A thrilling debut in the tradition of Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull about a boy who discovers he's part of a secret race of animal shape shifters.

Twelve-year-old Simon Thorn's life has never been easy or normal, but things like being bullied at school and living in a cramped Manhattan apartment with his Uncle Darryl are nothing compared to his biggest secret: He can talk to animals.

But when his mom is suddenly kidnapped by a herd of rats, Simon finds out that he, his mom, and his uncle are all Animalgams--people born with the ability to change into an animal at will. In search of his mom, Simon discovers the Animalgam Academy based at the Central Park Zoo. There he learns about the fractured five kingdoms--Mammals, Birds, Insects, Reptiles, and Underwater--that make up this secret world . . . and realizes he may be the only one who can save it.

This action-packed page-turner is filled with themes of bravery, loyalty, and finding one-s true self, and is perfect for fans of the Spirit Animals and The School of Good and Evil series.