Zombie Blondes

* Bibliographic information
James, B. Zombie Blondes. Feiwel and Friends, 2008. ISBN: 9780312373989.


* Plot Summary
Hannah and her Dad move from town to town running from her Dad’s problems. They have seen many towns but none like the one they have just moved to, Maplecrest. Everyone zones out when the high school’s cheerleaders and football team are near. Other teams fear them because of the violence they use on the field to win. On Hannah’s first day of school a strange loner boy named Lukas warns her of these perfect people and worries they will try to make her one of them because of her beauty. Hannah thinks he is joking with her when he tells her they are zombies but she cannot fight the feeling that they are different somehow. Hannah ignores her inside voice because she finally gets the chance to join their cheerleading squad and fit in; she also ignores Lukas’ pleas to stay away from them. When her Dad leaves her alone for two weeks, Hannah is welcomed with open arms into the family of perfect cheerleaders and gains a boyfriend dreams are made of. Hannah starts to wonder if it is all too perfect when she notices the other students do not look at them with awe, only fear.


* Critical Evaluation
This book is a light, easy read; great for fans of horror movies. The writing is very easy to follow and the story is not very complex, but it is entertaining. The reader will wonder the whole way through if the cheerleaders really are zombies, or if Lukas is crazy like Hannah thinks he is. This would be a great book for a reluctant reader who just wants something entertaining to read, especially if they love monsters and zombies. This would not be a good book for someone looking for a reading or thinking challenge. This book does not cover any complex issues unless the person fears their town is overrun with zombies. The words and plot are simple but many teens will like this book because of the zombie aspect to it. How many students already wonder if their school’s cheerleaders and football players are monsters?


* Reader’s Annotation
Hannah is tired of moving from town to town because of her father’s past and is happy when she finds a school where she might really fit in with the popular crowd. That is if she is okay with the possibility that they might be zombies.


* Information about the author
James lives in New York and has written many kids books in addition to several novels. He likes to read, draw, watch cartoons and sci-fi movies, and he collects toys/action figures. James wanted to be a Jedi when he grew up but of course it never happened. He has a blog at http://brianjamestheauthor.blogspot.com/.


* Genre
Teen Fiction; Horror, Zombies


* Curriculum Ties, if any
N/A


* Booktalking Ideas
1) Why do you think Hannah kept ignoring her instincts about the cheerleaders being different?
2) At the end of the book the author leaves it open, do you think Hannah’s Dad will become a zombie?
3) Talk about the townspeople, did they know about the zombies all along? If so, why did they do nothing to stop them?


* Reading Level/Interest Age
Grade 7 and Up / 14 and Up


* Challenge Issues and Defense
N/A


* Why did you include this book in your titles you selected?
This book was chosen strictly because of the title. I read the title one day when I was shelving at the library and started laughing. I thought this was one of the best titles ever so I decided I had to read it. I selected it for this blog because I really enjoyed it. The book was not educational and it did not enrich my life by teaching me any lessons or about another culture but it did entertain me. Sometimes it is great to read a book that is just fun and this one did the trick.