The MOST FUN BOOK your kids will read this year!! Zombies Zombies Zombies!! This book is a fun and interesting take on the zombie trope with an original twist. Regina, Joule and Oliver do the endless drills so they are prepared for zombie season. But, are you ever really ready when the zombies swarm?
The characters are fully developed with Regina (the daughter of scientists working on a weapon against the zombies), discovering a dangerous secret in the technology. Joule refuses to evacuate because her dad is still out there. Is he alive and really good at evading the zombies or has he become something else entirely? Meanwhile, Oliver has had enough of the drills and the planning and the lies that you can avoid the zombies. Lies because he has worked it out and knows the zombies are getting faster and stronger. But no one listens to kids and this zombie season could be the one the zombies win.
This book was a good read that middle graders are going to love-well written with a plot full of secrets and twists. There is angst/drama that is perfect for the target audience. The characters of Regina, Joule, and Oliver are written as ‘real’ kids so readers will relate to at least one of them. The science parts were believable and the zombies were awesome; why are there zombies? what happens if a zombie ‘gets’ you? The secrets and sneaky stuff will blow your reader away! The best part is the QR CODE included in the book that invites readers online to join ZOMBIE HUNTING MISSIONS!
I really enjoyed the book and my only negative is that in places it raced along ‘telling’ me the story and pulled me out of the plot, but that was minor and it is probably just my attention span. Where Zombie Season excels is that it reminded me of the 39 Clues craze from a few years ago-with so many tie ins and activities to draw even reluctant readers into the excitement and then keep them reading. There is a reason this book is blowing up and you are hearing about it everywhere!
Very well done and 4 stars. I was given a copy to read before it was released (thank you, Scholastic! #ZombieSeason #NetGalley) and I highly recommend you get this book for your middle grader. FIGHT THE UNDEAD!!