Big Game by Stuart Gibbs

One of my new favorite authors, Stuart Gibbs, has a new book out!  Big Game is the third installment in his "FunJungle" series.

FunJungle, if you're not familiar, is an enormous zoo in Texas.  Actually, it's more than just a zoo, it's a wildlife theme park, and 13-year-old Teddy Fitzroy lives there with his parents.  In the first book in the series, Belly Up, Teddy helped solved the case of a murdered hippo.  Next came Poached, in which Teddy solved the mystery of a stolen Koala.

This time, it's a Rhino that's in trouble.  Early one morning, someone tries to shoot Rhonda Rhino.  Not only is Rhonda an endangered white rhino, she's also pregnant, making the near-killing especially chilling.  Who would do such a thing? 

Once again, Teddy is on the case, looking for clues and following leads with his wealthy and famous friend Summer McCracken (the daughter of J.J. McCracken, who owns FunJungle.)  As they are working on the case, two more attempts are made on Rhonda's life, and the killer seems to be somebody who has inside knowledge of the park.  Can Teddy and Summer stop the killer before it's too late? (And will their friendship grow into something more?)

What I really like about the FunJungle books is that, not only do they contain lots of action and danger, there's also a lot of information about animals and conservation efforts provided.  One possible motive someone might have to kill Rhonda is to take her horn.  In many cultures, people believe rhino horns have medicinal properties (they don't; they're made from the same stuff your fingernails are made from), and are willing to pay HUGE sums of money for them.   In fact, rhino poaching is a big problem that threatens the survival of rhinos today.  Did you know there are currently only five African white rhinos left in the entire world?  And just a few years ago, the northern African black rhino went extinct.  That means if you've never seen one, you never will - they are gone forever.

But don't get the idea that Big Game is depressing!  At its core, it's an action-packed mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.   Read it for the rhinos!