Zombie Zoo: Adventures in Tub by Melanie Abed #bookreview #middlegrade #giveaway #rabtbooktours @Melanie_Abed @RABTBookTours

 

Adventures in Tub (Felix & Ninja, Book 1)

Upper Middle Grade

Date Published: 09-15-2026

Publisher: Oculus Print

Two orphan loners. One supernatural plague. When wood-eating zombies threaten their island, mismatched investigators Felix and Ninja must combine science and instinct to save Spinachi-before they're next.

ZOMBIE ZOO is Book 1 in a five-book middle grade adventure series for readers ages 8-13, blending paranormal mystery, zombies, unlikely friendship, and STEAM-powered problem-solving.

When 13-year-old aspiring naturalist Felix Fizzystyxx discovers that orphans at Wayward Amok Orphanage are transforming into wood-eating zombies, his quiet tree-fort observations are no longer enough. Someone has deliberately unleashed a strange plague on Tub's island town of Spinachi-and they're still out there.

To find a cure, Felix must team up with Ninja, a shadow-dwelling orphan who trusts her instincts and never backs down. Intense and razor-sharp, she notices what others overlook and lives up to her name as the island's most mysterious sleuth. With their eccentric mentor Doc Brunne compromised and the town's water supply contaminated by a glowing bioluminescent substance, the two mismatched investigators must combine scientific observation with sharp intuition to stop the outbreak before their island home is devoured.

Set on the fictional island of Tub, this fast-paced, humorous adventure naturally weaves in STEAM concepts-biology, chemistry, bioluminescence, water systems, pattern recognition, and the scientific method-within an age-appropriate supernatural mystery. Themes include unlikely friendship, identity, trust across differences, courage, and finding your voice when adults won't listen.

Featuring diverse protagonists, quirky humor, spooky-but-fun scares, and strong female and male leads. ZOMBIE ZOO is ideal for reluctant readers and fans of Max Brallier's The Last Kids on Earth, B.B. Alston's Amari and the Night Brothers, and Goosebumps. Comprehensive educator resources-including discussion guides, vocabulary lists, STEAM extension activities, and printable maps-support classroom use, library programming, book clubs, and make this title ideal for cross-curricular lessons bridging ELA, STEAM, and SEL.

 

Review

What happens when two very different young investigators have to work together to stop a supernatural outbreak? You get an imaginative and fast-moving adventure in Zombie Zoo: Adventures in Tub.

Felix immediately stood out to me as a character because of his interest in nature and his tendency to observe the world around him. Ninja brings an entirely different energy to the investigation. She is sharp, determined, and willing to follow a hunch when the evidence isn't obvious. Watching these two learn to rely on each other is one of the strongest parts of the story.

The island setting adds to the sense of mystery, while the strange plague and contaminated water supply provide plenty of questions to keep the investigation moving. I especially liked the way the story incorporates STEAM ideas into the plot. Readers get exposure to scientific concepts while following an actual mystery, making the educational elements feel like part of the adventure.

About the Author

Melanie Abed is a behavioral expert turned story weaver. She believes dragons are real but hiding, and finds thunderstorms equally delightful and terrifying. A tea-loving bookworm, she champions young minds and writes to help kids discover their superpowers are real.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Pinterest

Instagram: @byMelanieAbed

Purchase Links

https://mybook.to/ZombieZoo

Amazon

B&N

Walmart