Kids might like this, but it very much reads like a middle aged man wrote this. I’ve taught fifth grade for 11 years, and I don’t think any of them would use the term “spin-o-rama”.

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.

Thank you, #NetGalley and Scholastic, for allowing me to read the novel Snoop by Gordon Korman in exchange for my honest review. #Snoop #NetGalley

Carter faces a common struggle for many students: his phone usage. He is so absorbed in his phone that he doesn't even see his brother rushing down on skis! The main focus of the novel is Carter, who now has two broken legs and cannot walk, leaving him to his own devices. Soon, Carter develops another habit—spying with a drone. During his drone adventures, he keeps seeing strange things. He keeps calling the police, but they don't believe him. This book is relatable and has a great ending that students will enjoy. It is also a quick read.

SNOOP by Gordon Korman is a fun, middle school read. I picked it up because I have such fond memories of Korman's books, particularly Toilet Paper Tigers. This newly published novel features 12-year-old Carter Peregrine who broke both of his legs in a skiing accident. In an effort to avoid total boredom (and stay connected to classmates) he starts following local surveillance cameras and even hacking into some. There are, of course, several hilarious moments, but the limited qualms regarding surveillance and Carter's use of a drone without permission subtract from the appeal as an adult reader. Rebellious pre-teens will likely be enthralled and relate to the endangered animals which Carter keeps spotting. SNOOP was positively reviewed with Publishers Weekly describing it as "fast-paced, rollicking contemporary homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window."

3.5 stars overall

When a skiing accident means Carter can no longer attend school in person, he thinks he's got it made. His best friend and the girl he's crushing on are chosen to bring him his school work and his teachers set up video calls for Carter to "attend" classes. However, the "free time" Carter experiences leads to boredom. While playing around online (and trying to spy on his crush), Carter discovers the police security cameras kept around town. When he thinks he spies a crime going down, Carter knows he needs to get to the truth...which leads him to hacking into other security cameras and a whole lot of trouble. Even though Carter is banned from all devices except for school, he cannot stop his addiction to knowing what is going on around town. Eventually, he does see a real crime, but will anyone believe him? And how will he prevent others from getting hurt (including his crush and BFF) if he can't even leave his house? Filled with drama, both real and manufactured, Snoop shows readers the pitfalls of being too connected to digital devices and how that impacts one's life. Solving the mystery of the weird smells coming from the old courthouse building in town is an added bonus for the reader!

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.

I am a big Gordon Korman fan and this one did not disappoint! Any kids that have enjoyed reading his books will like this one too.

Carter is obsessed with technology and being connected with the world around him. After suffering from an accident that leaves him at home for a while, he begins snooping around on the town. This obsessive behavior starts getting Carter into mischievous predicaments and leads the reader on a fun journey around the town.

This books is great for middle level readers that like technology and humorous adventures. This book is an easy read and takes the reader on a journey through what could potentially be something that a middle schooler would get themselves into.

In SNOOP, after an unfortunate accident leaves him with two broken legs, Carter finds himself stuck at home and bored. Needing a new source of entertainment, he checks out the feeds from his community’s security cameras. He’s shocked at what he sees while snooping and is caught in a bind as he tries to bring attention to what he discovered without blowing his own cover.

A modern-day take on the Hitchcock classic Rear Window for middle grade readers, Carter’s ethical dilemma is one that will capture readers, especially in our ever-increasing digital world.

Snoop by Gordon Korman is about a boy named Carter who pays so much attention to his phone that he doesn’t move out of the way while on the ski slopes and his little brother runs into him breaking both his legs. While Carter is recovering, he has lost phone privileges so he discovers community cameras where he starts to become a snoop.

This was not my favorite Gordon Korman, but I think students will enjoy it. (And hopefully realize that being glued to the phone isn’t always a great choice!). Wouldn’t be surprised to see this book on middle grade award nominee lists either!

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC. Gordon Korman has done it again! I am always amazed how he keeps coming up with timely, relatable and entertaining stories for middle grade students time and time again. Carter, our main character, takes screen addiction to a whole new level. Being glued to his phone results in two broken legs from a skiing incident and school via Zoom. This only takes his screen obsession to a new level as he begins monitoring public security cameras, hacking into private business security cameras, and stealing his mom's drone to monitor his friends and enemies. Has his screen obsession finally gone too far or will his new observations help him to solve a serious crime that nobody else is paying attention to in his small town? Will being a Snoop pay off for Carter?

Another fun read by Gordon Korman. This book will definitely be added to my classroom library. Perfect blend of mystery and adventure.

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 modern take on Rear Window, with realistic characters.

Snoop is another great story by Gordon Korman. Carter suffers two broken legs in a skiing accident and must attend school online. Being home all day seems fun at first but soon gets very boring, until he finds a way to snoop on the entire town. Carter is amazed at all that he is able to see throughout the day and soon can't stop himself from spying on several people around town using the public security cameras. He quickly becomes sucked into several stories as he watches people around town, including his friends and complete strangers. Before long, he starts to notice some intense situations happing in his seemingly quiet town. At the same time, he starts to become cutoff from his friends and classmates. When Carter realizes that something serious is going on, he struggles to find anyone to intervene before it is too late. Kids will enjoy spying on the town with Carter and they will definitely pull for him to save the town and his friends before it is too late.

SNOOP has a similar premise to the Hitchcock film, "Rear Window" in that Carter is stuck in a wheelchair and starts snooping, seeing potential criminal activity everywhere. First he accesses public cameras, then he moves on to hacking closed-circuit cameras at private businesses, and finally he helps himself to his mom's drone to see what's going on in his town. Carter's behavior brings about some natural consequences and at one point alienates him from all of his peers at school, but I found it almost unbelievable that his snooping wasn't discovered several times. Carter's heart is in the right place and he wants to do the right thing, but his is certainly a cautionary tale for screen addiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scholastic for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own as I consider which books to purchase for my classroom library.

Another fabulous read from a master. It is funny and moves fast perfect for middle school readers. There's even a bit of a lesson on being on a screen way to much

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.

Gordon Korman's creativity never ceases to impress me. I love this story about a boy stuck at home with two broken legs who discovers a new source of entertainment, the town's public cameras. And of course it isn't just his new addiction to snooping, but a mystery that no one even believes is real. Plus a crush on a girl. The characters are fun and relateable. Definitely a book for your home or library!

What if you had access to all the cameras in the town? Would you watch? With two broken legs and his phone taken away, Carter is desperate for something to do. He starts with street cameras that anyone can get to. Should he hack into the business's cameras? He tries, but then he sees wild animals that don't belong in his town. The police do not believe that a kid could solve a crime--especially when they don't even know about it. This is another one of his books that has you asking questions about how far is too far. As a librarian, I would love to say that I would be busy reading; but seeing other people's lives on camera might be able to pull me away. but then I might miss out on a book like this!

This was a fun one! A mystery with some truly wacky moments, kids will be compelled to keep reading to figure out how it all fits together.