Any Fin is Possible

Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 31, 2016

Review

This is Walking Dead, or should I say, Swimming Dead for grades 3-5, told with an abundance of laughs and "horror" that the target audience will very much appreciate. And there is absolutely no gross zombie violence, only zombie humor. There are two stories for the price of one here. In "Curse of the Cat King" Tom & his friend Pradeep, & their zombie goldfish Frankie go to the museum for the History Museum sleepover. But their evil scientist brothers are out to wreak havoc on the museum and destroy the Egyptian exhibit. The boys, with the help of Frankie, dodge mummified kittens and risk being cursed by the Cat King. In the second story, "Sports Day", the boys and Frankie continue to do battle with Tom's evil scientist older brother Mark. This time they have to deal with Mark's vampire kitten Fang. Mark and Fang are out to steal the gold. There are lots of black and white illustrations peppered throughout the book. They are cartoonishly funny, but they don't really add anything new to the flow or understanding of the story. They represent particular aspects of the story. This is a funny, fantasy adventure story, with a dab of mystery, sarcasm and nefarious deeds. This is a perfect read for boys and girls who love silly zombie stories. And it is particularly good for reluctant boy readers. This series would be good for those readers who are having a hard time breaking away from reading anything but graphic novels, yet their parents/teachers want them to. This series has the feel of some graphic novels, full of humor and zaniness. Best for grades 3-5. Give to fans of "Dragonbreath" by Ursula Vernon, "Dr. Roach's Monstrous Stories" by Paul Harrison, or "Weenies" series by David Lubar.

Overall Book Score: very good