Belly Up & Poached by Stuart Gibbs

If you are looking for a fun kids mystery to drive away the winter blues, look no further. Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs is a middle grade romp set against the backdrop of FunJungle, a brand new mega zoo in Texas. When Henry the Hippo, the beloved mascot of FunJungle, turns up dead, 12 year-old Teddy Fitzroy suspects foul play. He soon discovers Henry was not as popular with some of the zoo staff as he was with the adoring public. Teddy's search for clues takes readers behind the scenes at the zoo, into exhibits and sometimes into danger. As his suspect list grows, it seems like the only people he can really trust are his parents, who support him and believe him, even when other adults dismiss him as just a kid. Help from a new friend and an apparent betrayal leads to a chaotic but satisfying conclusion. Can you figure out whodunit before Teddy?

Poached, a sequel to be released in April, finds Teddy starting the school year as the new kid, with few friends and a knack for getting into trouble. Getting on the wrong side of the school bully seems bad  but when the newest animal to FunJungle is koala-napped, Teddy finds himself in real trouble as all the evidence points to him. He'll need all the help he can get from his friends and parents if he is going to clear his name and catch the real criminal. These mysteries are as funny as they are full of interesting facts about animals and zoos.