climate change – BookBunnies

This past week, author Stuart Gibbs visited Caramel’s school, and the book bunnies were able to receive two autographed books. One of these was Whale Done, the eighth book in the FunJungle series, published earlier this year. Marshmallow is a big fan of the FunJungle books, and she has already read and reviewed all of the previous seven for the book bunnies blog. So it was natural that she would be the one to jump on this book when it first arrived at the book bunnies’ home and dive right in. Below she shares some of her thoughts about the book.

Before moving on, you might want to check out Marshmallow’s reviews of the first seven books of FunJungle: Belly Up, Poached, Big Game, Panda-monium, Lion Down, Tyrannosaurus Wrecks, and Bear Bottom.

Marshmallow reviews Whale Done by Stuart Gibbs. — Marshmallow reviews *Whale Done* by Stuart Gibbs.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books about animals and mysteries, or if you have enjoyed other books by Stuart Gibbs, then this might be the book for you. Of course, it would be best if you have also read some of the other FunJungle books before reading this one.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Teddy Fitzroy, who is now fourteen years old, lives with his parents at FunJungle (a huge zoo, similar to a hybrid of Disneyland and the San Diego Zoo) until a kangaroo burns down their home. This leads to Teddy eventually accepting an invitation to go to Malibu Beach in California with his girlfriend, her mother, and Doc, FunJungle’s vet. (Meanwhile, his mom is staying in her office and his father is traveling for work).

Teddy’s girlfriend, Summer McCracken, is the daughter of J.J. McCracken, the billionaire who owns FunJungle, and Kandace McCracken, a famous model. While in Malibu, they learn about a beached whale in front of a neighborhood of mansions owned by rich aristocrats, celebrities, and athletes. Teddy, Summer, and Doc are staying in this area in a house with a friend of Kandace, who also happens to be a model.

While on the beach, they meet Cass, who works for the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Cass is preparing to perform an autopsy on the beached whale to find the cause of its death, when all of a sudden, the whale is blown up with dynamite. Two delinquents (who have extremely rich parents) are found to be guilty. But Teddy, Summer, and Doc think there is more to the story. Sand appears to be stolen from the beaches, but officials don’t believe the concerned surfers who report this, leaving Teddy and Summer to play detectives once more and try to unravel the complicated mystery about the whale’s death as well as the missing sand.

On top of all this, Teddy and Summer’s relationship becomes strained as events unfold.

Marshmallow is looking happily at the autographed title page of Whale Done by Stuart Gibbs. — Marshmallow is looking happily at the autographed title page of *Whale Done* by Stuart Gibbs.

Marshmallow’s Review: I have really liked all of the other FunJungle books and find Whale Done to be a meaningful and thoughtful addition to the series. I liked how the author brings up serious issues like plastic pollution and manages to keep the mystery, suspense, and humor (his trademarks in the other books of this series) sharp and on point. The characters go through some interesting changes and moments, but I can’t go into too much detail without spoiling all of it.

This book is appropriate for all ages, but I would recommend reading the previous books in the FunJungle series before reading this one because otherwise the characters and some of the references to past events will not be as meaningful. But in summary, I really enjoyed Whale Done, I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, and I hope Stuart Gibbs will write another FunJungle book some day!

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates Whale Done by Stuart Gibbs 100%. — Marshmallow rates *Whale Done* by Stuart Gibbs 100%.

Last year Caramel reviewed The Wild Robot and The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown, and ended his review of the second book wishing that “maybe there will be more stories about Roz or other friendly robots”. His hopes have come true, and today Caramel talks about The Wild Robot Protects, the third book about the Wild Robot, Roz, and her friends, published just this past week. As usual, Sprinkles is asking questions and taking notes.

Caramel reviews The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown. — Caramel reviews *The Wild Robot Protects* by Peter Brown.

Sprinkles: So you were surprised when you got this book in the mail, right, Caramel?

Caramel: Yes. Very happily surprised. I did not know there would be a third book about Roz, but I definitely very much wanted there to be.

S: So it was a good surprise. I like those! So let us talk about it then. Can you tell us a bit about what this book is about?

C: This book is about Roz, the Wild Robot.

S: Why is she called that? Can you remind our readers?

C: Because she speaks with animals and is friends with them.

S: Does she communicate with humans too?

C: She can, but she tends to hang out with animals more than humans. Because the humans called her defective and wanted to destroy her.

S: So she ran away?

C: No. In the beginning, in The Wild Robot, she had been on a boat that crashed and the box she was in floated to an island. Otters activated her by mistake, and then she began to communicate and make friends with the animals on the island.

S: I see. I think I remember now. So what happens in this book?

C: A seal comes to land and warns them about a “poison tide”.

S: So a tide is coming that will be carrying poison?

C: That is what everyone ends up believing so all birds leave the island except the flock of geese, an owl, and a vulture.

S: Hmm, it sounds like we are going into a lot of detail here. So let us move up a bit in perspective. So the book is about the Wild Robot trying to protect her animal friends from this tide?

C: Yep.

Caramel is reading The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown. — Caramel is reading *The Wild Robot Protects* by Peter Brown.

S: I think you really liked the first two books about Roz and her friends, and it was not only because you love robots and animals but also because the books were happy, right?

C: Yup, and they made me happy.

S: So how about this one? Would you say that The Wild Robot Protects is a happy book? Did it also make you happy?

C: It made me happy, yes, but it is not a totally happy book actually. It makes a good point about climate change.

S: Hmm, So I am guessing the poison tide is related to climate change.

C: Not quite, but at some point, Roz says “Can you believe that I have to convince humans why their own environment is important?”

S: I see. So the book is not directly about climate change, but it makes the case that environment is important to our well-being.

C: Yes. I think I said that too.

S: Yes, I just rephrased what you said. So all in all, you loved the chance to read more about Roz and her friends, right?

C: Yes. And while we were looking up the publication date of the book, we saw that there might be an animated movie about Roz some day. I was very very excited! I said, this I gotta see!

S: Yes, I would like to see it too. So let us wrap things up. Can you describe the book in about three words?

C: Amazing robot friend.

S: I like that! Okay, thank you Caramel for sharing your thoughts on this book. What would you like to tell our readers as we end this review?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel loved reading The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown and hopes once more that there will be more adventures for Roz and her friends to come. — Caramel loved reading *The Wild Robot Protects* by Peter Brown and hopes once more that there will be more adventures for Roz and her friends to come.