loved reading this book. Kehret is so good at piling on the action. I also loved how she describes Ellen's diligent note-taking for her animal telepathy experiments. It reminded me of Kehret's Sisters, Long Ago, where the main character takes notes at a lecture on reincarnation, and Ghost Dog Secrets, where the main character documents animal abuse by taking photos and carefully keeping a daily log. I feel like Kehret makes note-taking so exciting and glamorous. Sneaky--like disguising broccoli in an ice-cream cone.

One unfortunate thing about the book that Kehret could never have anticipated is that the story, published in 1992, makes a big deal about how all this goes down on the night of September 10th. There is a running conversation throughout the book between Ellen and Corey about whether their parents' plane is late because it's been hijacked--which is supposed to be an example of Corey teasing Ellen, but in light of historical events after the book's writing, it's an unfortunate coincidence. So, you know, if you have a child in your life with a relative who died on September 11, I recommend not giving them this book to read. It's impossible not to think about September 11 and wince a little bit every time Corey talks about hijacking.

That aside, Terror at the Zoo is a fun adventure. Thanks, flea market!

[American · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peg Kehret is one of my favorite children's mystery authors, though they are never usually 'scary', more what I call 'spooky', but I like the spooky atmosphere. They usually all teach a moral lesson, which I do like about them, and they sometimes show what to do in a dangerous situation and what not to do. The books by her and 'Pete the Cat' are some of my favorites by her, but I like the 'Ellen and Corey' series a little better. I also like some of the single books like 'Stolen Children'. I've never read the 'Frightmares' or the 'Disaster' books by her.

Out of the 'Ellen and Corey' series by Peg Kehret, this is my least favorite, but I still liked it. It shows moral lessons, which is good for children to read about. One of the best ways to learn something is to read about it and learn from other peoples mistakes, even if they are fictional people. Each book does show a mistake that one or both of the children make, and how they get through their problems.
In this book, Ellen and her brother, Corey, get to spend the night in a zoo with their grandparents, but unfortunately when their grandparents don't show up after their parents drop them off and go on a trip, they choose to wait, but after the zoo closes, it's too late for them to leave, so they have to stay the night alone.....or so they believe. What they don't know is that an escaped convict is inside the zoo with them and they spend the night being frightening rather than having fun.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ellen Streater is twelve years old, and is determined to be more mature from now on. Corey, almost eight and her younger brother, loves telling tales. The two of them receive a birthday gift of camping overnight at the zoo, for which they are stoked. But when the gates clang shut, they realize they are alone. No, not quite alone. Locked in the zoo with them is an escaped criminal, and he is determined to use Ellen and Corey for ransom. Can they find help, before it is too late? The night is young, and the chase has just begun.


I remember liking this author in elementary school, and also being quite terrified by her books--I didn't read much horror, and was scared rather easily (and both are still true today).

I didn't find this book scary, however, as I once would have. It felt very predictable, so I had no reason to be afraid. Everything fell into place way too easily, to get both the kids and the criminal locked in together. However, once the story was actually moving, it felt more plausible.

Ellen was an annoying character at first, with her now being an "adult" and so "mature" just because she's twelve. She stopped being annoying once in the zoo, and I grew to like her more and more as the book progressed.

Overall, not a bad book, but I don't think I enjoy this author as much as I used to.

[Dave Bruno · Rating 4 out of 5]

So when I was a kid I got this book at a Scholastic Book Fair because I was a kid who loved Horror and Zoos. I never actually read it because… well I was a kid, I didn’t read often. So as an adult getting back into reading, I decided to buy a copy of the book with the same cover as the one I had as a kid. Turns out this copy was signed by the author, so that’s cool. But that all aside, even as an adult, this book is very good. Like I love the dominos of this book, how you can see the storm brewing of the situation these kids are about to find themselves in, one small thing leading to another making the realization that each of those setups pays off somehow is just a really cool book. I also love the setting, it’s a Zoo, but it’s not Jurassic Park. The animals at no point escape or are the sole part of the drama, they do come up as obstacles occasionally but it’s not a book about scary animals in a zoo at night. My only gripe is there’s a vague supernatural element that I believe just didn’t really need to exist, but I think is important for later books in this series or something? It stands well enough on its own tho. Very fun Kid Horror book!

[Jan Carlo Foz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terror at the Zoo is a great children novel by Peg Kehret. Everyone will adore this book from start to finish. It's impossible not to like the characters in it, especially Corey with his always witty and clever what-if stories. With Terror at the Zoo, the writer was able to plot a story that will highlight every characters in it.

I just can't contain how much I really love this book! The moment I started Terror at the Zoo, I couldn't put it down anymore because I was instantly hooked with the characters in it and the overall story. I love how simple the story is but yet it is so much fun. Corey's my favorite character in the book because he is just so smart for a seven-year old child. I also like how at the end of it, Ellen was able to reach her goal to be "mature" enough.

Terror at the Zoo is perfect for children out there waiting to have some adventure with a book. The book will surely give you an adventure that you will never forget in your entire life! Two thumbs up to this book and to Peg Kehret!

[Christy Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brother and Sister get a over night sleep over at a zoo for their birthday present from their grandparents. When time comes their grandma has broken her leg and can't go so the kids go by their selves. They thought their parents would meet them there but are delayed because of plane trouble.

Ellen and Corey end up locked in the zoo with a con artist who's escaped prison. The guy tried kidnap a rare primate baby, but decides to kidnap the kids. However Ellen's been doing a science experience to communicate with animals and she tries it which it helps because the elephants trap the guy until help comes.

It's a great night full of adventure for sure. I enjoyed this and really should have read it years ago when got it at school. Oh well I read now.

[Megan M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars because it was a good realistic fiction book. I thought it would be scary if you were getting chased from in an escaped criminal in the zoo alone.If I was alone at the zoo with my sister and she got caught by a criminal i would act like Ellen did. I would be scared and i would try to climb the fence to get to a telephone. This book has plenty of suspense. That is why I liked it because one second they were free and the next second they got caught by the criminal. It took place mostly at the zoo at night. I would not want to go to the zoo at night. So if you would like to read a book with suspense and that is about a scary campout you should read this book.

[Jaclyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book it is one of my top favorites of Peg Kehret's. This book is about Corey and Ellen who get gifted an overnight camp-out at the zoo from their grandparents. The thriller begins when a criminal is locked in the zoo with them and is stalking their every move. Due to a project Ellen did she knows how to communicate with elephants. The elephants charge after the criminal and they are able to escape. I think this would be a great book to read to introduce a science unit on animal communication. Students could research this and make a project out of it to present to the class.

[Aklohia12 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book in the history of books. I mean seriously the plot was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo lame. Some girl goes to Iraq so she could buy some Iraquian cheese and then its her story of getting back. Even the Girl Who Owned A Dumpster was a better book then this. I didn't even think a person could make such a bad book. I pity this person, the torture she is going through. The pain and the agony. She must be a total dipstick to be reading this book. Oh well, some people in this world were born to be morons.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I thought of this book is that it was really suspensful, but in all the wrong places. Like in the beginning when you would think that the book would start of slower but then speed up it didn't. Or like when she was in the zoo, the author made it seem as though this was going by really really fast, which may of been the desired effect. However one good thing about this was that the author could really get a vivid picture in your head about where the character was and what was happening.

[Kayle Pinedo · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those of you who love mystery, this is the book for you. This is a story all about how this girl and her brother had a surprise from grandma and papa to go sleepover at a zoo, but then grandma got sick and couldn't go. Papa didn't go either because he wanted to stay it grandma, so she and her brother went to the zoo alone.(they didn't tell anyone) All of a sudden this man got out of jail that day and did something at the zoo. I won't tell you anything else, so go on a find out yourself.

[Kayla Earlob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give Terror at the Zoo four stars. I liked that Ellen and her brother Corey went to the zoo by themselves. I would be really scared all by myself with me brother. I also liked this book because Corey always says that he's going to get his picture taken in the newspaper, and he's going to be a super hero.I think people that like scared books should read Terror at the zoo.

[Sydnee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was ok it was good but not great it was all about them having to sleep over at a zoo because they got locked in and some guy sneakes in that is a killer and they have to hide and capture him

[Alirogers7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read aloud book for any upper elementary classroom. It is full of mystery, suspense, and some serious problem solving strategies. This book will captivate any audience and is a great way to get the entire class involved in a spooky adventure.

[Mrs. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Peg Kehret's writing for the elementary reader who wants suspense and adventure without nightmares. Terror at the Zoo has just enough suspense to keep the reader turning the pages. Kehret's book are the fast moving books in my library.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book because it has mystery, suspicion, and adventure. I can't really explain it because it has all of those elements. Yeah, so you can read it if you want to and the whole usual speech.

[Olive Skies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terror At The Zoo was one of the first chapter books I remember reading back in third grade. Our teacher picked it out because the setting was Woodland Part Zoo in Seattle, WA where we lived. It was a very fun and entertaining read.

[E. Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in grade 5 and couldn't put it down. The high stakes, the suspense, and the true terrors these children encountered in the zoo made it a real page turner. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good suspense or thriller.

[Partridge Public]

Kehret, Peg PG

[Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book with lots of action. A young girl and her little brother go to the zoo to spend the night all alone ...... or so they think.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like basically all of what I read from her.

[Isabella · Rating 1 out of 5]

Usually Peg Kehret's books never disappoint, but this one failed to capture my attention. After a few days, I gave up trying to read it and returned it to the library.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a good book about an overnighter at the zoo.

[Annaka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't even remember when I read this. I think it was in 3rd grade or something. It's really good, though.