Zombies vs. Unicorns
Edited by Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black
Justine and Holly, the editors of this anthology, are engaged in a heated, friendly argument about which is cooler: zombies or unicorns? Justine is all about zombies; they are obviously much, much cooler. But Holly insists that beneath their glittery charm, unicorns are just as dangerous and unrelentingly cool as some people think zombies are. In between each short story — a collection of titles by authors like Scott Westerfeld, Meg Cabot, Libba Bray, and Garth Nix — Justine and Holly add their own snark to the mix, each making a case for their team. It’s up to you in the end, based on the material as it’s presented to you, to choose which side you’re on. Like most anthologies, there is a mix of quality on these pages, but in this case it’s really a matter of good vs. great.
Trapped
Michael Northrop
It started out like another average day. There was a basketball game that night and maybe a pop quiz on Friday. And even when the snow started to come down, it wasn’t really a big deal. Scotty and Pete even let Jason talk them into staying at the school after the early dismissal to work on his go-kart project in the shop classroom. Even though there wouldn’t be any late buses that day because of the weather, Jason knew that his dad would be okay with picking them all up on his way home from work later that day.
Unfortunately, no one came even close to the school later that day. Or for many of the days that followed. Scotty, Pete, Jason, and four other kids were stuck at school, during what was really truly the blizzard to beat out all blizzards. Once the power and the heat went out, the seven bundled up in whatever they had, and felt their way through the cafeteria so that they wouldn’t starve to death. They slept when they could, the saved whatever battery power they could find, and they prayed. But they knew that no one could save their lives.
Recommended for all middle school and high school readers looking for an adventure and ultimate survival story.
Yummy : The last days of a Southside shorty
G. Neri, illustrated by Randy DuBurke
Yummy is thirteen and already drawn into the gang lifestyle of Chicago. He was raised by a no-nonsense grandmother, but he was always getting kicked out or running off, and he found solace and a sense of something bigger and better with the Black Disciples. In an attempt to make a name for himself, he busted in on a group of rivals with a gun in his hand, but his inexperience led to an innocent classmate’s death. And it put Yummy on the run. The Black Disciples protected him until it became too much — to much attention, pressure, and simple annoyance. Recommended to all ages; the content is perfect fodder for discussion.
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Katherine Vasilik, A/YA Librarian
J. F. Kennedy Library
Piscataway, NJ
telephone: 732-463-1633 x6
email: kvasilik@piscatawaylibrary.org or kate_thelibrarian@yahoo.com
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