Snoop

Gr 4-7–Korman’s latest delivers a Rear Window premise for the middle grade set, complete with exotic animals, amateur sleuthing, and a screen-addicted protagonist stuck at home. After a ski accident leaves 12-year-old Carter Peregrine with two broken legs, he discovers he can access public surveillance cameras around his small town...and then goes a step further. What begins as boredom-fueled snooping escalates into a full-blown investigation involving cryptic vans, a red panda, and a suspected animal-smuggling ring. The plot moves at Korman’s trademark, brisk pace, building to a suspenseful climax involving a high-speed wheelchair chase and a loose snow leopard. Carter’s voice is believably tween, and the relationship with his guilt-ridden younger brother, Martin, adds warmth and humor. While the mystery is engaging and the stakes feel real, Carter’s moral reasoning remains murky; his passionate defense of endangered animals is never balanced against the ethical implications of tapping into private camera feeds. His uncritical infatuation with classmate Lacey also feels strained. The supporting cast, while serviceable, lacks depth and appears to default to white, with little cultural specificity. Though the character development doesn’t reach the depth of Ungifted or Schooled, fans of Korman’s accessible, fast-moving stories will find plenty to enjoy.