D. R. Martin

A zombie story for kids - can that work? It can with this latest installment in the Johnny Graphic series. Johnny is twelve and three quarters, working as a news photographer and able to see ghosts - which makes him destined to get in supernatural trouble. This time, he and his friends are up against some ghastly 'bog zombies' - corpses reanimated by being inhabited by ghosts.

I was somewhat reminded of Tin Tin and his adventures, but the classic comic series has more humor, while Johnny Graphic is darker. I'm not sure each scene in this book is really suitable for young readers, while on the other hand I doubt whether the classic writing style will appeal to all.

The plot was helped along by several convenient coincidences, which you sometimes find in children's books and which usually is ok, but may find adults roll their eyes. The dialogues sounded comically formal and cumbersome - which is how I'd imagine some snotty aristocrats and their butlers to express themselves rather than a young adventurer such as Johnny. Exclamations like "Holy Maroley" sound cute but definitely also weird.

This is an interesting alternative to the usual children's fantasy stuff out there, but you really have to adjust to its unusual antiquated style. No way to know but to give it a try.

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)