Book Review: 'Rise of Zombert' by Kara LaReau

✰✰✰½ Mellie and Danny are two best friends in the fourth grade. Mellie's parents believe in free-range parenting, which gives Mellie lots of time to hang with Danny as he films his next horror flick. On one of the filming days, Mellie discovers a weak, bedraggled cat in a bin behind the YummCo Foods factory. The cat is so pathetic, she takes him home and names him Bert. 

Wanting to be a good pet owner, Mellie reads up on cat behavior and is worried when Bert refuses to eat the expensive YummCo cat food she bought. Soon she's in for a surprise when Bert starts bringing her 'presents' in the form of decapitated creatures. The more creatures he presents, the better he begins to look. Mellie and Danny wonder what's going on. Is Bert feeding off the brains? Where does Bert go when he disappears? Is he actually a zombie cat? There's plenty of mystery to solve in this first book of The Zombert Chronicles.

The Bottom Line: This quick read is told from multiple points of view, including from the cat's point of view, which is really interesting. With two best friends and a mysterious cat, this book focuses on friendship, bullying, family issues, and caring for a pet. This is the first installment of a new series, and while not for squeamish readers, young fans of horror and mystery will appreciate the creepy vibe and want to know what happens in the next installment.

Details: Rise of Zombert written by Kara LaReau & illustrated by Ryan Andrews. Advance Reading Copy published by Candlewick Press in 2020. 144 p. ISBN: 978-1-5362-0106-2 [NOTE: I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible via the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing. Also, some interior images were not final at the time I did this review.]