Gerbils are front row center in Zapped, telling the charming story—with occasional human interruptions—of their quest to elevate their status in the rodent hierarchy. Sent on a rescue mission by the Elders, Sophie (the gerbil) is tasked with rescuing a gerbil appearing to send S.O.S. signals from a top-floor apartment window. While on the case with her partner, Ben, they learn that the apartment's human inhabitants have invented a shrinking machine called the Nanozap. Informed of this, the Elders of gerbils conclude they can finally become like mice, who in this universe enjoy clothes and furniture originally made by humans for dolls. Gerbils are too big for those, one of many injustices they note throughout this sprightly comic adventure: “There have been no gerbils in human literature—no gerbil Despereaux. No gerbil Stuart Little. No Gerbil Nutkin.”

Zapped is a fast paced and highly imaginative story shining a spotlight on the secret life of pets. From hostile rodent takeovers to the gerbil’s fascinating hierarchy—“We have a sort of rule that says no gerbil is more important than any other gerbil”—Breitrose creates a surprising, funny world, while touching on classic middle grade themes about being accepted for who you are and finding your place in the world.

For all the hilarity, including a wind-up mouse and a gerbil named Einstein, passages from the perspective of Joe, a human boy who thinks of himself not as an “alpha dog” but a “kappa,” are touching. He faces relatable real-world concerns like his lack of confidence at Little League, even as he conceives of surprising plans for the Nanozap, a device whose use comes with clever onomatopoeia. This blend of adventure, science-fiction, and talking-animal comedy (gerbils love polkas!) that will appeal to young readers.

Takeaway: The funny, inventive story of gerbil society’s big plans for a shrinking machine.

Comparable Titles: Meghan Marentette’s The Stowaways, Ross Welford’s Time Traveling with a Hamster.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A