Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Misfit is put in charge of animals in funny, warm adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In MIDDLE SCHOOL: IT'S A ZOO IN HERE, by James Patterson, Rafe Khatchadorian is facing down a boring, horrible science class in summer school until his mom works out an alternative: Rafe works at a zoo. It sounds like a dream job for a kid who prefers to get up and move rather than sit down and study, but somehow he gets fired from his volunteer work. The only option is to work at a country escape for the very rich. He hates the scrubbing and digging, but when he finds an animal in trouble he has to summon all his knowledge and think outside the box to save it. Will Rafe finally be able to do something right?
Is It Any Good?
Combined with animals galore and the funny narration of a misfit kid, the illustrations on almost every page help make for a fast, fun read of a heartwarming story. Middle School: It's a Zoo in Here, is another hit in James Patterson's series for young readers who sometimes feel like even when they try their hardest they can't do anything right. The chaos that follows Rafe Khatchadorian isn't always his fault, and his inner monologue is a sweet, laughable look at the thought process of a young teen.
Penelope's stutter and how she manages it could be an entire story of its own: She's a detailed, complex, and interesting character even without Rafe beside her. The end of the book has a note about how to help animals in danger.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how they've dealt with situations they dread, like Rafe and the possibility of summer school in Middle School: It's a Zoo in Here. How do you decide when you should look for a way out of it and when you should just do what's been assigned? Who gets to decide that?
Have you ever dealt with an animal that was in danger or not being well cared for? What happened? What do you think of the way Rafe handled the situation with the lion?
What are some of the ways that you learn best? Do you like to read instructions, hear instructions, or learn things by trial and error?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Jomike Tejido
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : jimmy patterson
- Publication date : January 24, 2022
- Number of pages : 336
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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