Review Detail

What I Liked
There is a lot going on in this book and once again Teddy is the best one to solve the case. He has the support of those at Funjungle now that they have seen him solve too many cases to underestimate him. However, the FBI is involved due to the international nature of a panda getting stolen on its way to FunJungle. Teddy is more than happy to let them solve the case, but he gets blackmailed by Marge into trying to help anyways.
With Teddy’s reputation, he is a prime target yet again for the bad guys to try to kill him to keep him off the case. He survives being thrown into the polar bear exhibit by Marge who dives in after him. She has been his nemesis for so many books that her actions change their dynamic. I was just as surprised as the characters when he stood up for her when she was in a heap of trouble.
After four books I am definitely starting to realize that there is more about animal poop than I ever thought I would learn. Who knew Teddy could crack the case by finding out about panda poop?
My favorite scene of the whole book was definitely the dolphins that have learned to pants their guests. When Teddy gets thrown in the air after getting his swimsuit stolen by a dolphin in front of the female trainer and his new girlfriend I had to cringe, groan, and laugh as the whole fiasco unfolded as only Stuart Gibbs can paint a scene in detail.
Final Verdict: I appreciate Stuart Gibbs’s continued ability to weave details on animal conservation as well as facts about the animals throughout a really fun mystery story. Just as zoos can raise people’s awareness of the plight of endangered animals by getting to see them live and making them care, these books have that same capacity. By learning about animals while reading an enjoyable book there is an impact he is making on Middle-Grade audiences that are enjoying his series. With humor and mystery, this is another fun addition to this series.