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Snoop
From Gordon Korman, the bestselling author of Restart, the story of a boy who's stuck at home with two broken legs... and who starts using cameras and a drone to spy on his classmates, neighbors, and a possible criminal who's come to town.
If Carter hadn't been checking his phone, he might have seen his brother coming down the ski slopes in his direction. And if Carter had seen his brother in time and avoided the crash, he might not have two broken legs right now.
Oops.
Now Carter is stuck at home for weeks, with both his legs in casts. Bored, he starts checking out the live feeds from police cams around his town. Before he knows it, he's obsessed -- watching his classmates when they don't know he's looking, and discovering some other VERY STRANGE things going on that no one else is noticing.
But what happens when Carter is found out... and the people he's watching know where he lives?
If Carter hadn't been checking his phone, he might have seen his brother coming down the ski slopes in his direction. And if Carter had seen his brother in time and avoided the crash, he might not have two broken legs right now.
Oops.
Now Carter is stuck at home for weeks, with both his legs in casts. Bored, he starts checking out the live feeds from police cams around his town. Before he knows it, he's obsessed -- watching his classmates when they don't know he's looking, and discovering some other VERY STRANGE things going on that no one else is noticing.
But what happens when Carter is found out... and the people he's watching know where he lives?
208 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2025
143 people are currently reading
4523 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Korman
204 books4,287 followersGordon Korman is a Canadian author of children's and young adult fiction books. Korman's books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide over a career spanning four decades and have appeared at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
July 20, 2025
✰ 4.25 stars ✰
I don't know what it is about Gordon Korman, but… I love him. 💕 I love his flair for humor, his understanding of children's thoughts and emotions, and his ability to create believable enough scenarios that touch upon important social and cultural themes that feel both relatable and relevant. 🙂↕️
It's probably why I go a bit batty to get my hands on his latest works! 😂
He gets what it means to be a kid no matter the time, and there's nothing else kids these days care more about is their phones. take that away and it's defcon or the dark ages. 📵 Cue the emotional blackmail and hysteria of being devoid of their connection to the outside world, because you never can know what must-see video you'll miss out on if you're not online at the moment it's live. Seriously, you'd think it's the end of the world. 😆
For if twelve-year-old Carter hadn't been glued to his phone, aimlessly browsing his limitless supply and continuously updated feed of games and websites and apps, then, maybe he could have steered clear and avoided his eight-year-old brother Martin from crashing into him, and ending up with two broken legs. 😬 Clearly, going out is out of the question, and the phone. Well, he can forget it. 🙅🏻♀️
“She takes my phone right out of my hand and powers it down. Only a truly heartless person could do such a thing. It hasn’t been off since it was brand-new!”
It’s amazing what other digital enterprises can be available at your fingertips: local police live feeds? Who knew? I didn't!!! 😯 (No, but seriously, is it safe for the U.S. to have their public cameras so easily accessed? Even if it’s meant to prevent crime or What if someone tampers with it???? ) and it's amazing what goes one when people don't think anyone's looking - other than Carter that is. 👁️🗨️
When his casual curiosity into taking a vested interest in who the girl of his dreams is spending time with while he's bedridden for the foreseeable future (a couple of months), it also has his investigative eye taking on a more treacherous approach that may deal with illicit activities happening right around the corner, it might not be such a bad thing to be a Snoop. Or at the very least take a break from your phone every once and awhile. 👀👀
“Videos are awesome, but they’re make-believe. The cameras out there are the real thing!”
I had a really fun time with this. I think it had to do with the fact that a) it was only told through the eyes of one character, our intrepid yet heart in the right place as the protagonist, who’s feeling the burn of The Great Disconnect—Day One. 😱 As well as Carter's agony (sounds so cruel, but it added to the humor! 😆) at trying in vain to keep his friendships intact, keep his presence still known in the social school circle (out of sight, out of mind), whilst also suffering at the hands of Zoom meeting, that whilst he enjoys the liberties of multi-tasking, it's also a reminder of just how much time school would consume his everyday life. 🥺
If it wasn't his banter with his best friend forever, Ethan that had me grinning like an idiot, it was how he never failed to make his younger brother feel guilty for what had happened - it’s kind of the gift that keeps on giving. It humorously captured such a loving brotherly bond, that was further strengthened when Martin so graciously offered him his own iPad which their mom confiscated Carter's phone again when he'd maybe bitten off more than he could chew. 🙂↕️
Bless Martin's heart at that scene. I think I shed a tear. 🥹🫂
“You wouldn’t believe what goes on in other people’s lives. It’s just that most of the time, we’re too preoccupied with our own stuff to notice it.”
There's not much I can share about the mystery, but it was a solid, interesting one that steadily and believably picked up, with enough surprises to entertain and amuse. 👍🏻 How addictive it became for Carter to delve deeper into the darker side, the efforts he took to get the truth across, how he stumbled and fumbled his way through his subterfuge challenges, his tsunami of blunders, and his muddled and grumbles of trying to do the right thing - when he's perhaps cried wolf, maybe a little too many times to being taken seriously. 🥲
To me, this was quintessential Gordon Korman. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 The author who captured my heart as a teen, and even now knew how to sell on the subtle humor. never overdone, never over the top, just seamlessly landing banger after banger. 💯 Carter's woebegone despair, the panicked way he tackled his foes, his attitude, his voice was just so candid and laughable - not quite at his expense, but the delivery of the jokes. Pure joy of chuckles and laughs, for how seamlessly each landed - very difficult to wipe off the smile from my face. 😁
“That’s how snooping gets to you. It’s all out there, waiting for you—everything under the sun. Everything except the secret of how to quit.”
The irony over Carter's plight is also a well-intended and meaningful one. amidst the troubles he encountered and the lives he saved, he also came to appreciate the things he didn't quite appreciate enough whilst trying to emulate the chop or making sure he's streamed all gazillion videos aired. it's to go out and live life! 🌳🛹 Breathe the fresh air and be more interactive in the real world. Learning to consume digital content in moderation, while taking note of the things we take for granted every day is the balance we all should hope to achieve. just not the way Carter did, of course. 😌
“Something is going on in this town. And I refuse to stop until I get to the bottom off it.”
I don't know what it is about Gordon Korman, but… I love him. 💕 I love his flair for humor, his understanding of children's thoughts and emotions, and his ability to create believable enough scenarios that touch upon important social and cultural themes that feel both relatable and relevant. 🙂↕️
It's probably why I go a bit batty to get my hands on his latest works! 😂
He gets what it means to be a kid no matter the time, and there's nothing else kids these days care more about is their phones. take that away and it's defcon or the dark ages. 📵 Cue the emotional blackmail and hysteria of being devoid of their connection to the outside world, because you never can know what must-see video you'll miss out on if you're not online at the moment it's live. Seriously, you'd think it's the end of the world. 😆
For if twelve-year-old Carter hadn't been glued to his phone, aimlessly browsing his limitless supply and continuously updated feed of games and websites and apps, then, maybe he could have steered clear and avoided his eight-year-old brother Martin from crashing into him, and ending up with two broken legs. 😬 Clearly, going out is out of the question, and the phone. Well, he can forget it. 🙅🏻♀️
“She takes my phone right out of my hand and powers it down. Only a truly heartless person could do such a thing. It hasn’t been off since it was brand-new!”
It’s amazing what other digital enterprises can be available at your fingertips: local police live feeds? Who knew? I didn't!!! 😯 (No, but seriously, is it safe for the U.S. to have their public cameras so easily accessed? Even if it’s meant to prevent crime or What if someone tampers with it???? ) and it's amazing what goes one when people don't think anyone's looking - other than Carter that is. 👁️🗨️
When his casual curiosity into taking a vested interest in who the girl of his dreams is spending time with while he's bedridden for the foreseeable future (a couple of months), it also has his investigative eye taking on a more treacherous approach that may deal with illicit activities happening right around the corner, it might not be such a bad thing to be a Snoop. Or at the very least take a break from your phone every once and awhile. 👀👀
“Videos are awesome, but they’re make-believe. The cameras out there are the real thing!”
I had a really fun time with this. I think it had to do with the fact that a) it was only told through the eyes of one character, our intrepid yet heart in the right place as the protagonist, who’s feeling the burn of The Great Disconnect—Day One. 😱 As well as Carter's agony (sounds so cruel, but it added to the humor! 😆) at trying in vain to keep his friendships intact, keep his presence still known in the social school circle (out of sight, out of mind), whilst also suffering at the hands of Zoom meeting, that whilst he enjoys the liberties of multi-tasking, it's also a reminder of just how much time school would consume his everyday life. 🥺
If it wasn't his banter with his best friend forever, Ethan that had me grinning like an idiot, it was how he never failed to make his younger brother feel guilty for what had happened - it’s kind of the gift that keeps on giving. It humorously captured such a loving brotherly bond, that was further strengthened when Martin so graciously offered him his own iPad which their mom confiscated Carter's phone again when he'd maybe bitten off more than he could chew. 🙂↕️
Bless Martin's heart at that scene. I think I shed a tear. 🥹🫂
“You wouldn’t believe what goes on in other people’s lives. It’s just that most of the time, we’re too preoccupied with our own stuff to notice it.”
There's not much I can share about the mystery, but it was a solid, interesting one that steadily and believably picked up, with enough surprises to entertain and amuse. 👍🏻 How addictive it became for Carter to delve deeper into the darker side, the efforts he took to get the truth across, how he stumbled and fumbled his way through his subterfuge challenges, his tsunami of blunders, and his muddled and grumbles of trying to do the right thing - when he's perhaps cried wolf, maybe a little too many times to being taken seriously. 🥲
To me, this was quintessential Gordon Korman. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 The author who captured my heart as a teen, and even now knew how to sell on the subtle humor. never overdone, never over the top, just seamlessly landing banger after banger. 💯 Carter's woebegone despair, the panicked way he tackled his foes, his attitude, his voice was just so candid and laughable - not quite at his expense, but the delivery of the jokes. Pure joy of chuckles and laughs, for how seamlessly each landed - very difficult to wipe off the smile from my face. 😁
“That’s how snooping gets to you. It’s all out there, waiting for you—everything under the sun. Everything except the secret of how to quit.”
The irony over Carter's plight is also a well-intended and meaningful one. amidst the troubles he encountered and the lives he saved, he also came to appreciate the things he didn't quite appreciate enough whilst trying to emulate the chop or making sure he's streamed all gazillion videos aired. it's to go out and live life! 🌳🛹 Breathe the fresh air and be more interactive in the real world. Learning to consume digital content in moderation, while taking note of the things we take for granted every day is the balance we all should hope to achieve. just not the way Carter did, of course. 😌
March 19, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Carter is on a ski trip to Colorado with his father and younger brother Martin, but is really more interested in watching the viral "Chattanooga Chop" videos on his phone than in experiencing the great outdoors. When his father leaves him watching Martin on the bunny slope while he tackles a harder run, Carter is so absorbed in his phone that he doesn't see Martin barreling right towards him. The resultant collision leaves Carter with two broken legs! Back home with his mother, who has custody of the boys since the parents are divorced, Carter has to attend Zoom school, but has little else that he is able to do, since even getting in and out of bed in the morning is a struggle. He turns to his favorite pasttime, screens, and becomes entranced by the video surveillance cameras up around town. At first, he uses them primarily to spy on his crush, Lacey, and her boyfriend, unpleasant popular kid Maddox, who has a group that does pranks around town, Chairmen of the Bored. Carter's friend Ethan occasionally visits, and the two even figure out how to break into the closed circuit cameras in the frozen yogurt shop that Lacey and Maddox visit. The more he watches, though, the more things stand out to Carter as troublesome. A man who seems to be casing a local art store where Carter's mother has a print for sale. (She works in photography, taking pictures of construction sites, often using drones.) A pregnant mother in the park struggles with her toddler every day. There's a suspicious red Maserati parked in the same place every day. And strangest of all, Carter keeps seeing red pandas, bonobos, and other unusual and endangered animals around town. What's with the Zipy Delivery Vans always around town? And the smell in the abandoned courthouse slated to be demolished? This makes him very distracted in school, although he does notice that his teacher, Mr. Grimes, doesn't seem to be doing well. Carter calls the police several times, but is eventually told to stop wasting their time. When Carter finally pieces everything together (and saves some classmated from an errant snow leopard!), will he be able to convince the police to help?
While this was an excellent mystery with fun and unusual elements, what I really liked about this book was Carter's screen addiction. Korman has addressed this before in books like Unplugged (2021) and Slacker (2016), but I loved how integral Carter's struggles were to his life. Screens caused his accident, made it hard to focus in school, and sent him down a weird yet ultimately productive rabbit hole. I don't want to spoil too much of the mystery! Carter knows he has a problem, which is more than some of my students, but still can't seem to tear himself away. He does manage to turn down Martin's kind offer of his iPad mini when Carter's mother takes away all his screens, which was encouraging and realistic.
The other great inclusion was Carter's crush on Lacey, and his antithetical relationship with Maddox and the Chairmen of the Bored that causes the entire class, including his best friend Ethan, to avoid him. Middle school relationships can be a very delicate balance. I also enjoyed Carter's family relationships. His father doesn't live nearby, and his mother is very busy with her work. Carter borrows her drone for his surveillance, and is worried about damaging it... which doesn't stop him. He even has a good relationship with Martin, even though it has rocky moments. I'd love to see more sibling relationships in middle grade literature.
Korman does a great job of putting a fresh spin on everyday middle grade experiences with heart and humor. It's also hard to suggest read alikes for Korman; maybe Singleton's The Curious Cat Spy Club, Kittscher's The Wig in the Window or Fitzhugh's Harriet the Spy, if anyone still reads that title (which is as old as I am!). Of course, there's always another answer... just read more Korman!
Carter is on a ski trip to Colorado with his father and younger brother Martin, but is really more interested in watching the viral "Chattanooga Chop" videos on his phone than in experiencing the great outdoors. When his father leaves him watching Martin on the bunny slope while he tackles a harder run, Carter is so absorbed in his phone that he doesn't see Martin barreling right towards him. The resultant collision leaves Carter with two broken legs! Back home with his mother, who has custody of the boys since the parents are divorced, Carter has to attend Zoom school, but has little else that he is able to do, since even getting in and out of bed in the morning is a struggle. He turns to his favorite pasttime, screens, and becomes entranced by the video surveillance cameras up around town. At first, he uses them primarily to spy on his crush, Lacey, and her boyfriend, unpleasant popular kid Maddox, who has a group that does pranks around town, Chairmen of the Bored. Carter's friend Ethan occasionally visits, and the two even figure out how to break into the closed circuit cameras in the frozen yogurt shop that Lacey and Maddox visit. The more he watches, though, the more things stand out to Carter as troublesome. A man who seems to be casing a local art store where Carter's mother has a print for sale. (She works in photography, taking pictures of construction sites, often using drones.) A pregnant mother in the park struggles with her toddler every day. There's a suspicious red Maserati parked in the same place every day. And strangest of all, Carter keeps seeing red pandas, bonobos, and other unusual and endangered animals around town. What's with the Zipy Delivery Vans always around town? And the smell in the abandoned courthouse slated to be demolished? This makes him very distracted in school, although he does notice that his teacher, Mr. Grimes, doesn't seem to be doing well. Carter calls the police several times, but is eventually told to stop wasting their time. When Carter finally pieces everything together (and saves some classmated from an errant snow leopard!), will he be able to convince the police to help?
While this was an excellent mystery with fun and unusual elements, what I really liked about this book was Carter's screen addiction. Korman has addressed this before in books like Unplugged (2021) and Slacker (2016), but I loved how integral Carter's struggles were to his life. Screens caused his accident, made it hard to focus in school, and sent him down a weird yet ultimately productive rabbit hole. I don't want to spoil too much of the mystery! Carter knows he has a problem, which is more than some of my students, but still can't seem to tear himself away. He does manage to turn down Martin's kind offer of his iPad mini when Carter's mother takes away all his screens, which was encouraging and realistic.
The other great inclusion was Carter's crush on Lacey, and his antithetical relationship with Maddox and the Chairmen of the Bored that causes the entire class, including his best friend Ethan, to avoid him. Middle school relationships can be a very delicate balance. I also enjoyed Carter's family relationships. His father doesn't live nearby, and his mother is very busy with her work. Carter borrows her drone for his surveillance, and is worried about damaging it... which doesn't stop him. He even has a good relationship with Martin, even though it has rocky moments. I'd love to see more sibling relationships in middle grade literature.
Korman does a great job of putting a fresh spin on everyday middle grade experiences with heart and humor. It's also hard to suggest read alikes for Korman; maybe Singleton's The Curious Cat Spy Club, Kittscher's The Wig in the Window or Fitzhugh's Harriet the Spy, if anyone still reads that title (which is as old as I am!). Of course, there's always another answer... just read more Korman!
September 7, 2025
Even after 105 books, Gordon Korman (Linked, Restart, Old School, Slugfest, Faker and so, so many more) keeps creating interesting scenarios that kids find relatable, entertaining and thought-provoking.
After being glued to his phone screen results in two broken legs, being forced to relocate to the ground floor of his home and attend school via Zoom, some would think that the glowing glass of a phone, ipad, or computer might lose a bit of its appeal. Not for Carter Peregrine, on the contrary, he finds a new compulsion on his devices-all the public access security cameras placed around town. Watching his neighbors go about their daily lives, oblivious to the fact that anyone can go online, click on the live action cameras and see what they are up to. But really what ARE they up to? Carter begins to notice odd things happening and as one would expect from a middle grade novel from the king of twists author, not everything is as it seems.
Readers will be hooked as Carter tries to figure out if his crush is really going with his arch-nemesis, tries to thwart a robbery, learns way too much about a food war happening nearby and more. Certainly someone from the cast of characters will connect with each of them-There’s the popular Lacey, the class clown/meanie Maddox, faithful friend Ethan, warm and concerned Mr. Grimes who may not be as wonderful as he appears and others.
Terrific book for readers in grades 4-8 with no profanity, sexual content or significant violence. Difficult to determine race of main characters due to lack of physical descriptions and none pictured on the cover, but personalities are well-developed and will have universal appeal. Added tidbit—Several endangered species keep popping up in Carter’s online snooping providing a bit of education about various animals.
Thanks for the e-ARC, Edelweiss.
After being glued to his phone screen results in two broken legs, being forced to relocate to the ground floor of his home and attend school via Zoom, some would think that the glowing glass of a phone, ipad, or computer might lose a bit of its appeal. Not for Carter Peregrine, on the contrary, he finds a new compulsion on his devices-all the public access security cameras placed around town. Watching his neighbors go about their daily lives, oblivious to the fact that anyone can go online, click on the live action cameras and see what they are up to. But really what ARE they up to? Carter begins to notice odd things happening and as one would expect from a middle grade novel from the king of twists author, not everything is as it seems.
Readers will be hooked as Carter tries to figure out if his crush is really going with his arch-nemesis, tries to thwart a robbery, learns way too much about a food war happening nearby and more. Certainly someone from the cast of characters will connect with each of them-There’s the popular Lacey, the class clown/meanie Maddox, faithful friend Ethan, warm and concerned Mr. Grimes who may not be as wonderful as he appears and others.
Terrific book for readers in grades 4-8 with no profanity, sexual content or significant violence. Difficult to determine race of main characters due to lack of physical descriptions and none pictured on the cover, but personalities are well-developed and will have universal appeal. Added tidbit—Several endangered species keep popping up in Carter’s online snooping providing a bit of education about various animals.
Thanks for the e-ARC, Edelweiss.
August 8, 2025
Snoop by Gordon Korman (2025)
4h 52m narrated by Matt Godfrey, 208 pages
Genre: Middle Grade, School Story
Featuring: Screen Time, Sterling, Charlotte, North Carolina; Colorado, Siblings, Family Dynamics, Divorced Kids, Temporarily Disabled, Surveillance, Zoom, Crime, Distance Learning, 7th Graders, Ostracized, Community Happenings
Rating as a movie: PG
Books and Authors mentioned: Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⛷️🤳🏼👨🦽👨💻🦥🚁
My thoughts: 📱67% 3:16:10 Chapter 20 - I swear these kids get on my nerves the way they have no accountability. Anyway, we are enjoying this one. I wasn't surprised by the twist and I'm starting to see a pattern, but I'm not mad about it.
We finished! My son thought it was okay, which means he liked it. For me, it was very predictable, particularly the second half, but although I enjoyed the story I was very frustrated because I get annoyed when characters do not call the police or share information I don't care what the reason is. And I get that most books would be over in 10 minutes if people did that but still it just annoys me to no end. I feel frustration instead of suspense.
Recommend to others: Yes, especially if you're under 14. I think this story would make a great road trip family read for all ages.
4h 52m narrated by Matt Godfrey, 208 pages
Genre: Middle Grade, School Story
Featuring: Screen Time, Sterling, Charlotte, North Carolina; Colorado, Siblings, Family Dynamics, Divorced Kids, Temporarily Disabled, Surveillance, Zoom, Crime, Distance Learning, 7th Graders, Ostracized, Community Happenings
Rating as a movie: PG
Books and Authors mentioned: Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⛷️🤳🏼👨🦽👨💻🦥🚁
My thoughts: 📱67% 3:16:10 Chapter 20 - I swear these kids get on my nerves the way they have no accountability. Anyway, we are enjoying this one. I wasn't surprised by the twist and I'm starting to see a pattern, but I'm not mad about it.
We finished! My son thought it was okay, which means he liked it. For me, it was very predictable, particularly the second half, but although I enjoyed the story I was very frustrated because I get annoyed when characters do not call the police or share information I don't care what the reason is. And I get that most books would be over in 10 minutes if people did that but still it just annoys me to no end. I feel frustration instead of suspense.
Recommend to others: Yes, especially if you're under 14. I think this story would make a great road trip family read for all ages.
Read
January 26, 2025Rear Window, but make it a silly MG book.
👀
Carter is obsessed with his phone, constantly on various apps & games. When his distraction causes his younger brother to ski right into him, breaking both his legs, Carter is forced to be homebound, attending school via Zoom. Bored out of his mind, Carter starts snooping on the local police camera feed to spy on his crush and arch nemesis as they start dating. This leads to Carter noticing some very strange things happening around town. No one believes him, but he’s out to prove he’s right.
🤳
Korman is hit or miss for me. I absolutely adored Restart and Linked, but other times he writes the silliest stories that don’t seem to have deeper meaning, which would be fine if I didn’t know what he is truly capable of. This one was a swing and a miss for me. Out July 1.
CW: accident, hospitalization, medical content, infidelity
👀
Carter is obsessed with his phone, constantly on various apps & games. When his distraction causes his younger brother to ski right into him, breaking both his legs, Carter is forced to be homebound, attending school via Zoom. Bored out of his mind, Carter starts snooping on the local police camera feed to spy on his crush and arch nemesis as they start dating. This leads to Carter noticing some very strange things happening around town. No one believes him, but he’s out to prove he’s right.
🤳
Korman is hit or miss for me. I absolutely adored Restart and Linked, but other times he writes the silliest stories that don’t seem to have deeper meaning, which would be fine if I didn’t know what he is truly capable of. This one was a swing and a miss for me. Out July 1.
CW: accident, hospitalization, medical content, infidelity
July 18, 2025
Another great Gordon korman read. A screen-addicted kid breaks both his legs and is stuck at home in casts in a wheelchair with nothing but screens to entertain him.
But even that gets boring after a while and he turns to the towns security cameras to track the comings and goings of the town.
A little bit of snooping and a whole lot of mystery and secrets to uncover
But even that gets boring after a while and he turns to the towns security cameras to track the comings and goings of the town.
A little bit of snooping and a whole lot of mystery and secrets to uncover
August 14, 2025
It wasn't my favorite Korman but I will be book-talking it all year
March 12, 2025
Delightful! Gordon Korman books always are. I love that my students can see themselves and their classmates in the characters Korman writes. I love that there are always redeemable qualities in even the most antagonistic middle schoolers. This gem will most certainly be added to my classroom shelves.
August 17, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC.
This is the first time I've read a book by Gordon Korman, but it surely won't be the last. This will also be going on my order list for my school library.
Snoop tells the story of Carter, a boy who breaks both of his legs on a ski trip, and becomes obsessed with spying on his community via surveillance cameras, and eventually, his mom's drone.
The writing was top tier, and I loved how everything came full circle; including Carter realizing that his obsession with and addiction to screens went too far. Not only did it hurt him physically, but put his reputation in jeopardy, and became a social barrier.
This is the first time I've read a book by Gordon Korman, but it surely won't be the last. This will also be going on my order list for my school library.
Snoop tells the story of Carter, a boy who breaks both of his legs on a ski trip, and becomes obsessed with spying on his community via surveillance cameras, and eventually, his mom's drone.
The writing was top tier, and I loved how everything came full circle; including Carter realizing that his obsession with and addiction to screens went too far. Not only did it hurt him physically, but put his reputation in jeopardy, and became a social barrier.
August 23, 2025
Had this on in the car and my grandson asked me to keep it on. He enjoyed the narration and plot as much as me! First time grandson has had interest in an audiobook. Gordon Korean still knows how to hook new readers!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2025
While on a ski-trip with his father, Carter (13) has both his legs broken when his little brother slams into him. Maybe if Carter hadn't been obsessed with videos of a thew newwest dance craze the accident could have been avoided, but not back home in North Carolina, he's stuck in two casts, a wheel chair, and having to join school through Zoom. Bored out of his mind - and grounded from being able to use his phone, tablet, play video games, or use his computer oustide of school - Carter discovers he can access the police's local security cams on their website and with a little ingenuity, snoop through some other camera's as well. He sees odd things - like endangered species, such as a red panda, that have no place in his home town, a guy in his sports car just parking and staring all over town, and more. Things get to where they make even less sense as more endangered species start sparking on the cameras and that Lacey, his crush, is totally into obnoxious Maddox? Though the book has its funny moments and is filled with mystery and creative ways for Carter to try to figure things out, I couldn't get past being able to access police street views for free on their website. The middle school drama, even with Carter stucket at home, delves into first crushes, bullies, and friendships that are fracturing, but my disbelief for this book just wasn't strong enough.
August 8, 2025
Rear window with updated tech. Very Gordon Kormany fun.
August 1, 2025
Super fun story! Perfect for bookapalooza, but as a 6th grade option.
April 27, 2025
Carter is a bit screen obsessed. His dad tries to help break the habit by taking his brother and him on a ski trip to Colorado. While he is tasked to keep track of his brother, Dad goes on a harder run. Carter seizes his opportunity and starts watching on his smuggled phone. His unattended little brother comes careening down the bunny slope and Bam! Two broken legs for Carter.
This sets the stage for the rest of the book where Carter is stuck mostly at home in a wheel chair. He goes to school remotely, and he barely interacts with anyone in person. He discovers his town's public access to cameras and starts watching them instead of the videos he's been addicted to. He discovers a lot of interesting, some funny, and some shady happenings in his town.
I thought the premise of the story was fun. I love a Gordon Korman story normally, but this one fell a bit short for me. It was a stretch for me to believe some of the access Carter was able to gain, and without spoiling anything, the choices he made to pursue his continued snooping seemed more risky than necessary. I wouldn't discourage my students from reading this. Some who love technology will likely relate to Carter and really enjoy this story.
This sets the stage for the rest of the book where Carter is stuck mostly at home in a wheel chair. He goes to school remotely, and he barely interacts with anyone in person. He discovers his town's public access to cameras and starts watching them instead of the videos he's been addicted to. He discovers a lot of interesting, some funny, and some shady happenings in his town.
I thought the premise of the story was fun. I love a Gordon Korman story normally, but this one fell a bit short for me. It was a stretch for me to believe some of the access Carter was able to gain, and without spoiling anything, the choices he made to pursue his continued snooping seemed more risky than necessary. I wouldn't discourage my students from reading this. Some who love technology will likely relate to Carter and really enjoy this story.
April 3, 2025
ARC
Definitely enjoyed another Gordon Korman book! I wouldn’t recommend for younger readers. Lots of lying to parents and police officers. There’s no real consequence at the end of the book for this. The MC, Carter gets punished at first (losing all his screens) but continues to sneak around and lie about using other screens.
Overall the story was really good. Carter catches a ring of endangered animal smugglers in his tiny town. No one believes him since he’s lying about where/how he knows. I was not able to guess what would happen next, and was fully invested by the end of the book. Excited for this to be released soon!
Definitely enjoyed another Gordon Korman book! I wouldn’t recommend for younger readers. Lots of lying to parents and police officers. There’s no real consequence at the end of the book for this. The MC, Carter gets punished at first (losing all his screens) but continues to sneak around and lie about using other screens.
Overall the story was really good. Carter catches a ring of endangered animal smugglers in his tiny town. No one believes him since he’s lying about where/how he knows. I was not able to guess what would happen next, and was fully invested by the end of the book. Excited for this to be released soon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2025
I picked this up a few days after it released. But I had a really busy week at work and with the family. So I had to wait till late in the weekend to give it a read. I have to admit I sat for several hours and devoured the book in a single sitting, on a Sunday afternoon. I could just not put it down!
I absolutely love reading Gordon Korman books, either by myself or with one or more of my children. I have now read over 75 of his works. As I have stated in reviews of several of Korman’s books over the last few years: mid 2022, Korman published his 100th book. Yes you read that correctly, his hundredth book, as of the summer of 2025 he is up to 209 volumes in print. My introduction to Korman’s works was the 39 Clues back in 2009.
My son and I started reading Gordon Korman books together a few years ago, when he was given one as an end of year gift by his teacher. She gave the whole class the same Scholastic edition and wrote a note to each student in their copy of the book. Prior to that I had a read a few of his contributions to the 39 Clues series and had enjoyed them. Since they we have both been hooked. My son often reads these books to me or with me. I picked up this to read next because of it being the newest release.
The description of this volume states:
“If Carter hadn't been checking his phone, he might have seen his brother coming down the ski slopes in his direction. And if Carter had seen his brother in time and avoided the crash, he might not have two broken legs right now.
Oops.
Now Carter is stuck at home for weeks, with both his legs in casts. Bored, he starts checking out the live feeds from police cams around his town. Before he knows it, he's obsessed -- watching his classmates when they don't know he's looking, and discovering some other VERY STRANGE things going on that no one else is noticing.
But what happens when Carter is found out... and the people he's watching know where he lives?”
The about the author for this edition states:
“GORDON KORMAN wrote his first novel, This Can’t Be Happening at MacDonald Hall, when he was thirteen years old. Since then, he’s written over a hundred other books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Restart, the Sydney Taylor Honor Book Linked, Slacker, The Fort, and Mixed Up. He lives in Long Island with his family and can be found online at his website.”
I highlighted two passages in this book because both were very poignant, they are:
“It makes no sense. I was never the kind of person who checked the phone all night. But now just the fact that I can’t makes me want to. Oh, sure, probably no one is trying to reach me at three a.m. That’s beside the point. They can’t reach me even if they want to. I’m unreachable, offline. The vast electronic network that connects everybody on the planet is passing me by. It’s like I don’t even exist. I’m invisible.”
“For weeks, nobody sneezed around here without my saying “Gesundheit,” even if they couldn’t hear me. And yeah, I took it too far. I own that. There’s a point where snooping turns into spying—where a hobby becomes an obsession—and that’s not good. But it’s proof of how much information is out there if you’re willing to go find it. You just have to know where to draw the line.”
Oh my goodness, what an excellent read. We fallow Carter as he experiences two broken legs, then recovery at home living vicariously through screes. When he discovers the municipal cameras and then figures out how to exploit private cameras he starts spending a lot of time watching what is going on around town. AT first he is following a girl he likes and a guy he doesn’t, and soon he has nicknames for people he encounters frequently. But when he confesses his new obsession after a false alert to the police, he becomes a modern ‘boy who cired wolf’. And he keeps pushing harder and harder. But he soon realized that things are not always as they appear.
He seems to be ostracized by the entire 7th grade class. He believes his teacher is not who he thought he was. He knows there is an endangered species smuggling ring using the town as a base of operations. And he knows on at least 2 occasions he might be the only one able to prevent disaster.
The story is masterfully written. The way Korman tackles screen addiction is excellent. The set up with the accident, and the life changing experiences, and the way the story concludes, just wow!
Only a few of the over 75 titles I have read by Korman have not got a 5/5 start rating. And this one does as well, but it is one of the best.
Another excellent School Story from the master of the genre.
I absolutely love reading Gordon Korman books, either by myself or with one or more of my children. I have now read over 75 of his works. As I have stated in reviews of several of Korman’s books over the last few years: mid 2022, Korman published his 100th book. Yes you read that correctly, his hundredth book, as of the summer of 2025 he is up to 209 volumes in print. My introduction to Korman’s works was the 39 Clues back in 2009.
My son and I started reading Gordon Korman books together a few years ago, when he was given one as an end of year gift by his teacher. She gave the whole class the same Scholastic edition and wrote a note to each student in their copy of the book. Prior to that I had a read a few of his contributions to the 39 Clues series and had enjoyed them. Since they we have both been hooked. My son often reads these books to me or with me. I picked up this to read next because of it being the newest release.
The description of this volume states:
“If Carter hadn't been checking his phone, he might have seen his brother coming down the ski slopes in his direction. And if Carter had seen his brother in time and avoided the crash, he might not have two broken legs right now.
Oops.
Now Carter is stuck at home for weeks, with both his legs in casts. Bored, he starts checking out the live feeds from police cams around his town. Before he knows it, he's obsessed -- watching his classmates when they don't know he's looking, and discovering some other VERY STRANGE things going on that no one else is noticing.
But what happens when Carter is found out... and the people he's watching know where he lives?”
The about the author for this edition states:
“GORDON KORMAN wrote his first novel, This Can’t Be Happening at MacDonald Hall, when he was thirteen years old. Since then, he’s written over a hundred other books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Restart, the Sydney Taylor Honor Book Linked, Slacker, The Fort, and Mixed Up. He lives in Long Island with his family and can be found online at his website.”
I highlighted two passages in this book because both were very poignant, they are:
“It makes no sense. I was never the kind of person who checked the phone all night. But now just the fact that I can’t makes me want to. Oh, sure, probably no one is trying to reach me at three a.m. That’s beside the point. They can’t reach me even if they want to. I’m unreachable, offline. The vast electronic network that connects everybody on the planet is passing me by. It’s like I don’t even exist. I’m invisible.”
“For weeks, nobody sneezed around here without my saying “Gesundheit,” even if they couldn’t hear me. And yeah, I took it too far. I own that. There’s a point where snooping turns into spying—where a hobby becomes an obsession—and that’s not good. But it’s proof of how much information is out there if you’re willing to go find it. You just have to know where to draw the line.”
Oh my goodness, what an excellent read. We fallow Carter as he experiences two broken legs, then recovery at home living vicariously through screes. When he discovers the municipal cameras and then figures out how to exploit private cameras he starts spending a lot of time watching what is going on around town. AT first he is following a girl he likes and a guy he doesn’t, and soon he has nicknames for people he encounters frequently. But when he confesses his new obsession after a false alert to the police, he becomes a modern ‘boy who cired wolf’. And he keeps pushing harder and harder. But he soon realized that things are not always as they appear.
He seems to be ostracized by the entire 7th grade class. He believes his teacher is not who he thought he was. He knows there is an endangered species smuggling ring using the town as a base of operations. And he knows on at least 2 occasions he might be the only one able to prevent disaster.
The story is masterfully written. The way Korman tackles screen addiction is excellent. The set up with the accident, and the life changing experiences, and the way the story concludes, just wow!
Only a few of the over 75 titles I have read by Korman have not got a 5/5 start rating. And this one does as well, but it is one of the best.
Another excellent School Story from the master of the genre.
March 16, 2025
I am generally a fan of Gordon Korman's novels--I find the characters relatable and they often open doors to conversations about so many different ways of life and ways of seeing the world. I was very excited to read this book.
Snoop is a very fun, silly Rear-Window-inspired romp of a novel with an interesting technology angle brought in. I could poke holes in the premise and coincidences in the main story, but it is a quick paced book that doesn't give you a lot of time to sit in those far fetched moments before you finish the novel.
One of the major plot points is the main character's debates with himself and his best friend about the best way to solve his problem. This could spark some really interesting class discussions, and I can see students being passionate on both sides. When one of the main character's decisions lead to the other kids in his school getting in trouble, we get to see how he manages making mistakes, taking ownership of his choices, his morality, and how to deal with unpopularity. While that sounds heavy, it isn't--the main character has a positive attitude even while going though a lot.
The dynamic between the two brothers was fun to read about, and it was great to see a main character listen to their parents when they could easily get away with ignoring the rules (even if he's also coming up with some creative ways around the rules!).
The endangered animals facts added a fun element.
Thanks to NetGalley and Scholastic for the e-ARC!
4.5/5
Snoop is a very fun, silly Rear-Window-inspired romp of a novel with an interesting technology angle brought in. I could poke holes in the premise and coincidences in the main story, but it is a quick paced book that doesn't give you a lot of time to sit in those far fetched moments before you finish the novel.
One of the major plot points is the main character's debates with himself and his best friend about the best way to solve his problem. This could spark some really interesting class discussions, and I can see students being passionate on both sides. When one of the main character's decisions lead to the other kids in his school getting in trouble, we get to see how he manages making mistakes, taking ownership of his choices, his morality, and how to deal with unpopularity. While that sounds heavy, it isn't--the main character has a positive attitude even while going though a lot.
The dynamic between the two brothers was fun to read about, and it was great to see a main character listen to their parents when they could easily get away with ignoring the rules (even if he's also coming up with some creative ways around the rules!).
The endangered animals facts added a fun element.
Thanks to NetGalley and Scholastic for the e-ARC!
4.5/5
August 13, 2025
I’m between 3.5 and 4 stars on this one. I didn’t love it, but it was also a lot better than I expected—the main character, Carter, manages his new found snooping/spying skills after being forced into a wheelchair after his little brother breaks his legs on a ski vacation. The description of the book toted it as a “Rear Window” remix, and I absolutely can see the parallels, but truly, Korman made this his own. Carter was not only using his mother’s drone to spy on the town, he also used the public cameras and private cameras set up by the town and various businesses to get his gossip on. As always, everything was wrapped up in a nice little bow at the end, no plot line left open, and I applaud him for that.
Great twist with Mr. Grimes’ twin brother being the animal smuggler! It would’ve been different had a teacher actually been involved in illegal activity, not that it’d be the first time I’ve read a kids’ book where the teachers weren’t sparkly clean, but since this is a middle-grade book, I understood Korman’s reasoning.
The book spent a lot of time in Carter’s thoughts, since he was home alone during the week and attending school via Zoom. Some parts were slow, hence my hesitation between 3.5 and 4 stars, and I wanted more interaction with other characters. Carter was also a pretty spectacular student, so he was able to easily balance his schoolwork with his snooping. His addiction to technology was a little too relatable, even for me as an adult!
Great twist with Mr. Grimes’ twin brother being the animal smuggler! It would’ve been different had a teacher actually been involved in illegal activity, not that it’d be the first time I’ve read a kids’ book where the teachers weren’t sparkly clean, but since this is a middle-grade book, I understood Korman’s reasoning.
The book spent a lot of time in Carter’s thoughts, since he was home alone during the week and attending school via Zoom. Some parts were slow, hence my hesitation between 3.5 and 4 stars, and I wanted more interaction with other characters. Carter was also a pretty spectacular student, so he was able to easily balance his schoolwork with his snooping. His addiction to technology was a little too relatable, even for me as an adult!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2025
I discovered author Gordon Korman’s middle grade books last year and have now read three of his stand-alone novels. There is a certain predictability to them, which is all good. The main character is a tween or young teen boy, who narrates the novel. The plot includes a predicament that takes the entire novel to resolve, and involves family as well as classmates and others in his small-town community. The story is wholesome, the difficulties meaningful, the outcome satisfying with a lesson learned.
Korman’s latest novel features Carter, a middle school boy who is obsessed with his phone. His younger brother accidentally crashes into him and breaks both his legs while they are on a skiing vacation with their dad, and now Carter is stuck in a wheelchair at home for weeks with his legs in casts.
His mother takes away his phone and his laptop (he can only use his computer when he attends his classes via Zoom). He learns to sneakily access the live feeds of the town’s community cameras, and even uses his mom’s drone camera to snoop on his classmates and others.
That’s when he discovers something suspicious. But who can he tell if he isn’t supposed to be using a camera, computer, or phone?
Clever plotting, realistic banter, and loose threads that all tie together make this a fun read for adults and kids alike. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads
Korman’s latest novel features Carter, a middle school boy who is obsessed with his phone. His younger brother accidentally crashes into him and breaks both his legs while they are on a skiing vacation with their dad, and now Carter is stuck in a wheelchair at home for weeks with his legs in casts.
His mother takes away his phone and his laptop (he can only use his computer when he attends his classes via Zoom). He learns to sneakily access the live feeds of the town’s community cameras, and even uses his mom’s drone camera to snoop on his classmates and others.
That’s when he discovers something suspicious. But who can he tell if he isn’t supposed to be using a camera, computer, or phone?
Clever plotting, realistic banter, and loose threads that all tie together make this a fun read for adults and kids alike. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads
April 4, 2025
I love that this book seems to be inspired by Rear Window! :) I wasn't sure I liked it in the beginning, as Carter was definitely a screen-obsessed zombie and it made me crazy that his parents didn't have the good sense to take all his screens away before his obsession became so severe (or - ahem - never give him screens to begin with, but that's a debate for another time). But I guess if he had good parents, the book would have only been five pages long.
Gordon Korman is the master at writing flawed characters who self-reflect and grow in believable ways. Carter was a dishonest and disobedient kid for most of the book but he experienced the natural consequences of his actions, and when it mattered most, he risked everything - the wrath of his mom, the potential loss of all privileges, even his own safety - to help those in need.
Great character development, action, mystery, a friendship challenged, family conflict...lots of relatable issues for kids and a very satisfying ending. There was also a boy-who-cried-wolf situation that could spark good discussion about dishonesty and loss of trust.
Gordon Korman is the master at writing flawed characters who self-reflect and grow in believable ways. Carter was a dishonest and disobedient kid for most of the book but he experienced the natural consequences of his actions, and when it mattered most, he risked everything - the wrath of his mom, the potential loss of all privileges, even his own safety - to help those in need.
Great character development, action, mystery, a friendship challenged, family conflict...lots of relatable issues for kids and a very satisfying ending. There was also a boy-who-cried-wolf situation that could spark good discussion about dishonesty and loss of trust.
May 3, 2025
Carter can't stay off his phone, and that is partially the reason he ended up with two broken legs after a skiing accident. His little brother feels awful about running into him, and Carter is irritated at the difficulties he faces as he heals. Carter has to learn virtually while he heals and ends up spying on the town after he discovers access to the publicly install police cameras. He observes many strange animals and begins to suspect a crime. He gets distracted by the school bully, his best friend who is grounded from him and the girl he is crushing on. His distractions cause him to miss clues and get warned by the police to stop filing false reports.
Standard Korman title, which is absolutely why I look forward to reading each new as soon as it comes out. Carter is an imperfect but very likable main character who finds himself in some ethical dilemmas. I always enjoy the thoughtful process Korman takes his main characters through to reason out their ethics and morals - and always with plenty of humor. Great addition to middle grade library collections, and I feel like this one will show up on several state reading award lists.
Standard Korman title, which is absolutely why I look forward to reading each new as soon as it comes out. Carter is an imperfect but very likable main character who finds himself in some ethical dilemmas. I always enjoy the thoughtful process Korman takes his main characters through to reason out their ethics and morals - and always with plenty of humor. Great addition to middle grade library collections, and I feel like this one will show up on several state reading award lists.
July 5, 2025
Count on Korman for some brain candy-- his books are literally just fun, entertainment, and a touch of smartypants in each one he tells and this one is no different.
Carter just got completely wrecked when his younger brother ran right into him on the ski slope, taking out and breaking both of Carter's legs. Granted, Carter could have been paying attention rather than with his nose in his phone-- his parents warn him often about his device addiction. So now that he's wheelchair bound in the onion room off the kitchen of his house taking classes remotely, he's discovered that he can surveil his town after getting into the CCTVs. And there's plenty of weird stuff happening like endangered animals roaming around and people lurking and weird cars in odd places, but the police won't listen until he finally has to crack the case by sharing WHO he is and having them legitimately investigate. Well, well, Carter DOES know what he's talking about because weird things are happening and one of the people responsible is close to his teacher.
It's got all of the charm and humor of every other story (and the coolest cover) that is classic Korman. Take that to the bank.
Carter just got completely wrecked when his younger brother ran right into him on the ski slope, taking out and breaking both of Carter's legs. Granted, Carter could have been paying attention rather than with his nose in his phone-- his parents warn him often about his device addiction. So now that he's wheelchair bound in the onion room off the kitchen of his house taking classes remotely, he's discovered that he can surveil his town after getting into the CCTVs. And there's plenty of weird stuff happening like endangered animals roaming around and people lurking and weird cars in odd places, but the police won't listen until he finally has to crack the case by sharing WHO he is and having them legitimately investigate. Well, well, Carter DOES know what he's talking about because weird things are happening and one of the people responsible is close to his teacher.
It's got all of the charm and humor of every other story (and the coolest cover) that is classic Korman. Take that to the bank.
September 1, 2025
A broken boy, tangled in boredom and curiosity, starts snooping on his town—and uncovers something way bigger than he expected.
Carter’s story hits on so many smart ideas—screen addiction, the ethics of surveillance, and the fuzzy line between snooping and helping. It made me really think about privacy and what happens when curiosity goes too far. I usually dislike switching between viewpoints, but here it didn’t pull me out of the story—it added tension and helped build that “mini mystery unfolding” vibe.
Korman’s signature humor is here—drone hijinks, food fights, zoom fails—but he also pulls on the emotional strings: Carter feels the guilt of the accident, the weight of ostracism when classmates think he’s a snitch, and the pressure of trying to do the right thing when no one’s watching. The surveillance setup might stretch belief—like accessing police cams or hiding a drone—but the ride is so full of suspense and heart that it’s hard to care.
The ending wraps everything up neatly, but that’s okay—it leaves you with that warm, satisfying feeling of a story done well. Carter learns the cost of his obsession without losing himself.
Carter’s story hits on so many smart ideas—screen addiction, the ethics of surveillance, and the fuzzy line between snooping and helping. It made me really think about privacy and what happens when curiosity goes too far. I usually dislike switching between viewpoints, but here it didn’t pull me out of the story—it added tension and helped build that “mini mystery unfolding” vibe.
Korman’s signature humor is here—drone hijinks, food fights, zoom fails—but he also pulls on the emotional strings: Carter feels the guilt of the accident, the weight of ostracism when classmates think he’s a snitch, and the pressure of trying to do the right thing when no one’s watching. The surveillance setup might stretch belief—like accessing police cams or hiding a drone—but the ride is so full of suspense and heart that it’s hard to care.
The ending wraps everything up neatly, but that’s okay—it leaves you with that warm, satisfying feeling of a story done well. Carter learns the cost of his obsession without losing himself.
June 21, 2025
In a bad set of events, mostly Carter looking at his phone and not watching around him, he gets plowed into by another skier , Carter’s younger brother, and broke both his legs. Now he is bored to death at home by himself. When he figures out how to access live feeds from surveillance cameras around the city he starts watching everyone because it is a link to the outside. But his fascination quickly turns to stalking, snooping, on everyone and everything through the cameras, until he sees things he shouldn’t see and that sets a chain of events into action not even Carter can stop.
Oh my another awesome book by Gordon Korman, I love his books and it baffles me how he comes up with all of these wonderful story lines. His characters are always so real and everything is always plausible, any with all of that he has the bestest books. I hope you enjoy them as much as I and have a good time with Snoop there is so much more to it than I can say without giving it all away. It is really good please keep them coming.
This review copy was provided by Netgalley
Oh my another awesome book by Gordon Korman, I love his books and it baffles me how he comes up with all of these wonderful story lines. His characters are always so real and everything is always plausible, any with all of that he has the bestest books. I hope you enjoy them as much as I and have a good time with Snoop there is so much more to it than I can say without giving it all away. It is really good please keep them coming.
This review copy was provided by Netgalley
August 2, 2025
Middle school student Carter is stuck at home for at least 6 weeks with two broken legs and nothing to do except Zoom school, which is completely boring. He is in this predicament due to his fascination with online videos, which caused him to neglect to pay attention while on a skiiing trip. At least his 8-year-old brother Martin is a willing slave, having caused the accident that broke his legs. Desperate for something to do, he discovers and begins using the town's citizen-accessible surveillance cameras. When he discovers his crush hanging out with his nemesis, the ground the cameras cover seems inadequate, so he begins hacking into other, private cameras around town. This downward-spiral into snooping causes him to both help and harm and gets him in big trouble with the police for crying wolf. When Carter uncovers a more sinister scheme, no one will listen, so what can he do? This modern twist on Rear Window is interesting at times, but I was left in some spots like Carter himself, somewhat at a loss for something to do.
September 8, 2025
This was a Scholastic Book Fair book that was marketed with a spiffy video. It has many bells and whistles for fourth and fifth grade readers. Both Carter's legs are broken in a skiing accident by his brother Martin. He goes back to Sterling where his mom lives to heal--a six week homestay stuck in his wheelchair in the Onion Room doing Zoom school. Due to excessive boredom and a propensity to abuse screens, he becomes obsessed with SNOOPING all the video feeds in his town. He comes to many of the wrong conclusions and make rash judgments that a patently wrong, but he also discovers a crime ring that is trading in endangered species. Maligned by his entire class for his false conclusions which get others in trouble, he has to redeem himself which he does almost rebreaking his legs in the meantime.
My beef with the story is that it reinforces obsessive screen time, much lying to do more high jinx. I think it would have been better with the main character as an unreliable narrator. He really screwed up a lot of things and got away with it.
My beef with the story is that it reinforces obsessive screen time, much lying to do more high jinx. I think it would have been better with the main character as an unreliable narrator. He really screwed up a lot of things and got away with it.
May 8, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and Scholastic for the ARC. Carter has been addicted to his phone and technology and while he's absorbed on his phone screen he doesn't notice when his younger brother, Martin crashes into him while skiing, breaking both legs. Carter is now homebound and has to attend school via Zoom. Carter quickly becomes bored and starts watching his neighbors and then discovers he can access the public security cameras around town, and takes the snooping to a new level. He starts noticing some odd things happening around town, and realizes something is actually going on.
Middle school readers are going to relate to Carter's fascination with technology, and love the restaurant food fights, endangered animals on the loose, possible robberies, drone, etc. I especially love his relationship with his brother, Martin. The plot moves along quickly, the book length is perfect, and the other characters are developed. Love this
Middle school readers are going to relate to Carter's fascination with technology, and love the restaurant food fights, endangered animals on the loose, possible robberies, drone, etc. I especially love his relationship with his brother, Martin. The plot moves along quickly, the book length is perfect, and the other characters are developed. Love this
June 27, 2025
Note: I received a DRC from Edelweiss in exchange for a review.
“From Gordon Korman, the bestselling author of Restart, the story of a boy who's stuck at home with two broken legs... and who starts using cameras and a drone to spy on his classmates, neighbors, and a possible criminal who's come to town.
If Carter hadn't been checking his phone, he might have seen his brother coming down the ski slopes in his direction. And if Carter had seen his brother in time and avoided the crash, he might not have two broken legs right now.
Oops.
Now Carter is stuck at home for weeks, with both his legs in casts. Bored, he starts checking out the live feeds from police cams around his town. Before he knows it, he's obsessed -- watching his classmates when they don't know he's looking, and discovering some other VERY STRANGE things going on that no one else is noticing.
But what happens when Carter is found out... and the people he's watching know where he lives?”
I love a lot of Gordon Korman’s books, and this was another great book! The plot is really creative and fun, and there were a lot of good jokes throughout the book. Carter is a great main character, and his relationships with many of the other characters were handled very well. If you love Gordon Korman’s books, this is one that I will highly recommend. It is a really great book, and I am really glad that I enjoyed it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“From Gordon Korman, the bestselling author of Restart, the story of a boy who's stuck at home with two broken legs... and who starts using cameras and a drone to spy on his classmates, neighbors, and a possible criminal who's come to town.
If Carter hadn't been checking his phone, he might have seen his brother coming down the ski slopes in his direction. And if Carter had seen his brother in time and avoided the crash, he might not have two broken legs right now.
Oops.
Now Carter is stuck at home for weeks, with both his legs in casts. Bored, he starts checking out the live feeds from police cams around his town. Before he knows it, he's obsessed -- watching his classmates when they don't know he's looking, and discovering some other VERY STRANGE things going on that no one else is noticing.
But what happens when Carter is found out... and the people he's watching know where he lives?”
I love a lot of Gordon Korman’s books, and this was another great book! The plot is really creative and fun, and there were a lot of good jokes throughout the book. Carter is a great main character, and his relationships with many of the other characters were handled very well. If you love Gordon Korman’s books, this is one that I will highly recommend. It is a really great book, and I am really glad that I enjoyed it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
June 29, 2025
Read a free ARC on NetGalley. 3.5
Carter is addicted to screens. He’s so addicted that he is not paying attention when his little brother plows into him on skis and breaks both of his legs. Now stuck at home, Carter has school by Zoom and his mom takes his phone away. What will he do with his time now? He finds out that there are public cameras around his town. He starts to watch them in his spare time. Soon he learns to access the security cameras in some local businesses as well. He passes his time snooping on the people in his town. He discovers something strange- what appears to be endangered animals start appearing on the cameras at night. How did these animals get into his town and what is happening to them? Carter is determined to find out even if it gets him in trouble with his classmates and the police. The story is cute, a middle grade take on Rear Window, with realistic characters.
Carter is addicted to screens. He’s so addicted that he is not paying attention when his little brother plows into him on skis and breaks both of his legs. Now stuck at home, Carter has school by Zoom and his mom takes his phone away. What will he do with his time now? He finds out that there are public cameras around his town. He starts to watch them in his spare time. Soon he learns to access the security cameras in some local businesses as well. He passes his time snooping on the people in his town. He discovers something strange- what appears to be endangered animals start appearing on the cameras at night. How did these animals get into his town and what is happening to them? Carter is determined to find out even if it gets him in trouble with his classmates and the police. The story is cute, a middle grade take on Rear Window, with realistic characters.
July 1, 2025
Carter's got two broken legs and stuck at home doing zoom school. He learns that anyone can access the police cameras around town and starts to watch them. He notices things around town. He makes a few mistakes along the way and calls the police a lot. Almost like the boy who cried wolf. But in the end his suspicions about seeing some endangered animals around town, even when no one believes him, pays off.
Carter realizes and learns that not all snooping is good and you need to have all the facts before you jump to conclusions.
He has some friend trouble along the way, which is pretty normal for a middle schooler. I liked that we see real things happening with popular friends and crushes and some things going wrong, but then turning around.
Carter in end is more observant, but also knows that there is a line when it comes to snooping.
A fast paced book that kids will like following along to see what happens.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Carter realizes and learns that not all snooping is good and you need to have all the facts before you jump to conclusions.
He has some friend trouble along the way, which is pretty normal for a middle schooler. I liked that we see real things happening with popular friends and crushes and some things going wrong, but then turning around.
Carter in end is more observant, but also knows that there is a line when it comes to snooping.
A fast paced book that kids will like following along to see what happens.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
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