As an author and zoologist, Jess Keating has tickled a shark, lost a staring contest against an octopus, and been a victim to the dreaded paper cut. She lives in Ontario, Canada, where she spends most of her time writing books for adventurous and funny kids. Her first fiction novel How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied received a Starred Review from Kirkus and has been nominated for a Red Maple award. Visit her online at jesskeating.com.
"A wild romp, filled with humor and heart." - Lisa Schroeder, author of It's Raining Cupcakes and the Charmed Life series "As if junior high isn't enough of a zoo, Jess Keating's debut... [is] a menagerie of laugh-out-loud antics and relatable tween woes." - Anna Staniszewski, author of The Dirt Diary "This debut novel deals with the hardships of junior high in a funny and zany, yet thoughtful, manner. True animal facts that are interspersed throughout the story add wit and provide the reader with some new information. This novel is a must-have for any classroom and library...highly recommended." - Library Media Connection "A zoologist, an educator, and an author, Jess Keating wrote the perfect book for students: a middle grade guide for navigating a zoo- I mean, middle school... My Life is a Zoo series speaks to tweens" - About.com "A clever and humorous middle grade book filled with middle school angst and lots of interesting creature information." - Examiner.com "Debut author Keating delivers a fun-filled, pitch-perfect book...Humor, poignancy and fascinating zoological facts infuse the narrative with a warm conversational tone...An amusing, highly readable book about the perils of being 12 in a snake-eat-snake world. (Starred)" - Kirkus Reviews "Ana's relationships with her parents and grandfather are a perfect blend of respect and frustration, while her lack of self-confidence will resonate with readers... Recommended for fans of Coco Simon's 'Cupcake Diaries' and Stuart Gibbs's 'FunJungle" series."" - School Library Journal "An absolutely perfect summer read." - Girls' Life Magazine.com " Keating, a zoologist, enriches her debut novel with fascinating animal facts, awkward moments with a variety of wild species, and "creature files" Ana uses to amusingly classify her peers." - Publishers Weekly "Life is literally a zoo for shy 12-year-old Anna, who is trying to avoid seventh-grade bullies while hiding that her family lives among crocodiles and elephants." - Los Angeles Times "A pleasant, upbeat story and a likable protagonist with whom most readers will empathize. Humorous and honest, this will please a wide audience." - Booklist "A little bit of romance, a little bit of well deserved revenge, and a whole lot of laughs, heart, spirit, and "I can SO relate" moments, fill the pages of How To Outrun A Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied. Readers young and old will go wild for this book and impatiently be awaiting its sequel. A definite MUST read!" - Word Spelunking
