MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW -- January 2017:

The Zoo of Impossible Animals: Into the Underzoo introduces readers ages 9 to 13 to Jake and his sister Miranda, who have been shaken by their family's move from urban Washington, D.C. to rural New Mexico. But a new environment isn't going to be the only challenge they face: the appearance of an ink-eating monkey at their house leads Jake and Miranda to the Zoo of Impossible Animals, a secret facility that finds and captures semi-mythical animals called "cryptids." And this is where the adventure really heats up.

Rob Crisell adds mystery into the formula when animals begin to vanish, leading Jake and Miranda to stumble into even more deeply-held secrets holding wider-reaching implications than the zoo itself.

This adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story, elevating the tale from one about a zoo with amazing animals to include elements of intrigue, espionage, and special interests that segue into diabolical intentions.

Part of the attractiveness of Rob Crisell's story lies in its attention to depicting exotic animals that allegedly live throughout the world, while the rest lies in teen protagonists who find themselves grappling with not just impossible creatures, but impossible odds of survival.

With an Indiana Jones-style series of adventures (albeit resting upon purposeful teen protagonists) The Zoo of Impossible Animals: Into the Underzoo specializes in a brand of adventure that is reminiscent of the heady action and science-gone-awry feel of Jurassic Park, and will delight any tween to middle-grade leisure reader looking for an adventure especially crafted for their reading abilities.