Book Review: Tyrannosaurus Wrecks by Stuart Gibbs
**Please note that this is Cristina’s last review with us. She was only temporarily with us, and we have enjoyed having her! She brought more children’s /middle grades books to our attention! Many thanks for sharing your reviews with Jessica’s Reading Room Cristina!**
Tyrannosaurus Wrecks
Series: Fun Jungle #6
Author: Stuart Gibbs
Published: April 7, 2020
336 Pages
Reviewed By: Cristina
Book Description:
In the latest novel in New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs’s FunJungle series, Teddy Fitzroy returns as FunJungle’s resident sleuth to solve his most improbable mystery yet—with a victim that’s 65 million years old.
Teddy was all set for a campout at his friend Sage’s family ranch—but then Sage gets terrible news: The skull of a rare dinosaur that was being excavated on his property has mysteriously vanished overnight in the middle of a rainstorm, even though it weighed 500 pounds. Not a single footprint has been left behind. Since the dinosaur was top secret, the police don’t believe anyone outside the dig could have stolen it.
A T-rex skull can sell for millions of dollars, and everyone is a suspect—including J.J. McCracken, the owner of FunJungle.
Meanwhile, Teddy’s old foes, the Barksdale twins, have gotten into trouble with an illegally purchased anaconda, and Teddy’s girlfriend Summer wants to find out who’s behind the local trade in black market reptiles. The two cases will drag Teddy into more danger and chaos than ever before, in this mystery that’s stranger than fiction.
Cristina’s Review:
Tyrannosaurus Wrecks by Stuart Gibbs is the 6th book in the Funjungle novel series, but it can be read as a stand-alone.
Teddy Fitzroy is a pretty average 12 year old guy–except for the fact that he lives in a Zoo/Amusement Park that his parents work at, and he solves mysteries that pop up around the park. The latest problem? A T-Rex skull on his buddy Sage’s ranch has disappeared, and his girlfriend’s father (and owner of Funjungle) is a suspect. Oh, and the local bullies have managed to buy an illegal anaconda. And alligator. Where are these black market reptiles coming from? It’s up to Teddy to figure out what really happened to the T-Rex skull and catch an illegal animal dealer in the act. What could possibly go wrong?
Stuart Gibbs has found an ingenious way to teach readers about serious topics like the illegal animal trade and the ethics involved in dino-digs in this book. His entire Funjungle series deals with being environmentally aware, but it doesn’t feel like a lecture. The humor and mystery elements are well done and keep the informational pieces . My only hard thing to swallow is that Teddy and his friends feel older than 12 in their interactions–but that’s a minor thing. I recommend this book for readers especially between 5th-8th grade, but if you have an advanced 3rd grade reader, it’s appropriate for them too, as long as they can handle some hand holding and a kiss on the cheek. Enjoy reading this one. I was laughing out loud at the anaconda in the truck scene. I think you will too.