The Secret of Zoom — Lynne Jonell

Can two friends foil a dastardly plan and save orphans from a fate worse than death?

Christina lives in a big, old stone mansion on the edge of a dark forest surrounded by barbed wire. Deep within the forest is the laboratory where her father works -- and where her mother was blown to bits years ago. Christina's father knows just how dangerous the world can be, so he keeps her safe at home, forbidding her from talking to the very interesting orphans down the road.

But when an orphan boy named Taft talks to her, she's thrilled to help him search for a secret tunnel. But soon she discovers there's more to the orphanage, the lab, and the mystery of her mother's accident than she ever suspected. Sinister things are in the works -- and the secret of zoom is the most dangerous secret of all!

“This exciting tale, with just a touch of fantasy and humor, is a winner. … Jonell displays pitch-perfect skills in an expertly crafted story that never flags and that includes plenty of heart-stopping situations to keep readers fully engaged.” -- School Library Journal, Starred Review