Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The Secret Zoo(2010) return for another adventure in this new animal-packed fantasy series.Having discovered that their local zoo is a kind of front for a magical world in which animals and people coexist in harmony, Noah, Ella, Richie and Megan are tapped to become Crosserspeople who go between The Secret Zoo and the world outside.Their acceptance triggers the ire of a group of odd-looking teens called the Descenders, who clearly blame the foursome for the escape of the murderous Sasquatches yet are charged with their training.Chick wallows in exposition, spending an inordinate amount of time discussing the past and showing how one travels in and out of the zoo and too little time exploring the mystery of the Descenders and the evil Sasquatches.While the tension between the preteen protagonists and the teens is both tangible and interesting, this installment feels more like novel-length worldbuilding than a story in itself.(Fantasy. 9-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In their second Secret Zoo adventure, Noah, Ella, Megan, and Richie return to the hidden world beneath the public zoo. They begin their training as "Crossers," starting to learn how to protect and better understand the secret land. Emphasis on introducing new characters and details about the fantasy world leave the book light on action until an exciting ending. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 4-7-Noah, Megan, Ella, and Richie are called into service again to help Mr. Darby, the leader of the Secret Society, and other members of the Secret Zoo. He asks the scouts to help him round up some wayward sasquatches, promising that they will only be in the Secret Zoo for two hours, so the four friends reluctantly agree to return. It has been only two weeks since they were there to rescue Megan in The Secret Zoo (Second Wish, 2007). They arrive through a rather bumpy route-tire swings that drop hundreds and hundreds of feet underground. This is only the beginning of their zany adventures. It's quite obvious that the teenagers who are sent to escort them into the library of the Secret Society do not like them. The head teen informs them that they are to remain in the Secret Zoo for a year. This is a world in which humans and animals coexist peacefully, and the library is unlike anything they have ever experienced. Even though there are books and a librarian, the patrons are predominately animals. The library is also designed with waterfalls, trees, greenery, and many floors. The four friends are well developed characters, and readers will identify with the great bond they have and relate to their anxiety, curiosity, and just plan chutzpah. Descriptions are delightful, and children will envy the close relationships that the scouts have with the animals in the Secret Zoo. Fans of fantasy, animal fiction, and adventure will enjoy this fast-moving story.-Julie Shatterly, W.A. Bess Elementary School, Gastonia, NC (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.