When reading a new work from Jeff Strand, I'm frequently reminded of the popular line from Forrest Gump, "My momma always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.'" Will I get something in the horror genre, something delightfully demented, strange, or even charmingly romantic like his Kumquat novel from a couple of years back. Or will I just get chocolate all over the pages of the book?
What we have with Strand's newest novel is a YA story of some high school buddies who set out to make the greatest zombie movie ever. It's a herculean task fraught with challenges, like money, casting, money, equipment breaking-down, money, romantic entanglements...oh, and did I mention money?
They are so desperate for funds they wind up going to Justin Hollow's grandmother, who turns out to be a bit of a loan shark.
the greatest zombie movie ever. was a lot of sarcastic fun and is a book that is genuinely suitable for all ages.
In some ways the book was similar to the familiar trope of "Let's put on a show," made popular by Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland back in the 30s. It's a thing, google it.
I actually had a zombie dream while reading this book, well not while actually reading the book, although if I could find a way to read while sleeping, I'd be all in favor of that.
the greatest zombie movie ever. is available now from Sourcebooks Fire in both paperback and e-book formats and recommended for grades 6-12.
Jeff Strand moved to Fairbanks, Alaska when he was six months old. He grew up in the cold, where he desperately wanted to be a cartoonist. Then he wanted to make video games. Then he wanted to write movies. Actually, he still wants to do all of those things, but for now he's quite happy writing lots of demented novels in a wide variety of genres.
Because he doesn't do cold weather anymore, he lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife and a deaf cat.
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