I loved the premise of this book - 5 kids from different social groups who get accidentally/magically turned into animals while on a field trip and have to work together to not only survive but also to figure a way out of their situation and to become human again.

There were lots of twists and turns in the story and some good discussions could be had based on this book about persevere, trust, teamwork, compassion, and that people may not be what they first seem.

I think this book may be an enjoyable read for my upper elementary school students, though I personally found the pacing a bit slow. I would still recommend it to a student looking for a relatively low stress sci-fi adventure story.

"With only three hours left as a human being, I forgot my allergy meds."

This first line will definitely come out as one of the most awesome attention-grabbing first lines I've seen recently!

A group of sixth-graders from New York City, while on a class excursion at the Central Park, encounters a strange artifact that turns them into animals. A rat, a raccoon, a hawk, a water bug, and a parrot instead of human beings, the kids now have to find a way back to their humanity, while experiencing first-hand all the dangers of the life as urban wildlife, both from people and from predators considering them prey.

It is a fun fast-paced magical adventure without exploration of any deeper themes beyond the sheer excitement of narrow escapes though. One could expect at least that this team adventure would become a humbling experience and a point of personal growth for kids whose attitudes are clearly showed as lacking in empathy and interpersonal skills at the beginning. But perhaps a character cannot grow too much within a story that is evidently only the first in a series - what would be left for them to do in the next ones?

I got a free eARC of this title through NetGalley; the review above is my honest independent opinion of it (by someone well out of the target age group).