Zack Files 01: Great-Grandpa's in the Litter Box

I've been looking for a while for a nice long series of books that my 7 year old really liked. I wanted to read to him each night, and perhaps even tempt him to read to himself when I made myself too busy! He has an interest as many kids do in the supernatural, but I didn't want anything too extreme in this direction. The Zack Files are perfect! To start with, they are hilarious, especially for kids, but somewhat to me also. They are clearly written, fast moving, not lots of description, and have great plots. This first entry is about Zack adopting a cat that turns out to be a reincarnated relative of his. My son especially loved the fact that characters, including the cat, show up over and over in later books. You could probably jump into this series at any point, but I would start here---it's one of the strongest titles and a lot of fun to read!

The Zack Files: Great Grandpa Julius Is in The Litter Box A review by: Lauren Richardson age, 8 This book is about a boy named Zack. Zack goes to the shelter for a cat. He comes back with a talking cat that say's he's Zack's great-grandpa Julius. Great Grandpa Julius the talking cat told cat lies can Zack trust him? If you like books that have people in their fictional lives, Zack Files are good books for you! I liked this book because I really like fiction. I like the T.V. show too on HBO. I give it 10 stars This is the first book and the greatest in the Zack Files series. My favorite part was the shelter. It was funny and easy to read. I recommend this book to 2nd graders and up.

For three years, I've tried to interest my now eight-year-old in reading. This series is the first he has wanted to read. He finishes one Zack Files story and immediately wants the next book. The children in his class at school are asking my son to donate the books so that they can read the series too. The titles are catchy -- pulling the children into reading! In this story, Zack starts out to adopt a kitten and ends up with a very, very old cat. The author introduces the word reincarnation and repeats it throughout the story, so that the child can learn a new concept and understand it. New words are cleverly defined. Ah! A talking cat, imagine that, but read to find out what the cat has at the bank... This story includes the words cigar and schnapps, which may be for the adult reader and ignored by children. These books are perfect for book reports because the action is fast, funny and happens in each chapter. The books are illustrated, short (50-60 pages) and complicated enough so that they hold adult interest. Read them too, so you can talk with your child after they read them silently. Dan Greenburg has a wonderful imagination, so you never know what Zack will do next. Also, the author doesn't use a lot of extra words, so the books are true page turners. Zack's parents are divorced. It isn't discussed, but presented as a fact. You don't have to read these books in order, but you should encourage it because after your child works their way through these stories they will have read 26+ books. What an accomplishment! Our local elementary school rates this series 2.2 - 3.0 grade reading level.

I have a little trouble with the idea that the reading level is 9-12. I really enjoy it still and I'm 50. I read it aloud to my dad and he's over 80... How I came across this. My daughter was a non-reader. I am a voracious reader. I used to think that if you could find the right books you could turn anyone into a reader. Maybe this is true if you count Manga as reading. I'm not sure that I do. My daughter started the fifth reading at a third grade level and this is one of the series I discovered while trying to find things that she could read and wouldn't find boring. The series was up to about 12 books when we stopped buying it, year-round school and a desire to read the first Harry Potter came along that year and ended the inability to read, even if the desire isn't all I would have wanted. I read all of these that we bought, and enjoyed them for the characters and the stories.

"Great-Grandpa's in the Litter Box," by Dan Greenburg, is #1 in the "Zack Files" series of short novels for young readers. The book is illustrated by Jack E. Davis. In this installment, young Zack goes to an animal shelter with the intention of adopting a cat. What he discovers is an ornery talking tomcat who claims to be the reincarnation of Zack's great-grandfather! This revelation leads Zack on a curious quest that involves two more generations of the family."Great-Grandpa's" is a fun blend of humor, intrigue, and the paranormal. The herring-craving Great-Grandpa is definitely one of the series' memorable guest characters. Overall, a solid installment in a consistently entertaining series.