by K G Campbell (Author)
What's worse than discovering you have a zombie problem? Imagine acquiring four more undead tag-alongs. . . . From the acclaimed illustrator of Flora & Ulysses comes the second book in the Zombie Problems trilogy, heralded as reminiscent of Roald Dahl in uniting the macabre with realism.
When a zombie followed August DuPont home one day, he didn't expect her to stick around. But Claudette is in no hurry to leave August's side. And when he decides to go to Croissant City in search of the elusive Zombie Stone, Claudette joins him. It's a good thing she does, because no sooner had August set out than a mysterious white alligator began to follow him. Reptiles aren't the only creatures to look out for, though. When August is reunited with his dour cousins the Malveaus, and their menacing mother, Orchid, finding the stone before they do takes on a new urgency.
Throw in a swamp doctor, a costume parade, a pop star, a séance, a band of smugglers, and four new zombies, and you'd better believe that August's quest is only going to get more complicated.
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Gr 4-7--After the adventures of the first book, August is still a lonely boy with an unfortunate habit of attracting zombies. His attempt to retrieve the zombie stone leads him to adventures in a thinly disguised fictional New Orleans. There he encounters many fantastical characters, and of course more zombies. Despite the zombie premise, this book is more goofy than macabre with wacky shenanigans and over-the-top characters to appeal to fans of stories that mix reality and fantasy like Trenton Lee Stewart's "The Mysterious Benedict Society" or Tom Angleberger's "Origami Yoda." The main character is genuinely likable, but he shows less character growth than in the first volume. All of the main and most of the secondary characters appear to be white. The plot is fairly fast paced, with a few points where it drags. This may not be worth adding at smaller libraries if the first didn't circulate, but would be a good choice for medium or large libraries. VERDICT For those readers who have already enjoyed the first installment, this is a solid sequel that mixes fun, horror elements, and incredible adventures.--Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK
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