Better Off Undead

by James Preller

Overview

After becoming undead, a boy tries to survive middle school in this quirky, smart adventure for middle grade readers from James Preller.

Adrian Lazarus has met with a curious fate. He’s returned from the dead (after a bad bike accident, no helmet), yet not a lot has changed. He’s always been an outcast.

But it’s not just being a zombie that makes Adrian feel different. He notices the world has changed, too: bees are vanishing, forest fires are burning, super-flus are spreading. The holographic advertisements in the night sky assure people that all is well. Adrian and his friends—a beekeeping boy, a mysterious new girl, and a seventh-grade sleuth—aren’t so sure.

When they discover a birdlike drone has been spying on Adrian, the clues lead two powerful corporate moguls. What do they really want? Find out in Better Off Undead, a smart and funny middle-grade novel that brings together environmental concerns, sci-fi elements, and the supernatural.

This title has Common Core connections.

Praise for Better Off Undead:

“This uproarious middle grade call to action has considerable kid appeal and a timely message.” —School Library Journal

“Against a near-future backdrop, Preller thoughtfully chronicles the anxieties of middle school, using a blend of comedy and horror to send a message of empowerment and self-acceptance.” —Publishers Weekly

“Adrian may be undead, but this is much more than a zombie tale, as it touches upon cultural issues, media control, family bonds, and environmental issues. Fans of Carl Hiassen’s Hoot will be as satisfied by this as will fans of monster books or those who appreciate stories of outcasts and coming-of-age stories. Highly recommended.” —Children's Literature


More fast-paced adventure from James Preller:
The Courage Test
The Fall

The Scary Tales series:
Home Sweet Horror
I Scream, You Scream!
Good Night, Zombie
Nightmareland
One-Eyed Doll
Swamp Monster

The Jigsaw Jones Mysteries:
The Case of the Smelly Sneaker
The Case of the Mummy Mystery
The Case of the Glow in the Dark Ghost
The Case of the Bicycle Bandit
The Case from Outer Space
The Case of the Best Pet Ever
The Case of the Buried Treasure
The Case of the Million-Dollar Mystery
The Case of the Disappearing Dinosaur

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250179050
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	08/07/2018
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.19(w) x 7.65(h) x 0.69(d)
Lexile:	660L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

James Preller is the author of numerous books, including the acclaimed novels The Courage Test, The Fall, Bystander, and Six Innings, and the Scary Tales series and Jigsaw Jones Mysteries. He travels throughout the country visiting schools and book festivals. He lives in Delmar, New York, with his wife and their children.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Better Off Undead:

“This uproarious middle grade call to action has considerable kid appeal and a timely message.” —School Library Journal

“Against a near-future backdrop, Preller thoughtfully chronicles the anxieties of middle school, using a blend of comedy and horror to send a message of empowerment and self-acceptance.” —Publishers Weekly

“Adrian may be undead, but this is much more than a zombie tale, as it touches upon cultural issues, media control, family bonds, and environmental issues. Fans of Carl Hiassen’s Hoot will be as satisfied by this as will fans of monster books or those who appreciate stories of outcasts and coming-of-age stories. Highly recommended.” —Children's Literature

Praise for The Courage Test:

"Preller stirs doses of American history into a first-rate road trip that does traditional double-duty as plot device and coming-of-age metaphor. . . . Despite the many plot threads, the story never seems overstuffed or weighed down by agendas. . . . Additionally, not only does the author slip cogent historical facts and insights into his simply told narrative without disturbing its flow, he offers more detail, plus sources of information, in an afterword." —Booklist, starred review

From the Publisher

09/18/2017
After a skateboarding accident leads to his death and inexplicable reanimation, Adrian Lazarus is forced to start seventh grade as a decomposing and slightly smelly zombie. In addition enduring bullying, Adrian is being watched, but he’s not sure by whom or why. Teaming up with his loyal friend Zander, no-nonsense Gia, and budding detective Talal, Adrian sets out to fend off the bullies and figure out who’s behind the surveillance. Preller (The Courage Test) takes the physical and emotional awkwardness of middle school to grisly levels as Adrian worries not about acne or voice changes, but about his nose falling off in class and his desire to “scarf up a dead squirrel from the street.” Readers will empathize with Adrian’s discomfort in his own rotting skin: “I felt... almost normal. But every time I caught a glimpse of my reflection, I instantly understood the physical revulsion that people experienced when they saw me.” Against a near-future backdrop, Preller thoughtfully chronicles the anxieties of middle school, using a blend of comedy and horror to send a message of empowerment and self-acceptance. Ages 9–13. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

08/01/2017
Gr 4–7—Adrian Lazarus is a middle school zombie, the result of an accident that left him "as undead as a toenail and not really thrilled about it." The book is similar to Paolo Bacigalupi's Zombie Baseball Beatdown; however, this cautionary tale is more than just a brain-eating gross-out. Set in the not-too-distant future when humanity is suffering from numerous self-inflicted woes, this story's villains are the Bork Brothers, owners of K & K Industries, "the richest, most powerful corporation on the planet" and also the source of much of the planet's environmental troubles. Like The Wizard of Oz, to which this book makes frequent allusions, the Bork Brothers control the world behind a curtain of extreme privacy, "pour[ing] their millions of dollars into helping certain politicians win elections." With one of the brothers dying, they attempt to kidnap Adrian, hoping to glean the secret of cheating death. Adrian foils this plot with the help of his friends, one of whom is a thinly disguised Demeter-like creature. While following these fantastic adventures, readers learn about real environmental issues, such as the vanishing of bees, with the clear message to not be a "zombie," but to instead take action to protect the planet before it is too late. VERDICT This uproarious middle grade call to action has considerable kid appeal and a timely message. A strong addition to school and public library collections.—Eileen Makoff, P.S. 90 Edna Cohen School, NY

School Library Journal