If you’re looking for funny, smart middle grade books and lots of entertaining animal facts, you need to check out Jess Keating’s “My Life Is A Zoo” series. I met Jess through Torkidlit and Nerd Camp; she’s funny, smart and entertaining in person, too :-). The third book in her series, HOW TO OUTFOX YOUR FRIENDS WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE A CLUE, comes out from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky on October 6th.
Not surprising that these books are packed with fascinating facts in addition to being fun to read; Jess has a degree in Zoology and a Masters of Science.
I just finished rereading HOW TO OUTRUN A CROCODILE WHEN YOUR SHOES ARE UNTIED (a 2015 Red Maple Award nominee!). An excerpt from the Kirkus starred review: “The dollop of romance is refreshingly appropriate for middle school readers, and the angst Ana feels over the idea of performing in front of a crowd will touch plenty of sympathetic introverts. An amusing, highly readable book about the perils of being 12 in a snake-eat-snake world.”
More info about Jess and her books (where you can also read excerpts)
Jess is also on Twitter at @Jess_Keating.
Also see Debbie’s Reading Journal as well as Debbie’s Bookstagram.