Zengo and O`Malley`s Rookie Rules

ZENGO AND O’MALLEY’S
ROOKIE RULES
activity
kit
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Zengo and O’Malley’s Rookie Rules
activity kit
Rule #1:
Know Your City
“We stay focused on
the city, listen to
its sounds, smell its
smells, feel its pulse.”
—Detective Corey O’Malley
In order to be a top-notch platypus detective, you need to be the eyes and ears of your city, knowing its
people and being aware of what’s happening at all times. If something looks fishy, it probably is, and it’s
your job to be on the scene. You need to use your instincts and always be one step ahead of the game.
Practice learning the facts by cutting out, studying, and sharing these trading cards featuring some of
Kalamazoo City’s finest citizens. Take turns quizzing your friends and make sure you know who’s who—
your next suspect could be lurking among them.
Name: Detective Rick Zengo
Name: Detective Corey O’Malley
Name: Frank Pandini Jr.
Name: Professor William Hopkins
Occupation: Newest member
of the PPS
Occupation: Twenty-year
veteran of the PPS
Occupation: Owner of
Pandini Enterprises
Occupation: English teacher at
Kal East High School
Charge: A little too eager
to take down the bad guys
Charge: Has a weakness for
sweets—especially root beer floats
Charge: Has his paws in many
honey pots— too many?
Charge: Popular teacher gone bad?
Name: Blake Cameron
Name: Vanessa O’Malley
Name: Shawn Freeman
Name: Sergeant Plazinski
Occupation: Star quarterback
at Kal East High School
Occupation: Eldest child of Corey
O’Malley; head cheerleader at Kal
East High School
Occupation: Student at Kal East
High School
Occupation: The top platypus
on the PPS
Charge: His dad is getting put out
of business by the illegal fish trade
Charge: Any trouble on the squad
gets his bill boiling
Charge: Coolest kid in school,
but can’t pass English class
Charge: Sometimes girls just
want to have a little fun
Safety Note: Young rookies should always ask a grown platypus for help when using scissors.
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Zengo and O’Malley’s Rookie Rules
activity kit
“Detective work is
all about keeping
your bill to the
ground.”
Rule #2:
Collect the Clues
—Detective Corey O’Malley
Every good platypus detective knows that one of the first steps to solving a crime is to get to the scene as
soon as possible and round up the evidence, all while keeping a low profile. Your job as the new guy or
gal is to collect any items (including stinky illegal fish—sorry, rookie!) that look suspicious and figure
out how they relate to your case.
Let’s see how well YOU can pick out potential evidence. Decipher your crime scene—
the cryptogram below—by replacing each number with the corresponding letter in the key
to uncover the evidence that Zengo and O’Malley find.
Key: A B C D
19
7
F
G H
I
J
K
2
5
17
L M N O
11 26
4
16 24 12
F
1.
13
21
13
3.
1
8
5
Q R
S
T
U
V W X
Y
Z
6
18 25 23
3
21 10 14 15
9
22
2
24
S
7
17
8
S
26
P
A
R
2.
10
2
5
5
26
23
2
25’
24
26
2
1
E
6
16
26
1
23’
23
4
19
20
16
3
P
4.
1
19
M
16
26
T
5.
19
1
5
25
8
12
6
3
25
20
2
26
F
19
T
7.
2
23
11
3
26
25
7
8
16
23
8
11
C
2
25
A
23
7
E
12
25
11
C
O
11
6.
20 13
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19
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13
8
14
9
17
25
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26
21
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2
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8.
6
8
9.
3
8
11
6
11
23
M
O
6
19
1
2
2
23
23
19
17
2
23
Answers: 1: duffel bag of fish; 2: driver’s license; 3: Hopkins’s jacket; 4: napkin from Bamboo; 5: ATM receipt; 6: fresh tire tracks; 7: shadowy figure; 8: photographs; 9: phone messages
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Zengo and O’Malley’s Rookie Rules
activity kit
“You’ve got to be
patient. You can’t just
go into a situation all
boomerangs a-blazing.
You need a plan.”
Rule #3:
Evaluate the Evidence
—Detective Corey O’Malley
Another critical part of a platypus detective’s job is to line up the facts, piece together the clues, and
attempt to make sense of the crime, all while being careful not to ruffle any feathers (or fur). You have
to pause to consider all the factors involved in the case before jumping to conclusions—a classic rookie
mistake. Put your thinking bills on and your sleuthing skills to the test with this platypus puzzler.
1
(Hint: the answers are all
characters, places, and
words used in the book.)
2
ACROSS
1. O ne of the five species
of monotremes
2. A rtificial, resembling the
real thing
5. A secret plan or agreement
7. Item carried by the PPS
8. Mess with the evidence
9. Name for a new detective
10. O’Malley’s first name
11. Experienced, long-serving
14. The frog who went missing
17. Extensive questioning
P
S
3
4
5
N
6
8
7
B
T
9
10
11
13
14
15
12
R
N
16
17
18
I
R
F
DOWN
1. The panda with an agenda
3. S ome types of this can
be illegal
4. T he hottest club in
Kalamazoo City
5. B eing held by the police
6. Top ranking officer on
the PPS
12. Zengo’s first name
13. Favorite drink of Zengo
and O’Malley
15. Kal East High School mascot
16. S omeone who provides
evidence after seeing
something
18. The gym in Kalamazoo City
1 Down: Pandini; 3 Down: fish; 4 Down: Bamboo; 5 Down: custody; 6 Down: sergeant; 12 Down: Rick; 13 Down: root
beer float; 15 Down: pirate; 16 Down: witness; 18 Down: Roar
1 Across: platypus; 2 Across: synthetic; 5 Across: conspiracy; 7 Across: boomerang; 8 Across: tamper; 9 Across:
rookie; 10 Across: Corey; 11 Across: veteran; 14 Across: Hopkins; 17 Across: interrogation
Answers:
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Zengo and O’Malley’s Rookie Rules
activity kit
Rule #4:
Earn Your Badge
“That was some of the
best detective work I’ve
seen out of this unit in
years. You should both be
proud of yourselves.”
—Sergeant Plazinski
Being a rookie on the Platypus Police Squad requires hard work, dedication, and determination. It’s not
easy and you’re going to get your bill dirty, but you have to show the top platypuses that you have the
skills to be a good detective. If you’ve solved the puzzles in this activity kit, then we salute you—you’re
ready to take on the big fins. Color, cut out, and personalize the badge below, making sure to write your
name in the middle so the citizens of Kalamazoo City know who to call when trouble strikes. Use a piece
of tape to affix it to your shirt. Wear your badge proudly—you’ve earned it!
Safety Note: Young rookies should always ask a
grown platypus for help when using scissors.
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Art © 2013 by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
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