Zombie Kid

Gr 4–7—Nick Carter's obsession with monsters proves advantageous after a chilling trip to Baton Rouge. When he returns from his aunt's funeral, he and best buddies Carter and Angelo realize that his new amulet has altered him. Initially, the power to hold his breath indefinitely and feel no pain seems awesome. However, the craving for human brains paired with losing a finger causes the boys to grasp that Nick is a zombie. They must find a way to break the zombie curse, which includes befriending a talking cat, listening to a deceased soul, and outsmarting the Zombie King. Savage's action-driven plot and short chapters are sure to keep readers intrigued. The authentic tween language is humorous and includes clues, allowing readers to make inferences, continually guessing what might happen next. Many readers will welcome the interesting folklore surrounding zombies and voodoo, echoing pop-culture appeal. Savage's character development is strong and the story, a blend of mystery, realistic fiction, action, and humor, will appeal to a wide variety of readers. They will love entering Nick's world.—Mary-Brook J. Townsend, The McGillis School, Salt Lake City, UT