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Zack Files #4
Zap! I'm a Mind Reader
Who'd have thought mind reading could be such a pain? I mean, I expected to discover everyone's silly secrets. But someone is planning something very strange--and it's no joke!
64 pages, ebook
First published August 1, 1996
9 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Dan Greenburg
160 books74 followersDAN GREENBURG BIO
BOOKS:
Dan's 73 books have been published in 24 countries.
His adult best-sellers include EXES, LOVE KILLS, HOW TO BE A JEWISH MOTHER, HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF MISERABLE, and HOW TO AVOID LOVE AND MARRIAGE. How to be a Jewish Mother sold several million copies. It and How to Make Yourself Miserable were in print for 30 years and were on Publishers Weekly’s list of all-time bestsellers.
Amazon will publish Dan’s third psychological thriller, FEAR ITSELF, in January 2014. They’ll also republish his first two thrillers, EXES and LOVE KILLS.
He’s written four series of children's books: THE ZACK FILES, SECRETS OF DRIPPING FANG, WEIRD PLANET, and MAXIMUM BOY. The Zack Files sold more than 2 million copies, was translated into 20 languages, and generated an Emmy-winning 52-episode TV series that ran on Showtime and Fox Family.
ADVENTURES:
Dan has written extensively about his adventures:
Riding with NYPD homicide detectives for two years to research thrillers FEAR ITSELF, EXES, and LOVE KILLS.
Interviewing murderers alone in their maximum security prison cells for FEAR ITSELF.
Attending autopsies in the NYC morgue for EXES.
Learning how to discipline tigers and lions on a Texas tiger ranch.
Swimming with 80,000 lb. humpback whales in the deep ocean.
Flying upside down with a stunt pilot in an open-cockpit biplane.
Participating in dangerous voodoo rites in Haiti.
Riding with NYC firemen for four months and following them into burning buildings.
Searching for the Loch Ness Monster.
Assisting exorcists in a Connecticut house attacked by poltergeists.
Acting a major character role in a Western movie filmed in Spain.
Doing stand-up comedy at the New York Improv, and on TV talk shows.
Getting screamed at by Orson Welles on the set of Catch-22 in Mexico.
MAGAZINES:
Dan’s articles have appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, New York Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Huffington Post, Time, Life, Newsweek, Ms., Playboy, and have been reprinted in 44 humor anthologies in the U.S. and England.
MOVIES AND TV:
Dan has had six of his feature films produced, two of which are on Variety’s list of top grossing films.
THEATER:
Along with Jules Feiffer, John Lennon and Samuel Beckett, Dan was a contributor to Oh! Calcutta!, which ran on Broadway for 21 years. He was also a contributor to Free to be You and Me, which ran off and on Broadway for years.
MISC.:
Dan has appeared on The Today Show, The Tonight Show, Larry King Live, and Late Night with David Letterman. He grew up in Chicago, got his BFA from the University of Illinois, and his MFA from UCLA. He lives in Westchester, NY and British Columbia with his author wife Judith Greenburg and many cats.
dan@dangreenburg.com
BOOKS:
Dan's 73 books have been published in 24 countries.
His adult best-sellers include EXES, LOVE KILLS, HOW TO BE A JEWISH MOTHER, HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF MISERABLE, and HOW TO AVOID LOVE AND MARRIAGE. How to be a Jewish Mother sold several million copies. It and How to Make Yourself Miserable were in print for 30 years and were on Publishers Weekly’s list of all-time bestsellers.
Amazon will publish Dan’s third psychological thriller, FEAR ITSELF, in January 2014. They’ll also republish his first two thrillers, EXES and LOVE KILLS.
He’s written four series of children's books: THE ZACK FILES, SECRETS OF DRIPPING FANG, WEIRD PLANET, and MAXIMUM BOY. The Zack Files sold more than 2 million copies, was translated into 20 languages, and generated an Emmy-winning 52-episode TV series that ran on Showtime and Fox Family.
ADVENTURES:
Dan has written extensively about his adventures:
Riding with NYPD homicide detectives for two years to research thrillers FEAR ITSELF, EXES, and LOVE KILLS.
Interviewing murderers alone in their maximum security prison cells for FEAR ITSELF.
Attending autopsies in the NYC morgue for EXES.
Learning how to discipline tigers and lions on a Texas tiger ranch.
Swimming with 80,000 lb. humpback whales in the deep ocean.
Flying upside down with a stunt pilot in an open-cockpit biplane.
Participating in dangerous voodoo rites in Haiti.
Riding with NYC firemen for four months and following them into burning buildings.
Searching for the Loch Ness Monster.
Assisting exorcists in a Connecticut house attacked by poltergeists.
Acting a major character role in a Western movie filmed in Spain.
Doing stand-up comedy at the New York Improv, and on TV talk shows.
Getting screamed at by Orson Welles on the set of Catch-22 in Mexico.
MAGAZINES:
Dan’s articles have appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, New York Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Huffington Post, Time, Life, Newsweek, Ms., Playboy, and have been reprinted in 44 humor anthologies in the U.S. and England.
MOVIES AND TV:
Dan has had six of his feature films produced, two of which are on Variety’s list of top grossing films.
THEATER:
Along with Jules Feiffer, John Lennon and Samuel Beckett, Dan was a contributor to Oh! Calcutta!, which ran on Broadway for 21 years. He was also a contributor to Free to be You and Me, which ran off and on Broadway for years.
MISC.:
Dan has appeared on The Today Show, The Tonight Show, Larry King Live, and Late Night with David Letterman. He grew up in Chicago, got his BFA from the University of Illinois, and his MFA from UCLA. He lives in Westchester, NY and British Columbia with his author wife Judith Greenburg and many cats.
dan@dangreenburg.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
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October 16, 2012 What i like about this book is that when i read it i can feel like i was reading people minds. This book can help a lot of kids to know how reading minds is not always the best power.
February 27, 2018
I loved this book!
It was so cool how he could read peoples mind. But still don't try to get electrocuted just to read peoples minds.
I thought it was funny that he thought Mrs. Coleman Levin was going to kill him. But at first I thought the same, I myself was a little scared too! Then I released the big fish wanted to eat the little fish. So did Zack too! Of course! But his powers went away when he got electrocuted again.
It was so cool how he could read peoples mind. But still don't try to get electrocuted just to read peoples minds.
I thought it was funny that he thought Mrs. Coleman Levin was going to kill him. But at first I thought the same, I myself was a little scared too! Then I released the big fish wanted to eat the little fish. So did Zack too! Of course! But his powers went away when he got electrocuted again.
May 16, 2017
Zack is Ten years old. He live in NewYork City. He study is fifth grade at the Horace Hyde white school for boys. He is interested in weird things. But one day strange thing happened with him. And he started to read people minds...
October 6, 2017
Funny book. Great for kids who need a quick read. The only caution is that he is reading someone’s mind who wants to kill. That might disturb some kiddos and parents but getting past that is worth the conclusion and of course not as awful as it may seem.
July 8, 2017
Such a fun, quick little read.
September 25, 2019
It is mysteries and intertaining. That catches the readers attention.
May 29, 2020
Cute chapter book geared to ages 8 to 10. Zack accidentally gets an electric shock and becomes a mind reader. What he hears leads to an adventure with a funny answer and a "shocking" ending.
January 31, 2024
This is so short n sweet. Fun series. Wish I could mind read!
March 23, 2017
The story is about a boy . His name is Zack. He is ten years old . He lived in New York . He's in fifth grade at the Horace Hyde_White school for Boys. He is an ordinary boy. But one day in his science class something really weird thing happened with him. It's a great story to read !!
August 3, 2020
This book was hilarious and highly enjoyable five star read it for yourself
again Dan Greenburg is a genius.
again Dan Greenburg is a genius.
August 13, 2014
Zack is a regular kid, but his situations are anything but ordinary. This series with lots of light intersections into the paranormal, supernatural, and fantastical is good for an occasional, not-too-serious laugh. In this one, Zack gets an electric shock and suddenly is able to hear thoughts, but he can't tell who/where they're coming from, so when he hears a mental voice bent on death and destruction, he doesn't know how to investigate or who to tell.
The books are short, easy to read, and full of off-color jokes, which makes them a good read for reluctant kids but really I felt it was too gimmicky right from the start. Things happen for laughs, not really for much other reason, and though there's a time and a place, I prefer that even children's books show a little bit more sophistication, I guess.
The books are short, easy to read, and full of off-color jokes, which makes them a good read for reluctant kids but really I felt it was too gimmicky right from the start. Things happen for laughs, not really for much other reason, and though there's a time and a place, I prefer that even children's books show a little bit more sophistication, I guess.
July 13, 2011
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 30, 2011
Zack is 10 year old who lives in New York City and attends a boy's school. He electrocutes himself in science class and voila! can read minds. The creepy thing is that he hears someone saying things like "Kill this one when the time is right. I crave the taste of blood." Zack tries to uncover the murderer without becoming the next victim!
The writing is fast paced. The characters are sympathic. The humor is low-key. This book is number 4 in the series and it was enjoyable without having read the earlier books.
The writing is fast paced. The characters are sympathic. The humor is low-key. This book is number 4 in the series and it was enjoyable without having read the earlier books.
September 17, 2019
I read this as a kid and retried a bit as an adult but thought Zack shouldve proven his mind reading powers by showing his teacher instead of just walking away. Not a very smart use but more a kids book anyway. I like mind reading as a power but dont think this utilized it as well as it could've. Also obvious the "killer" thoughts were related to the animals in the room IMO. Nice facts about tachyon and tigris and euphrates and educational ish for kids at least though. Nice art for kids too and easy to read and short as well. Was okay overall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2008
Being the kids' department head when I worked at a bookstore, I saw these books a lot in my chapter books section and decided to see if they were any good so I could decide whether to recommend them to others. They had a surprising amount of somewhat off-color jokes in them, but other than that they were cute but nothing super-special. I just read a few during my lunch break; they take about ten minutes to read.
May 14, 2012
I love The Zack Files, and my students do, too. These are great quick reads for boys and girls who need high-interest material that's more accessible for struggling readers. I'm reading these with 3rd and 4th graders that are reading .5-2 levels below grade level, and my husband read them with a 3rd grade boy several years ago, and all the kids were completely psyched every time they get a new volume. Highly recommend them.
January 16, 2016
This is a funny book. It tell you a story about how Zack became Mind Reader. He was doing an experiment in science class. While he was doing the experiment he did something you should not do when your hands are wet. I do not want to give away how and what happens to him.
This teaches you about science a bit and it also teaches you that you should not do. It is an educational and great for Children and young readers.
This teaches you about science a bit and it also teaches you that you should not do. It is an educational and great for Children and young readers.
March 14, 2013
A note to parents. We read this with our Kindergartener and had to heavily edit parts of the story. Topics of Divorce, "psychopathic murderers," work done in a morgue, and phrases like "Kill, Kill, Kill." needed toned down for our sensitive K reader. He did enjoy the story, just be mindful of topics and language that you kids may be sensitive to.
October 10, 2007
This book is about a bot who got electrafied and ever sence that happen he could read eveybodys mind .And he trys to prove it to his father but he can't believe it .So he finds a mystery very strange about this men or women who is trying to kill someone .....TO BE CONTINUE!
December 24, 2007
This is the first book I've read in The Zack Files series.
The book is very funny and weird, especially the part Zack tries to find out who the killer is in the classroom when all the lights go out. The eerieness of the plot motivates one to keep reading until the story ends.
The book is very funny and weird, especially the part Zack tries to find out who the killer is in the classroom when all the lights go out. The eerieness of the plot motivates one to keep reading until the story ends.
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July 20, 2012The Zack Files (now up to 30 titles in this series!) are adventurous and off the wall stories about a 10 year old boy who just can't seem to stay out of trouble. For a science fiction themed book, try Zap: I'm a Mind Reader (#4 in the series).
October 9, 2012
The Zack Files (now up to 30 titles in this series!) are adventurous and off the wall stories about a 10 year old boy who just can't seem to stay out of trouble. For a science fiction themed bok, try Zap: I'm a Mind Reader (#4 in the series).
January 12, 2013
My first chapter book. I read it waaaay back in the first grade and fell in love with reading. This book made me insatiable for new reading material; a problem that I still face today at 20 (and thoroughly enjoy).
January 27, 2008
My boys loved this whole series when they were beginning to read.
November 5, 2008
Was funny!!
November 29, 2008
I think that this book is funny.
November 22, 2010
In a small book there was suspence
June 30, 2012
Needed a bit more plot and substance. Kind of lacking in middle act and weaker for it. A couple more scenes would have vastly improved it but still solidly written and enjoyable.
July 12, 2012
An electric shock gives Zack the power to read minds. Um...don't try this at home!
December 10, 2020
I have read this book and thought it was electrifying.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews