More Deadly Bookends

I've posted before some bookends on the site, and now I have found a few more. Since I made a nice personal library area in my house I have been curious to see what is out there for me to add to my zombie shelf. Here are some favorites. 

The Creepy Half Zombie Half Skull Bookends is both eye catching as a sculpture or holding your books from toppling over.  

Although no longer available, Bookworm Bookends are the ideal "head in a book" that is quirky if you are looking for less spook.

Classic Walking Dead fan? Keep your pride with in the undead with these grotesque hands crawling up your books and lending a hand (heehee). 

Etsy always has the best items and this Zombie Prayer Hands will just set off the nonbelievers of the zombie apocalypse. 

Monday Mention: Zombie Elementary: The Real Story

Zombie Elementary: The Real Story
by Howard Whitehouse

Larry Mullet is your typical fourth grader. He's not the biggest kid or the smartest kid or the best looking kid. He rides his bike, plays baseball, takes the school bus, avoids cafeteria food, and--oh yeah, he's a zombie hunting expert. Larry was just doing his usual thing when Alex Bates from Ms Hoag's class tried to eat him. Sadly, that was only the beginning. - Goodreads

While being cute and easy to read for most kids, this story could have used a bit more zombie dialogue than the redundancy of "BRAAAAIIINS" and "AAAAAARGNNNNNN". I did enjoy how the story was set up. Larry is doing a Tell All file to a buddy named Kyle about zombies coming to school, how they got rid of them, and how no adults really seemed to take notice. I enjoyed a character called Chucky and his Grandma since they were kooky and all hillbilly. There was just enough gore like heads being hit off bodies and missing legs but no blood or guts type of gore. It was good for what type of audience this is intended for. I just had such struggles with that redundant zombie noise and how Larry kept trying to explain metaphors or ask if something was a word. It was like the author was trying too hard. 

The research, aka movie watching, Larry was doing seemed like content beyond his age and too mature to watch alone. As much as I love zombie flicks, kids should not watch 28 Days Later or WWZ, Resident Evil or Shaun of the Dead.
I thought the layout of the book worked great with a back and forth narrating to a script like dialogue by Larry and the interviewer. Also "Zombie Tips" are thrown through out the book which are both zany and helpful.

2 out of 5 monkey brains

Photo a Day Challenge rantings

I follow this sweet YA blog called Forever Young Adult on all types of social media and visit their site daily. They some times have these photo a day challenges and it just happens they are having another one for the month of October. All book/Fall/Halloween related.

WTF does this have to do with zombies? Well I will be participating in it with my instagram ZD account @dearzombiediaries and that will be linked to my twitter @ZombieDiaries3 so if you want to follow along and do so, please do. I'm going to try and do everything related to zombies as much as I can while keeping true to me...but just the zombie side of me. I do have a life beyond zombies people!!!! SORRY NOT SORRY.  
And since this is a zombie blog where I started off with reading books and doing reviews, seems like this challenge fits into what I am trying to accomplish. 
Maybe in the future I could create a challenge. 

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. 

Monday Mention: Good Night, Zombie (Scary Tales #3)

Good Night, Zombie (Scary Tales #3)

by James Preller, Iacopo Bruno (Illustrations)

Welcome. Have a seat. Ignore the shambling undead outside. Let us tell you a story. But be warned. Good Night, Zombie isn’t just any tale. This is a Scary Tale. - Goodreads

For young children this tale has such a spooky feel to it. Any school after hours always feels strange and scary with the dark, quiet halls. Now throw in an old man spouting tales about curses and phrasing like "They are coming" and no one will feel comfortable. These three unknown children end up creating a bond as they go through an evening of black crows and zombies surrounding the school, a creepy old janitor they have never seen before, and a having their memory wiped of it. With little character build but a fast moving plot, this little tale would have been great until the very end where it got cheesy and the author reiterated the experience in a closing paragraph. Besides that it was still a great read for young kids looking to be scared shitless. 

3 out of 5 monkey brains

Monday Mention: Zombie Apocalypse Survival Guide

Zombie Apocalypse Survival Guide
by Heather Dakota, Ali Castro (Illustrator)


The coiled bound book is designated into 3 parts: one explaining the zombie virus; second, how to properly identify zombies, and a third on some skills to use in the zombie apocalypse. 

Visually intriguing with chicken scratched writing, blood spatter, pictures looking like they are taped in, this book has such an awesome appeal to it which is why I wanted to read it. Even the cool illustrations, minus the weirdly photoshopped zombies, are something to bring life to this book. It is great to see a book about something almost fictional supported by epidemic and pandemic information, actual ways to survive in the wilderness with skills such as purifying water, how to build a proper fire, edible insects and plants, even a cloud pattern guide so you know what kind of weather to watch out for on top of the walking dead. 

These are the kind of zombie books I don't mind really showing people who aren't zombie fans since it talks about survival and just common safety measures.

The cover was in one of those holographic morphing changing images that goes from this young man to the scary zombie you see at the top.

some of the art

3 out of 5 monkey brains

Monday Mention: My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish (My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish #1)

My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish (My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish #1)
by Mo O'Hara

When Tom’s big brother decides to become an Evil Scientist, his first experiment involves dunking Frankie the goldfish into toxic green gunk. Tom knows that there is only one thing to do: Zap the fish with a battery and bring him back to life! But there’s something weird about the new Frankie. He’s now a BIG FAT ZOMBIE GOLDFISH with hypnotic powers . . . and he’s out for revenge! - Goodreads

Really this is a juvenile book and it can be read in a day. And if you like reading about fish to your kids or students...well think again.

SO won't be reading the rest of the series. I understand the novel is for elementary kids (I work in a library), and I have no problems checking out what kids are reading, but I really won't be recommending this to anyone. I found too many things that irked me and normally I can move past those and still see a cute read, but not in this one. 
First this book is really like 2 small books into one. That threw me off but I did enjoy the second part better....If I had to choose. 

Second, the word "moron" was overly used which made me feel like I was being verbally abused and that is basically what the older brother(s) were doing to the main character and his friend on top of being dickhole older siblings. Plus be creative with your wording. Repetition makes for a really dull read, even if it is a kids' book.

Third, this "zombie" might be one of the worst zombie concepts I have come across and I have read a lot of smack out there. The zombie goldfish was atleast dead at one point and like Frankensteined back to life BUT basically the fish liked moldy green things to eat, could hypnotize people, and understood humans and was personified quite a lot. Other than the moldy eating and having died at one time, I don't know how this was a zombie.....And why he was called fat. NO FAT SHAMING!
The main character also did too much of explaining himself after he did something. Example, he high-fived his friend and then explained why he thought it was a good time to high-five. Pretty sure those things shouldn't need explaining. What was cute was the misunderstanding of words like perpetrator he thought was PURPLE-TRAITOR. Adorbs! I did enjoy the second story since it was less...mean, I guess. Not too many "moron"s but still overly used. 
No kid besides those in like grade 4 or below should read this so it makes me sad I have seen grade 5 and 6 students take this out and I know their reading levels are higher. This novel doesn't challenge them enough. 

Done rant. 

2 out of 5 monkey brains

Deadly bookends

STABle bookends

 Books flopping about your shelf? Yelling at them to stay in place not working? Doesn't work on my imaginary dog either (I'm a lonely creature). For those zombrarians, we need a place to showcase our knowledge with a little edge. Support your best zombie how-tos, zomromcoms, and other zomlit with two more bookends. (Other option here).
Zombie Survial Guide Books Knives Stand Bookend will hold your books while looking sharp.         Get it?

Want something more FLATtering? I'll stop.

 Zombie bookends from ThinkGeek are pressed out of steel and made to look like they are being a friend by holding your stuff at just the right angle. I think I want these ones. 

How would you showcase your collection?

NEW JOB!!

Exciting news!!! I switched to another school to work in the library! As much as I loved the kids at my one school (I work at 2), I just couldn't give up the chance to work closer to home. Taking the bus is a pain ( I support Public Transit!!) so being on a shorter route makes me less likely to pout. OH YA! I just did that. 
Now I have a whole new crew of kids and staff to infect with zombie love. I've already boosted my one school from having 7 zombie book to 29. I'm making a difference!!! MWAHAHA ....er...I mean....go me. If it gets kid reading, then I am happy.

Summer Bummer

Hey folks! Summer has a arrived and with that comes exciting things in my life. First off, I'm done work for the summer!!! haaha SUCKERS! I'm going to read so much zombie books and work real hard on putting more materials together for my blog. 
I'll also be moving. Yes apartment life has its faults of lots of people easily turned into zombies and coming after me. I'm heading to a house where I can properly build my arsenal and fallout shelter complete with private library (I love my books okay?).

With this transition will come no postings on Zombie Diaries for atleast a week, maybe even two. I know....bummer! During this time I hope you're out frolicking in the sun, sipping on a cold one, and practicing your zombie drills but as soon as I post again YOUR ASS IS MINE. You better bow down and become addicted to the internet with me being your ruler!! MWHAHAHA!!

(This plays for a long time.....)


Till we meet again....

Gingerbread Zombies

NOM NOM!! Who is hungry for some cookie brains? And what better way to do so than to create some zombie cookies of your own. Library Makers, a US Madison Public Library blog showing less traditional programs they offer, created a craft  lab where patrons frosted gingerbread or sugar cookie people into zombilicious treats.

It appeared patrons not only enjoyed eating their creations but also making a huge mess while doing so.

Kudos to incorporating the love of the library and zombies Madison Public Library.

A Zombie Comic

DeviantArt artist Splapp-me-do created Zombie Kitchen , a one page strip where the subject was to be zombies. Nice to see libraries are useful for snatching up food. Seems like a place to avoid according to this comic.*

*ZD does not condone or approve of avoiding libraries. While we are fans of zombies, they aren't real yet so don't be afraid of being in the library stacks.

Zombiekins

Zombiekins 

by Kevin Bolger (Goodreads Author)

Zombiekins is about a stuffed toy zombie that Stanley purchased from the creepy Widow in Dementedyville (wicked name). He fails to listen to her advice in reading the instructions and later that night zombiekins comes to life. It goes to Stanley's school and starts wreaking havoc. Will he be able to save his classmates from becoming undead? 

When I saw this book in my work's library I just had to read it. I wanted to see what type of zombie shenanigans children were getting themselves into.

 

I found the 208 paged novel hilariously cute. There was sneaky little details here and there that I don't know if some kids would pick up on. There was play on words with some names such as Marsha Mellow and Jacques Straap (THE best).  

SOS

 


Also, pictures helped tell the story that you may not have noticed with words alone, like the fact the Widow was also the cat. 

purposely placed repetition humor

The art work was great in accompanying the story line with it's hints of humor emerged into it such as worms holding an SOS sign and "BRAINS!" being written on a cast. Also, descriptions were repeated as dialogue adding humor without being dumb.

Zombiekins was just enough cuteness, humor and mystery for all ages to enjoy.

4 out of 5 monkey brains

 
See the intro of the book below:

A Zombie in the Attic tee

Ript Apparel has graced us with a literary twist. This time with A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein zombiefied!! As a Library Tech, I see A Light in the Attic all the time. Been meaning to read the book of poems. For now I will just settle reading this t-shirt.