Review: Entertaining Story with Humor, Suspense, Zombies, and Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 18, 2014
“My Dad is a Zombie” is a zombie novel that takes out the gore and horror and instead focuses on a younger audience, with a nice blend of humor, suspense, and even romance.Liam is a good kid—his head is on straight, he’s business-minded, and he’s in love with his best friend, Lupe. When his dad buys him an actual dump truck for his first car, Liam knows something is off, and others in his town are acting very strange as well. It gets stranger, though…one night when Liam is lying in bed, a mysterious tunnel opens before him, and one of his Power Animals and guides (Koala) appears. It turns out that the strange video game Liam bought at a swap meet—Golden DNA Activation Warrior—is more than just entertainment; it can help him use his brain at full capacity and develop powers. Soon Liam is training with his Power Animals to learn how to overcome his own fears—and defeat the zombie invasion to save his father, Lupe’s parents, and the rest of the town.“My Dad is a Zombie” made me laugh out loud several times—from the reality TV curriculum with units based on Survivor and the Kardashians to the zombies’ propensity to lose body parts. Younger readers will also enjoy the different Power Animals, from Koala the teacher to Brown Bear the healer to Panda the warrior; I liked how they all had different strengths and worked with Liam to bring out his own individual talents. Additionally, Liam is wholesome character—he’s not an angsty teenager, and instead is kind, brave, and devoted to his friends and family—and that’s a refreshing change. I also liked how Lupe joined in on the action to find her own weakness and overcome it; she’s more than just his love interest. There’s plenty of action to hold your attention, as well—from the Land of the Dead and imprisoned souls to the Lost City of Incas, Liam must rely on his intelligence and integrity to save himself and Lemon Grove.Recommended to readers who would enjoy a lighter-hearted zombie adventure novel with fantasy, humor, and an endearing main character--reads with a similar feel include the Wayside School series and the My Teacher is an Alien series.