Neeka and the Great Search (Wilder Zoo, #3)

By Tina Strachan

Illustrated by Max Hamilton

Reviewed by Jenny Ruge

Neeka and the Great Search is the third book in the Wilder Zoo series by Tina Strachan and Max Hamilton,  the first is Neeka and the Missing Key (Wilder Zoo, #1) which was followed by Neeka and the Storm (Wilder Zoo, #2). After many years of working in wildlife conservation, Gold Coast author Strachan is well-placed to create animal stories that are knowledgeable and authentic, while award-winning illustrator Max Hamilton helps bring the stories to life.

Eleven-year-old Neeka Wilder plans to follow in her mother’s footsteps one day by becoming a vet. And what better place to prepare than actually living in a zoo! Neeka spends every spare minute helping to care for and video the animals, often helped by best friends Rumi and Hudson. But when her friends go away for a week, Neeka worries she’ll be bored without them. How wrong she is! With new girl, Miranda, less than enthusiastic about spending her days around a host of unfamiliar animals, Neeka must try hard to include her and find activities she’ll enjoy. As Miranda has a special interest in robotics, Neeka assumes she’s the perfect person to do the tricky edits for the Vet Nurse Appreciation Day video. But when a young koala named Banjo goes missing, the video is put on hold. And faced with choosing between Miranda’s needs and her own desires, Neeka makes some questionable decisions. Can Neeka develop a friendship with Miranda, and will they find Banjo in time?

Scattered throughout the story is information about some less well-known animals, and while living in a zoo may be thrilling for those lucky few who experience it every day, many readers will relate to Miranda’s dislike of spiders, insects and anything ‘gross’. Animal lovers will appreciate Hamilton’s cute black and white illustrations, and the map included in the front will help readers visualise the many exhibits and the vastness of Wilder Zoo.

The story has relatable characters and strong themes of friendship and taking responsibility. It will appeal to readers already familiar with Neeka and Wilder Zoo, but could easily be read as a stand-alone book. At 256 pages, the novel is manageable for its intended audience, although perhaps a little longer than it needed to be.

Recommended for middle-grade readers, ages 8-12.

HarperCollins  AU 2026

Tina Strachan

Max Hamilton