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Zombie Tag
Wil is desperate for his older brother to come back from the dead. But the thing about zombies is . . they don't exactly make the best siblings.
Thirteen-year-old Wil Lowenstein copes with his brother's death by focusing on Zombie Tag, a mafia/capture the flag hybrid game where he and his friends fight off brain-eating zombies with their mothers' spatulas. What Wil doesn't tell anybody is that if he could bring his dead brother back as a zombie, he would in a heartbeat. But when Wil finds a way to summon all the dead within five miles, he's surprised to discover that his back-from-the-dead brother is emotionless and distant.
In her first novel for younger readers, Moskowitz offers a funny and heartfelt look at how one boy deals with change, loss, and the complicated relationship between brothers.
Thirteen-year-old Wil Lowenstein copes with his brother's death by focusing on Zombie Tag, a mafia/capture the flag hybrid game where he and his friends fight off brain-eating zombies with their mothers' spatulas. What Wil doesn't tell anybody is that if he could bring his dead brother back as a zombie, he would in a heartbeat. But when Wil finds a way to summon all the dead within five miles, he's surprised to discover that his back-from-the-dead brother is emotionless and distant.
In her first novel for younger readers, Moskowitz offers a funny and heartfelt look at how one boy deals with change, loss, and the complicated relationship between brothers.
227 pages, Hardcover
First published December 20, 2011
16 people are currently reading
792 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Moskowitz
26 books1,863 followersHannah Moskowitz wrote her first story, about a kitten named Lilly on the run from cat hunters, for a contest when she was seven years old. It was disqualified for violence. Her first book, BREAK, was on the ALA's 2010 list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, and in 2013, GONE, GONE, GONE received a Stonewall Honor. 2015's NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED was named the YA Bisexual Book of the Year. SICK KIDS IN LOVE was a Sydney Taylor Honoree, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and one of both Kirkus and Tablet Magazine's Best Books of the year. She lives in Maryland with several cats, none of whom are violent.
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February 3, 2011I wrote this book. It isn't a true story.
January 5, 2012
I feel strange reviewing this because part of I really enjoyed about this book was how it exceeded my expectations. I was expecting a middle school book that would feel a little too young to me, like a children's version of Shaun of the Dead, and I got something so much better.
I have meaning to read a Hannah Moskowitz book for awhile, but you know how it is, piles of books everywhere and you swear you won't buy any new ones until you finish half of them. Anyway, I was in for a lot of mindless filing at work this week so I downloaded some audiobooks. This was the only itunes audio book written by Hannah so I went with it.
Wil Lowenstein is a thirteen year old boy whose brother died a few months ago. Since his death Wil has been even more obsessed with zombies than he was before. You see, in Wil's world zombies are real. Thirty years ago a bunch of bodies were found above ground. They'd apparently come back to live, lived amongst themselves for awhile, and then died all over again. Wil reads everything he can about zombies and he and his friends are obsessed with a game called Zombie Tag, which Wil invented with his older and now deceased brother, Graham.
I found myself smiling a lot at the game of Zombie Tag. I remember a time in my childhood when we made up games, when the rules were that sacred. Moskowitz managed to revive a thousand childhood memories for me without ever making anything about Wil Lowenstein cliché. She caught that period between childhood and young adulthood perfectly and then she managed to link it to her reader's experiences all while making it look enviably natural and easy. This is not something every writer can do. I know. I've read a lot of books that were desperate to make this sort of connection just never managed to do it.
Anyway, when an opportunity arises to bring back the dead, Wil seizes it. He brings Graham back, but Graham is not the same and might never be again. Wil struggles to bring his brother all the way back, reliving memories both with him and alone, pushing him verbally and physically, all with a little voice in the back of his head saying maybe this isn't something he can fix. He struggles to understand why, for the first time, his needs and Graham's needs are no longer the same.
The book had such a surprisingly deep message about loss, grief, and acceptance. It was similar to A Monster Calls, but it's still so different that I shouldn't even really compare them. I think A Monster Calls is the book you give a person after they've lost someone and Zombie Tag might be the one you give a child before that -- like when they're trying to understand someone else's loss. It's a good introduction to the complexity of death and grief.
I have meaning to read a Hannah Moskowitz book for awhile, but you know how it is, piles of books everywhere and you swear you won't buy any new ones until you finish half of them. Anyway, I was in for a lot of mindless filing at work this week so I downloaded some audiobooks. This was the only itunes audio book written by Hannah so I went with it.
Wil Lowenstein is a thirteen year old boy whose brother died a few months ago. Since his death Wil has been even more obsessed with zombies than he was before. You see, in Wil's world zombies are real. Thirty years ago a bunch of bodies were found above ground. They'd apparently come back to live, lived amongst themselves for awhile, and then died all over again. Wil reads everything he can about zombies and he and his friends are obsessed with a game called Zombie Tag, which Wil invented with his older and now deceased brother, Graham.
I found myself smiling a lot at the game of Zombie Tag. I remember a time in my childhood when we made up games, when the rules were that sacred. Moskowitz managed to revive a thousand childhood memories for me without ever making anything about Wil Lowenstein cliché. She caught that period between childhood and young adulthood perfectly and then she managed to link it to her reader's experiences all while making it look enviably natural and easy. This is not something every writer can do. I know. I've read a lot of books that were desperate to make this sort of connection just never managed to do it.
Anyway, when an opportunity arises to bring back the dead, Wil seizes it. He brings Graham back, but Graham is not the same and might never be again. Wil struggles to bring his brother all the way back, reliving memories both with him and alone, pushing him verbally and physically, all with a little voice in the back of his head saying maybe this isn't something he can fix. He struggles to understand why, for the first time, his needs and Graham's needs are no longer the same.
The book had such a surprisingly deep message about loss, grief, and acceptance. It was similar to A Monster Calls, but it's still so different that I shouldn't even really compare them. I think A Monster Calls is the book you give a person after they've lost someone and Zombie Tag might be the one you give a child before that -- like when they're trying to understand someone else's loss. It's a good introduction to the complexity of death and grief.
December 28, 2011
WARNING: "Zombie Tag" is not what you would expect from the blurb. I think this is part of the reason why I felt - not ambivalent, but ocnflicted about ZT for a long time while reading it. The plot - particularly ZOMBIES!!!!! - might lead you to think that this is a very plot-driven, ass-kicking, MG adventure story. It isn't. It's a surprisingly dark, quiet, character-focused book about coping with grief, loss and understanding death. I should also warn you that this is one of my more biased reviews as I am Hannah Moskowitz's "biggest fan" (said in the appropriate note of Kathy Bates creepiness, naturally) and have read her YA novels, "Invincible Summer" and "Break", approximately 40 million billion times. Also, I know very little about MG. Aside from Judy Blume and Harry Potter, I have very little experience and/or memory of middle grade, so I'm not sure if I am judging by entirely the wrong 'standards.'
One of the things I love about H.M.'s novels is how she addresses things in a way you would never expect, approaching them with a unique point of view and originality that never fails to feel like an amazing gust of bracing fresh air, such as the creepy-close sibling relationships in "Invincible Summer" or the slant on self-harm in "Break" (don't worry, concerned parents, "Zombie Tag" is nowhere near as dark as either of them). The literariness of "Zombie Tag", particularly the largely introverted, thoughtful tone were completely unexpected from the zombie genre. I appreciated it a lot, but it did leave the novel feeling a little anticlimactic. Also, the Key (see what I did there? I know, I'm impressed with myself too) to "Zombie Tag" is sympathising with Wil, the protaganist. Though he was sympathetic, I felt an itchy sense of déjà vu permeating my reading of ZT. Though I doubt 98% of her readers will have read her two previous novels, Wil is quite similar to Jonah from "Break" and Graham and Wil's relationship, in particular, are very similar to Noah and Chase's - Wil could almost be the mishmash of Chase and Jonah, toned down to make him a more palatable hero to the MG crowd. Like Chase, he's pathologically afraid of growing up and both worships and resents his older brother, Graham, at the same time; like Jonah, he's intense, a worrier and determined to do what he views as right. I feel uneasy writing this down because it would probably only impact on someone like me, who had read H.M.'s previous books about a thousand times, which would be a relatively small percentage of ZT readers. Still, the nagging similarities - even in voice; although Wil doesn't swear like either Chase or particularly Jonah, words like "drip" and "Christ", to an older reader like myself, stood out as just being toned-down swearword surrogates. It tempered the entire feeling of freewheeling originality her books usually give me.
Still, there is so much to admire in ZT. First and foremost: depth and maturity, but still presented in a way to make it all extremely accessible. Although the Lowensteins are obviously Jewish, death in ZT is free of religion - no fluffy-clouds afterlife here. It's agonisingly, incredibly dark in places; this is a world where death is traumatic, unbelievably painful and forever, even if you do come back as a zombie. Parents might bristle at H.M.'s almost unbearably sucker-punch description of it, but trust me - MGers know that's a possibility, even if they wish they didn't. My grandfather died very suddenly when I was thirteen and an afterlife like the one in ZT was on my mind a lot then. I felt like crying with the simple horror that H.M. evoked. That's some powerful writing. Though the supporting characters are mostly flat, they are still endearing and loveable, particularly Stella and Eben. Zombie Tag is a fantastic game, and H.M. gives a real sense of the visceral fun of child's play in the book, with the game of Tag at the end being my favourite.
As I said above, I don't know much about MG. But despite knowing that MG is known for its simple-yet-intricate plotting, I couldn't help but be slightly taken out by irritation at how obvious some of the parallels were, particularly between Wil's flashbacks of Graham and Wil's struggles with Graham in real time. Still, H.M. always manages to surprise me in every book. Yes, really. What I love about her twists is how organic they are - complete game changers but at the same time, totally natural within the story. I also loved the hanging thread of what happened to a certain parent, because I love little sprinkles of ambiguity and it was a really nice change of pace. The best thing about "Zombie Tag" is again definitely its emotional evocation, which is so real, so deeply felt and complicated that H.M.'s writing was wonderfully delicate. Older readers especially might be surprised by Graham who, despite very much being the trope of the 'aloof big brother', is much more, too. Hidden depths and an emotional gut punch: I wouldn't expect anything less. No, not from a MG, either. This is a hard book, but it's also a gentle, adorable, upsetting, humorous and fast-paced read.
One of the things I love about H.M.'s novels is how she addresses things in a way you would never expect, approaching them with a unique point of view and originality that never fails to feel like an amazing gust of bracing fresh air, such as the creepy-close sibling relationships in "Invincible Summer" or the slant on self-harm in "Break" (don't worry, concerned parents, "Zombie Tag" is nowhere near as dark as either of them). The literariness of "Zombie Tag", particularly the largely introverted, thoughtful tone were completely unexpected from the zombie genre. I appreciated it a lot, but it did leave the novel feeling a little anticlimactic. Also, the Key (see what I did there? I know, I'm impressed with myself too) to "Zombie Tag" is sympathising with Wil, the protaganist. Though he was sympathetic, I felt an itchy sense of déjà vu permeating my reading of ZT. Though I doubt 98% of her readers will have read her two previous novels, Wil is quite similar to Jonah from "Break" and Graham and Wil's relationship, in particular, are very similar to Noah and Chase's - Wil could almost be the mishmash of Chase and Jonah, toned down to make him a more palatable hero to the MG crowd. Like Chase, he's pathologically afraid of growing up and both worships and resents his older brother, Graham, at the same time; like Jonah, he's intense, a worrier and determined to do what he views as right. I feel uneasy writing this down because it would probably only impact on someone like me, who had read H.M.'s previous books about a thousand times, which would be a relatively small percentage of ZT readers. Still, the nagging similarities - even in voice; although Wil doesn't swear like either Chase or particularly Jonah, words like "drip" and "Christ", to an older reader like myself, stood out as just being toned-down swearword surrogates. It tempered the entire feeling of freewheeling originality her books usually give me.
Still, there is so much to admire in ZT. First and foremost: depth and maturity, but still presented in a way to make it all extremely accessible. Although the Lowensteins are obviously Jewish, death in ZT is free of religion - no fluffy-clouds afterlife here. It's agonisingly, incredibly dark in places; this is a world where death is traumatic, unbelievably painful and forever, even if you do come back as a zombie. Parents might bristle at H.M.'s almost unbearably sucker-punch description of it, but trust me - MGers know that's a possibility, even if they wish they didn't. My grandfather died very suddenly when I was thirteen and an afterlife like the one in ZT was on my mind a lot then. I felt like crying with the simple horror that H.M. evoked. That's some powerful writing. Though the supporting characters are mostly flat, they are still endearing and loveable, particularly Stella and Eben. Zombie Tag is a fantastic game, and H.M. gives a real sense of the visceral fun of child's play in the book, with the game of Tag at the end being my favourite.
As I said above, I don't know much about MG. But despite knowing that MG is known for its simple-yet-intricate plotting, I couldn't help but be slightly taken out by irritation at how obvious some of the parallels were, particularly between Wil's flashbacks of Graham and Wil's struggles with Graham in real time. Still, H.M. always manages to surprise me in every book. Yes, really. What I love about her twists is how organic they are - complete game changers but at the same time, totally natural within the story. I also loved the hanging thread of what happened to a certain parent, because I love little sprinkles of ambiguity and it was a really nice change of pace. The best thing about "Zombie Tag" is again definitely its emotional evocation, which is so real, so deeply felt and complicated that H.M.'s writing was wonderfully delicate. Older readers especially might be surprised by Graham who, despite very much being the trope of the 'aloof big brother', is much more, too. Hidden depths and an emotional gut punch: I wouldn't expect anything less. No, not from a MG, either. This is a hard book, but it's also a gentle, adorable, upsetting, humorous and fast-paced read.
April 9, 2011
It's 2:45am, and I just finished this book. Yes. I am still crying. Beautiful story, beautiful characters... I absolutely LOVED it!! I will post a more in-depth review soon, but I need to just sit in the wonderfulness of this story right now.
November 28, 2013
I will read anything Hannah Moskowitz writes. I'm serious. Her books are awesome. Therefore I will read them.
I read her debut, Break, (my review here) and I liked it a lot. I read Invincible Summer, her second book (my mini-review here), and I loved it. So when Hannah announced an ARC tour for what will be her first middle-grade and her third book overall--yeah, I signed up. (And we were allowed to write all over the book!)
I enjoyed Zombie Tag. I loved the idea and while I was reading the first few chapters, my thought process was something like this.
OMG! THAT'S SO FUNNY. Why didn't I play this when I was a young child? I want to get my friends to play Zombie Ta--OMG SO FUNNY!! HAHAHA--OMG, that's so sad! *CREYS*
Yeah. Wil, the main character, is so awesome. I didn't really buy him being thirteen--having spent a year surrounded by thirteen year olds, I know how they act, and Wil, while awesome, is not as "mature" as they are. Yeah, he likes Stella. And all he thinks about her is that she's pretty? AHAHAHAHA please. More like eleven. Anyways, Wil is so blunt, because what does he care? He's honest about his feelings, at least to us. One of my favorite parts was when he just internally trash talked Eben, a tagalong in his group of friends. I was also really annoyed by Eben at times--even writing GTFO Eben at one point in the book, yeah, that was me--and to hear Wil not just gloss over this but to have him actually be mean about a character? Priceless. Authors! It is okay for your characters to not like someone for almost no reason!
On to the writing. Hannah's writing style is very simple, and yet there's so much subtext. It really reminds me of the Percy Jackson series, how Rick Riordan's writing uses very simple wording yet has so much meaning. I loved it.
One thing I must mention is how original this book is. I really have never heard of anything like it. I read the first chapter to my little brother and he was literally ROFL'ing. Just the image of thirteen year old boys running around with spatulas and pretending to be zombies makes me hysterical.
My full review will go live December 20, 2011, at http://reutreads.wordpress.com/2011/1...
I read her debut, Break, (my review here) and I liked it a lot. I read Invincible Summer, her second book (my mini-review here), and I loved it. So when Hannah announced an ARC tour for what will be her first middle-grade and her third book overall--yeah, I signed up. (And we were allowed to write all over the book!)
I enjoyed Zombie Tag. I loved the idea and while I was reading the first few chapters, my thought process was something like this.
OMG! THAT'S SO FUNNY. Why didn't I play this when I was a young child? I want to get my friends to play Zombie Ta--OMG SO FUNNY!! HAHAHA--OMG, that's so sad! *CREYS*
Yeah. Wil, the main character, is so awesome. I didn't really buy him being thirteen--having spent a year surrounded by thirteen year olds, I know how they act, and Wil, while awesome, is not as "mature" as they are. Yeah, he likes Stella. And all he thinks about her is that she's pretty? AHAHAHAHA please. More like eleven. Anyways, Wil is so blunt, because what does he care? He's honest about his feelings, at least to us. One of my favorite parts was when he just internally trash talked Eben, a tagalong in his group of friends. I was also really annoyed by Eben at times--even writing GTFO Eben at one point in the book, yeah, that was me--and to hear Wil not just gloss over this but to have him actually be mean about a character? Priceless. Authors! It is okay for your characters to not like someone for almost no reason!
On to the writing. Hannah's writing style is very simple, and yet there's so much subtext. It really reminds me of the Percy Jackson series, how Rick Riordan's writing uses very simple wording yet has so much meaning. I loved it.
One thing I must mention is how original this book is. I really have never heard of anything like it. I read the first chapter to my little brother and he was literally ROFL'ing. Just the image of thirteen year old boys running around with spatulas and pretending to be zombies makes me hysterical.
My full review will go live December 20, 2011, at http://reutreads.wordpress.com/2011/1...
January 17, 2012
What can I say about this book, except how brilliant it is? Obviously, I already knew I would love it, since I beta-read an old version of it. I can see some of the differences (like a whole new character!), but one thing that didn't change was how well it was written and how poignant it is.
At its heart, Zombie Tag is not a book about zombies. Yes, there are zombies. Yes, there is a game called Zombie Tag. There are absolutely spatulas all over this book. But the book isn't about those things. This book is about brothers and growing up and death and grieving and living. The zombies and the spatulas and the game are just metaphors for those things (well, maybe not the spatulas).
Some of Hannah's published books were written when she was a teen, but when I read this book, I can hardly believe that she is not a 12-year-old boy, she has that voice down so well. It is impossible not to feel for Wil, even when he's being selfish or dumb. We want to see Graham come back, and we are heartbroken when he comes back wrong. And we can see so clearly the metaphor between the zombies and grown-ups from Wil's point of view. Had Graham lived, would Wil have found himself one day with a Graham he barely recognized? And would he one day grow up too and be the same way? Zombie Tag explores the themes of growing up just as well as it does the themes of loss and grieving.
A solid choice for any fans of Hannah, zombies, MG, brother stories, or games that involve spatulas.
At its heart, Zombie Tag is not a book about zombies. Yes, there are zombies. Yes, there is a game called Zombie Tag. There are absolutely spatulas all over this book. But the book isn't about those things. This book is about brothers and growing up and death and grieving and living. The zombies and the spatulas and the game are just metaphors for those things (well, maybe not the spatulas).
Some of Hannah's published books were written when she was a teen, but when I read this book, I can hardly believe that she is not a 12-year-old boy, she has that voice down so well. It is impossible not to feel for Wil, even when he's being selfish or dumb. We want to see Graham come back, and we are heartbroken when he comes back wrong. And we can see so clearly the metaphor between the zombies and grown-ups from Wil's point of view. Had Graham lived, would Wil have found himself one day with a Graham he barely recognized? And would he one day grow up too and be the same way? Zombie Tag explores the themes of growing up just as well as it does the themes of loss and grieving.
A solid choice for any fans of Hannah, zombies, MG, brother stories, or games that involve spatulas.
January 15, 2012
This book is terrific--fun, poignant, and so new. I can't wait for my students to read this one! (And for them to laugh with me about the clueless Ms. Hoole!)
January 8, 2012
I’m a huge fan of Hannah Moskowitz so when she announce awhile back that she was having her first Middle Grade book released, I knew I had to read this even though I’ve never ever bothered reading MG before now. I get weird looks as it is for reading Young Adult, I couldn’t even imagine the looks I’d get for reading something lower than YA. But you know what, who cares? You’re out there reading, who cares what you’re reading. (I honestly would expect to be given these types of looks if I was always in the erotica section but you know, I guess that’s just me?)
Now, on to her book, ZOMBIE TAG, I was very curious how she would do this. Hannah isn’t one to shy away from language and I knew there couldn’t be any in MG but you know what? This book is probably my favorite of her books (that are published, that is) and there’s not one F-word in there. (Anyone who knows me knows I love that word…) First off, I wish I would’ve known about this game, Zombie Tag, when I was a kid because it would’ve been so much fun to play. No adult is going to want to play this with me now so I guess I’ll just have to teach my future kids.
We find out Wil, who is only twelve years old, lost his older brother, Graham about six months ago and he still hasn’t gotten over the loss. When they were younger, they were left in a car and ever since then Graham doesn’t like being trapped places which is terribly sad because he died in a locked bathroom having an asthma attack. Now, this struck home hard with me because my best friend passed away a few years back from an asthma attack so I completely understand where Wil’s pain is coming from. But also to have Graham die trapped in something small, like a bathroom on top of not being able to breathe. I can’t even imagine.
When Wil finds out there’s a way to bring back the dead simply by ringing a bell, he does everything he can to get his hands on it. What he wouldn’t give to get his older brother back. We all can relate to that. Most of us have lost someone we love and would do anything just to get them back but in what state? Will they be just like they were before they died or will they be like the zombie’s in Wil’s game of ZOMBIE TAG, only after your brains? What if it were neither but something much worse and much more painful? Would you still want to ring that bell?
I had no idea how heartbreaking this story was going to be. Wil has Graham back but he really doesn’t have him back. I give props to Wil. For being as young as he is, he surely is a strong guy. Not physically but mentally and emotionally. He throws himself into making sure he gets the Graham he lost back and he fights like hell. But is it enough?
Seriously. Everyone needs to read this book. Not only is it fun (at times) but it’s so depressing it hurts. It’s very relatable even if you are comparing yourself with a twelve year old. We’ve all been there, all thought the same things he has. We’re all human and wishing like hell we could get back the one person we lost who left us way before they should have. It’s a quick read, but it’s such an emotional roller coaster. Trust me, you’ll be feeling sad during most of the book but the ending… *sigh* the ending is absolutely perfect and lifts your spirits. READ THIS!
Review also posted at: Fictional Distraction
Now, on to her book, ZOMBIE TAG, I was very curious how she would do this. Hannah isn’t one to shy away from language and I knew there couldn’t be any in MG but you know what? This book is probably my favorite of her books (that are published, that is) and there’s not one F-word in there. (Anyone who knows me knows I love that word…) First off, I wish I would’ve known about this game, Zombie Tag, when I was a kid because it would’ve been so much fun to play. No adult is going to want to play this with me now so I guess I’ll just have to teach my future kids.
We find out Wil, who is only twelve years old, lost his older brother, Graham about six months ago and he still hasn’t gotten over the loss. When they were younger, they were left in a car and ever since then Graham doesn’t like being trapped places which is terribly sad because he died in a locked bathroom having an asthma attack. Now, this struck home hard with me because my best friend passed away a few years back from an asthma attack so I completely understand where Wil’s pain is coming from. But also to have Graham die trapped in something small, like a bathroom on top of not being able to breathe. I can’t even imagine.
When Wil finds out there’s a way to bring back the dead simply by ringing a bell, he does everything he can to get his hands on it. What he wouldn’t give to get his older brother back. We all can relate to that. Most of us have lost someone we love and would do anything just to get them back but in what state? Will they be just like they were before they died or will they be like the zombie’s in Wil’s game of ZOMBIE TAG, only after your brains? What if it were neither but something much worse and much more painful? Would you still want to ring that bell?
I had no idea how heartbreaking this story was going to be. Wil has Graham back but he really doesn’t have him back. I give props to Wil. For being as young as he is, he surely is a strong guy. Not physically but mentally and emotionally. He throws himself into making sure he gets the Graham he lost back and he fights like hell. But is it enough?
Seriously. Everyone needs to read this book. Not only is it fun (at times) but it’s so depressing it hurts. It’s very relatable even if you are comparing yourself with a twelve year old. We’ve all been there, all thought the same things he has. We’re all human and wishing like hell we could get back the one person we lost who left us way before they should have. It’s a quick read, but it’s such an emotional roller coaster. Trust me, you’ll be feeling sad during most of the book but the ending… *sigh* the ending is absolutely perfect and lifts your spirits. READ THIS!
Review also posted at: Fictional Distraction
June 14, 2012
10 Things I Love About Zombie Tag:
1) The cover fits perfectly.
2) It comes with its own game. (And the game is AWESOME. I mean, hi, you can buy your kid, ahem, or yourself, not just a book but untold hours of zombie tagging enjoyment.)
3) The humor. (Example: "It's five miles. Anthony should really get his stories peer-reviewed or something." )
4) The voice. It is pitch perfect middle grade boy. <3 Wil.
5) The twist. It completely blindsided me, but also made total sense looking back.
6) The friendship dynamics. I could picture Wil's friend circle so vividly, and it gave me kind of a Super 8 vibe which I loved. Loved Anthony. Loved Eben. And most especially loved...
7) Stella. She is so awesome she gets #7 all to herself. She's spunky and brave and fun. I love that she's the girl in the group full of boys (that was so me growing up!).
8) The parallels between being a zombie and being an adult.
9) The brother relationship. This was particularly impressive since Graham is either dead or a zombie for most of the book.
10) ZOMBIES!!!
Crits: I got nothing. And I really like to include at least one with each review, so I can feel like I've been fair and balanced, but this time I don't have any, so enjoy the happy :) AND GO READ THIS BOOK! And then share it with the coolest middle grader you know.
1) The cover fits perfectly.
2) It comes with its own game. (And the game is AWESOME. I mean, hi, you can buy your kid, ahem, or yourself, not just a book but untold hours of zombie tagging enjoyment.)
3) The humor. (Example: "It's five miles. Anthony should really get his stories peer-reviewed or something." )
4) The voice. It is pitch perfect middle grade boy. <3 Wil.
5) The twist. It completely blindsided me, but also made total sense looking back.
6) The friendship dynamics. I could picture Wil's friend circle so vividly, and it gave me kind of a Super 8 vibe which I loved. Loved Anthony. Loved Eben. And most especially loved...
7) Stella. She is so awesome she gets #7 all to herself. She's spunky and brave and fun. I love that she's the girl in the group full of boys (that was so me growing up!).
8) The parallels between being a zombie and being an adult.
9) The brother relationship. This was particularly impressive since Graham is either dead or a zombie for most of the book.
10) ZOMBIES!!!
Crits: I got nothing. And I really like to include at least one with each review, so I can feel like I've been fair and balanced, but this time I don't have any, so enjoy the happy :) AND GO READ THIS BOOK! And then share it with the coolest middle grader you know.
December 21, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. Yes, it's a children's book, but that just serves to ensure that it's not overly gruesome like so many YA books are these days.
The characters were engaging, though I have to admit that I agree with Wil & his opinion of Eben.
The "love?" relationship was adorable.
I appreciate the good use of a kitchen utensil. (Patricia C. Wrede's frying pan of doom, anyone?)
My only mild dislike was what I see as a dangling plot point, but I don't know how to begin to describe it without spoilers, so that's following in the spoiler area.
Overall, not an awful thing, doesn't detract from the story as is, which is quite enjoyable. And Zombie Tag seems like the perfect game for pre-teen boys, with just the right amount of mild danger (like of hitting somebody too hard over the head).
I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.
The characters were engaging, though I have to admit that I agree with Wil & his opinion of Eben.
The "love?" relationship was adorable.
I appreciate the good use of a kitchen utensil. (Patricia C. Wrede's frying pan of doom, anyone?)
My only mild dislike was what I see as a dangling plot point, but I don't know how to begin to describe it without spoilers, so that's following in the spoiler area.
Overall, not an awful thing, doesn't detract from the story as is, which is quite enjoyable. And Zombie Tag seems like the perfect game for pre-teen boys, with just the right amount of mild danger (like of hitting somebody too hard over the head).
I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.
February 9, 2012
This is the most amazing book I've read all year. Granted, it is only the beginning of February, but still. Uh-Mazing.
The plot, in super-brief: 12-year-old zombie-obsessed Wil finds a way to bring his older brother Graham back from the dead. But will Graham be the same awesome big brother Wil remembers, or will he instead eat Wil's brains? Perhaps more importantly, has Wil just triggered the zombie apocalypse?
This book has everything (suspense, fun, heartbreak) and it goes way beyond its action-packed premise to tackle issues of loss, identity, friendship and responsibility head-on.
(And if that weren't enough, the author includes instructions at the end of the book on how to actually play zombie tag, spatulas and all! Bonus!)
The plot, in super-brief: 12-year-old zombie-obsessed Wil finds a way to bring his older brother Graham back from the dead. But will Graham be the same awesome big brother Wil remembers, or will he instead eat Wil's brains? Perhaps more importantly, has Wil just triggered the zombie apocalypse?
This book has everything (suspense, fun, heartbreak) and it goes way beyond its action-packed premise to tackle issues of loss, identity, friendship and responsibility head-on.
(And if that weren't enough, the author includes instructions at the end of the book on how to actually play zombie tag, spatulas and all! Bonus!)
January 11, 2012
I’m a huge fan of Hannah Moskowitz, so when she announce awhile back that she was having her first Middle Grade book released, I knew I had to read this even though I’ve never ever bothered reading MG before now.
Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction
Review completed by: Jessica
Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction
Review completed by: Jessica
May 13, 2012
What a sweet, totally odd MG book. Kind of made me want a zombie brother.
December 21, 2011
This review taken from my review blog: http://www.trythisbookonforsize.blogs...
“Graham and I spit on our hands and promised we would never, ever grow up. He’s not going to get out of that just by dying.” ~ Hannah Moskowitz, Zombie Tag
“Talking to you is like talking to myself.” ~ Hannah Moskowitz, Zombie Tag (This is a truism for ALL brothers in the throes of their child years together. It’s a shame we forget it when we grow up.)
ZOMBIE TAG has very little to do with zombies. Don’t tell Hannah Moskowitz I said that. I will deny it vehemently.
This was, quite frankly, a beautiful read. You can see by the synopsis that it really does have a lot to do with zombies. But the undercurrent of this book is not quite an undercurrent. It screams to the reader from the gate. This is a Peter Pan tale. This is a story about the complications of being a brother, and about not ever wanting to lose the bonds that brothers have in childhood. It’s about knowing when it’s okay to be intimate with your brother and knowing when it’s not okay. It’s about knowing when to wrestle and hurt each other. It’s about sleeping out in a tent under the stars and talking to each other about the wonders of life and the fear of death when it’s dark and you can no longer see each other and you know precisely what the other one looks like; the expression on his face, the way his hands are worrying into fists and stretching out into wings at his sides as he describes the way he thinks death might be. This is a story that every brother should read. And a story that everybody who was never a brother of a brother should read so they know that boys can have big hearts too, boys can be intimate and filled with dreams too.
Okay. What you see above is not quite a review. It was more about the emotional rollercoaster I went through yesterday as I read ZOMBIE TAG. I’m still relatively new at reviews. I’ll try to bring it back down to earth now.
Wil. Wilson. He’s a kid who has lost his older brother. There is the story. Moskowitz sets up the world in which Zombie Tag takes place with amazing skill. The reader is brought into this contemporary setting that is almost like home. In it, children are playing a game created by young Wil (& his brother, Graham). Zombie Tag is the game. As soon as I started reading those first scenes, I was brought back to my childhood. I could perfectly envision ‘our’ group playing Zombie Tag during a sleepover—creeping through the dark house crying out for BRRRRAAAIIIINNNNSS and banging on closed ‘barricaded’ doors, searching for humans to feed off of. The whole time, our parents sleeping obliviously in their bedroom. It was so real, I could almost swear we did this!
There is, though, a little difference between the world we live in and the carefully constructed world in which Moskowitz chooses to put us in with this story. The world where Zombie Tag takes place has a past history of real live zombies. Around 30 years ago zombies walked the earth for a brief time. There is no real solid evidence, though, of what went on from the time they left their graves to the time they were discovered dead in another location. There’s just the empty graves and the bodies in a different location. Clearly, zombies HAD walked.
Wil and his friends have fun playing Zombie Tag, but Wil has ulterior motives. He LIVES zombies. He devours everything he can find out about zombies. He misses his brother SO much. If only…
Moskowitz puts the reader deep into the land of brothers with this story. Through Wil, we understand what it’s like to be both beaten and protected in the same day by one’s older brother. We see those soft moments of whispered words between brothers, and we see those moments of meanness that older brothers dole out just to see the younger brother squirm. And we understand that under all the crap, under the beatings and the name callings and the leave-me-alones there is this bond that can not be broken. Not by the span of years between you and not in death. Wil suffers terribly over Graham’s loss, over the loss of his protectiveness and the loss of his soothing and the loss of his its-gonna-be-okay talks. He might even suffer over the loss of the not so nice things that Graham put him through as his big brother. That’s what it means to have a brother. There’s good and bad and it’s very easy for this brother to imagine missing both, should they be suddenly taken.
Yeah, this is a tale of zombies. It’s a tale for children and teens and near-teens. But it is also one for everybody else. And it is also NOT a zombie tale. I’m not going to tell you a whole lot about what goes on in Zombie Tag. I’ll just say that Wil DOES discover a way to get his big brother back. And that he is faced with a dilemma bigger than that of suffering the loss of his big brother, once he does bring him back. With the friends he played Zombie Tag with, Wil will figure things out.
It’s hard to grow up. It’s one of the hardest things we’ll ever do. And when you make a pact with your big brother to skip this part of your life, you REALLY believe it. You believe it because, in the moment, it just seems right. You don’t want to lose those whispered conspiratorial moments with the boy you look up to. You want to be able to be comforted by that larger than life hero for forever. Because nobody can comfort him like he does. You want to run to him at night when you have a nightmare, no matter how old you are, and get under his sheets and feel safe. But Moskowitz knows this isn’t possible. She weaved a perfect Peter Pan tale with ZOMBIE TAG. It will pull on your heartstrings long after you finish the book. For me, it was a wickedly poignant look at brothers. I don’t know how Moskowitz is so wise and knowing when it comes to the relationship that two brothers have…but she is a master at it. Her mastery was witnessed in BREAK and in INVINCIBLE SUMMER and, now, more than ever, in ZOMBIE TAG.
Don’t let the MG market rating fool you. If you are 40 or 90, you’ll love this book. I’m going to call it a classic. Some may scoff. Some may say a classic can’t have cartoon boys on the cover. A classic’s cover wouldn’t depict one boy hitting another boy over the head with a spatula. But I defy you to prove me wrong. READ IT. You’ll understand where I’m coming from. The Peter Pan in me wants to laugh and cry, simultaneously. The brother in me wants to buy more copies. I have 3 brothers. None of them are dead and none of them are zombies. But imagining myself in Wil’s shoes kept me completely invested in the story. Thank GOD I’m not him. And thank Hannah Moskowitz for an incredible read, yet again!
“Graham and I spit on our hands and promised we would never, ever grow up. He’s not going to get out of that just by dying.” ~ Hannah Moskowitz, Zombie Tag
“Talking to you is like talking to myself.” ~ Hannah Moskowitz, Zombie Tag (This is a truism for ALL brothers in the throes of their child years together. It’s a shame we forget it when we grow up.)
ZOMBIE TAG has very little to do with zombies. Don’t tell Hannah Moskowitz I said that. I will deny it vehemently.
This was, quite frankly, a beautiful read. You can see by the synopsis that it really does have a lot to do with zombies. But the undercurrent of this book is not quite an undercurrent. It screams to the reader from the gate. This is a Peter Pan tale. This is a story about the complications of being a brother, and about not ever wanting to lose the bonds that brothers have in childhood. It’s about knowing when it’s okay to be intimate with your brother and knowing when it’s not okay. It’s about knowing when to wrestle and hurt each other. It’s about sleeping out in a tent under the stars and talking to each other about the wonders of life and the fear of death when it’s dark and you can no longer see each other and you know precisely what the other one looks like; the expression on his face, the way his hands are worrying into fists and stretching out into wings at his sides as he describes the way he thinks death might be. This is a story that every brother should read. And a story that everybody who was never a brother of a brother should read so they know that boys can have big hearts too, boys can be intimate and filled with dreams too.
Okay. What you see above is not quite a review. It was more about the emotional rollercoaster I went through yesterday as I read ZOMBIE TAG. I’m still relatively new at reviews. I’ll try to bring it back down to earth now.
Wil. Wilson. He’s a kid who has lost his older brother. There is the story. Moskowitz sets up the world in which Zombie Tag takes place with amazing skill. The reader is brought into this contemporary setting that is almost like home. In it, children are playing a game created by young Wil (& his brother, Graham). Zombie Tag is the game. As soon as I started reading those first scenes, I was brought back to my childhood. I could perfectly envision ‘our’ group playing Zombie Tag during a sleepover—creeping through the dark house crying out for BRRRRAAAIIIINNNNSS and banging on closed ‘barricaded’ doors, searching for humans to feed off of. The whole time, our parents sleeping obliviously in their bedroom. It was so real, I could almost swear we did this!
There is, though, a little difference between the world we live in and the carefully constructed world in which Moskowitz chooses to put us in with this story. The world where Zombie Tag takes place has a past history of real live zombies. Around 30 years ago zombies walked the earth for a brief time. There is no real solid evidence, though, of what went on from the time they left their graves to the time they were discovered dead in another location. There’s just the empty graves and the bodies in a different location. Clearly, zombies HAD walked.
Wil and his friends have fun playing Zombie Tag, but Wil has ulterior motives. He LIVES zombies. He devours everything he can find out about zombies. He misses his brother SO much. If only…
Moskowitz puts the reader deep into the land of brothers with this story. Through Wil, we understand what it’s like to be both beaten and protected in the same day by one’s older brother. We see those soft moments of whispered words between brothers, and we see those moments of meanness that older brothers dole out just to see the younger brother squirm. And we understand that under all the crap, under the beatings and the name callings and the leave-me-alones there is this bond that can not be broken. Not by the span of years between you and not in death. Wil suffers terribly over Graham’s loss, over the loss of his protectiveness and the loss of his soothing and the loss of his its-gonna-be-okay talks. He might even suffer over the loss of the not so nice things that Graham put him through as his big brother. That’s what it means to have a brother. There’s good and bad and it’s very easy for this brother to imagine missing both, should they be suddenly taken.
Yeah, this is a tale of zombies. It’s a tale for children and teens and near-teens. But it is also one for everybody else. And it is also NOT a zombie tale. I’m not going to tell you a whole lot about what goes on in Zombie Tag. I’ll just say that Wil DOES discover a way to get his big brother back. And that he is faced with a dilemma bigger than that of suffering the loss of his big brother, once he does bring him back. With the friends he played Zombie Tag with, Wil will figure things out.
It’s hard to grow up. It’s one of the hardest things we’ll ever do. And when you make a pact with your big brother to skip this part of your life, you REALLY believe it. You believe it because, in the moment, it just seems right. You don’t want to lose those whispered conspiratorial moments with the boy you look up to. You want to be able to be comforted by that larger than life hero for forever. Because nobody can comfort him like he does. You want to run to him at night when you have a nightmare, no matter how old you are, and get under his sheets and feel safe. But Moskowitz knows this isn’t possible. She weaved a perfect Peter Pan tale with ZOMBIE TAG. It will pull on your heartstrings long after you finish the book. For me, it was a wickedly poignant look at brothers. I don’t know how Moskowitz is so wise and knowing when it comes to the relationship that two brothers have…but she is a master at it. Her mastery was witnessed in BREAK and in INVINCIBLE SUMMER and, now, more than ever, in ZOMBIE TAG.
Don’t let the MG market rating fool you. If you are 40 or 90, you’ll love this book. I’m going to call it a classic. Some may scoff. Some may say a classic can’t have cartoon boys on the cover. A classic’s cover wouldn’t depict one boy hitting another boy over the head with a spatula. But I defy you to prove me wrong. READ IT. You’ll understand where I’m coming from. The Peter Pan in me wants to laugh and cry, simultaneously. The brother in me wants to buy more copies. I have 3 brothers. None of them are dead and none of them are zombies. But imagining myself in Wil’s shoes kept me completely invested in the story. Thank GOD I’m not him. And thank Hannah Moskowitz for an incredible read, yet again!
March 29, 2020
One of the last books I've not yet read from this author, so it was way past time I gave it a shot.
Don't be fooled by the middle-grade genre, this book doesn't pull its punches, it gets you right in the feels and never lets go. I'm a sucker for sibling relationships, and Hannah Moskowitz wrote some of my favorites in this genre; this one was no exception. Loved the little glimpses of Wil's and Graham's past and Wil's realization near the end broke me to pieces.
The splashes of paranormal/horror elements were great, made the whole reading experience feel somewhat... dreamlike? I don't know, I'm not good with words.
There's not much I can say plotwise that is not a huge spoiler, but this book will surprise you, many times.
Don't be fooled by the middle-grade genre, this book doesn't pull its punches, it gets you right in the feels and never lets go. I'm a sucker for sibling relationships, and Hannah Moskowitz wrote some of my favorites in this genre; this one was no exception. Loved the little glimpses of Wil's and Graham's past and Wil's realization near the end broke me to pieces.
The splashes of paranormal/horror elements were great, made the whole reading experience feel somewhat... dreamlike? I don't know, I'm not good with words.
There's not much I can say plotwise that is not a huge spoiler, but this book will surprise you, many times.
December 29, 2011
I really liked this book. It is told from the perspective of Wil, a twelve year old little boy, who's older brother has recently passed away. His family has stalled since his brother's passing. They have moved to a new home, but his brother's presence is still there. Wil feels as if he can't connect with his father anymore, and his mother just seems lost in her grief. Going so far as to want to place four settings for dinner instead of the three that are now required. Wil becomes convinced that he can bring his brother back using a bell that 30 years ago had woke the dead. (In Moskowitz's world that she has created things like this are possible, as well as unicorns and dragons and all sorts of other things.) Even though he isn't sure what will happen when he rings it, when he gets the chance he still does and wakes up all the dead within a five mile radius. Here's were things get even worse for Wil, because while his brother doesn't come back as a brain eating zombie, he does come back very different than the sixteen year old boy that he was. He is no longer happy and full of life, but instead the only emotions he seems to be able to feel are anger and fear. On top of that the bell has a book that was hidden with it. A book that reveals even more secrets that change not only Wil's life, but the lives of his friends as well.
Moskowitz did an amazing job with Wil and his feelings as he tries to find a way to bring his brother fully back to life. While reading there were times I wanted to cry. I could feel Wil's frustration and heartbreak as everything he tries fails. She also shows Wil, who has already obviously had to deal with the trauma of his brother dying, maturing even more as he has to deal with the consequences of his actions and his brother wanting to die all over again.
If there is anything I wish I could change about the book it would be that Moskowitz had filled in the world that she had created a little more. I would have loved to learn more about the different creatures that lived in it. However, this is only a minuscule want on my part and I really don't feel that it takes anything away from the story itself.
The story is moving, but it isn't always depressing. There are some very cute moments as well as some laugh out loud ones. Because of the whole death theme and the emotional issues the story deals with I don't know if I would recommend it to the younger side of the YA spectrum. Even though the main character is only 12 I don't know if I would want my 12 year old reading it, but there is nothing inappropriate, dirty or gory in the book so I guess it all depends on how mature you think your YA reader is as to whether or not you would have them read it. Again as a whole I really liked the story, it was moving and some parts were surprisingly deep, something that I didn't expect but it was a pleasant surprise. I would definitely love to read more of Moskowitz's work if given the chance.
*****In compliance with FTC guidelines, I'm disclosing that I received this book for free through GoodReads First Reads. ****
(I recommend everybody should go check out all the awesome first read giveaways they have!)
December 26, 2011
When I saw this book I thought it sounded like a fun quick book to read, and I was partially right. Parts of it were fun, and it was definitely quick, but it was deeper than I thought a MG book like this would be. Not that it's a bad thing, I was caught off guard by the emotional aspect of a book meant for kids of the age range intended. I thought that the idea behind it was cute and creative. The story goes quick and the characters are well written. The story is very thoughtful, and touching. There is a lot of humor in it too, I mean Wil is a thirteen year old boy. Some of the things that he says are really cute and funny.
Wil is a fun little boy who created the game of Zombie tag to play with his friends. The game makes him think that maybe there is a way to bring his brother back , because they know that zombies existed in the past. He discovers how to do it, but it's not what he expects. The zombies are like hollow shells of their former selves. He doesn't feel like he really has his brother back. The zombies don't have feelings. They just sort of exist among the living now, not caring about anything. It really breaks Wil's heart because he just wants Graham they way he was. It's harder having him back, and still feeling like he's lost him. He has to come to terms with what he has done, and what needs to be done to fix it. He's a very brave kid, and he really has some hard decisions that he has to make.
This book was great and I really enjoyed it. It was a bit more serious than I thought it would be. It was still fun though. I think it's a nice book for young teenagers or others who enjoy a good MG book once in a while. This is a book that I would have my daughter read when she gets to be around 10 or 12 years old. If you are looking for a fun book for your kids, or you like MG books, I would recommend reading this. Hannah Moskowitz has written a wonder book for young readers. (I won a copy of this book from a goodreads giveaway)
Wil is a fun little boy who created the game of Zombie tag to play with his friends. The game makes him think that maybe there is a way to bring his brother back , because they know that zombies existed in the past. He discovers how to do it, but it's not what he expects. The zombies are like hollow shells of their former selves. He doesn't feel like he really has his brother back. The zombies don't have feelings. They just sort of exist among the living now, not caring about anything. It really breaks Wil's heart because he just wants Graham they way he was. It's harder having him back, and still feeling like he's lost him. He has to come to terms with what he has done, and what needs to be done to fix it. He's a very brave kid, and he really has some hard decisions that he has to make.
This book was great and I really enjoyed it. It was a bit more serious than I thought it would be. It was still fun though. I think it's a nice book for young teenagers or others who enjoy a good MG book once in a while. This is a book that I would have my daughter read when she gets to be around 10 or 12 years old. If you are looking for a fun book for your kids, or you like MG books, I would recommend reading this. Hannah Moskowitz has written a wonder book for young readers. (I won a copy of this book from a goodreads giveaway)
June 24, 2012
I was fortunate enough to have a quiet day at work today, which is good as I was hesitant to put the book down. I have a special fondness for MG books, and this one definitely lived up to my expectations.
I've never read any Hannah Moskowitz before, but I'd been curious about her writing for a long time. Her themes, and especially her tone, seemed reminiscent to me of my favorite authors from the 80s: Robert Cormier and Richard Peck.
I wasn't that far off. ZOMBIE TAG wasn't as heart-wrenchingly disturbing as a Cormier Novel (but then, what is?), but it was sweet, tender, and funny, which are all things I love in my fiction.
The "funny" is the best part about this book. Since I was reading on my Kindle, I got to highlight some really excellent passages that witty, charming, funny and poignant. Note the plural. This is a tight book and every line is packed with quality prose. There is zero fat to trim in the story and the relatively large cast all come alive (see what I did there?) on the page.
It gets a 4-star rather than 5 because it was predictable. Maybe that's me not playing fair, being naturally older, wiser, and more cynical about books than the story's target audience.
Overall, though, the book was superb. I will be looking for more Moskowitz titles in the future, as this definitely lived up to my expectations.
I've never read any Hannah Moskowitz before, but I'd been curious about her writing for a long time. Her themes, and especially her tone, seemed reminiscent to me of my favorite authors from the 80s: Robert Cormier and Richard Peck.
I wasn't that far off. ZOMBIE TAG wasn't as heart-wrenchingly disturbing as a Cormier Novel (but then, what is?), but it was sweet, tender, and funny, which are all things I love in my fiction.
The "funny" is the best part about this book. Since I was reading on my Kindle, I got to highlight some really excellent passages that witty, charming, funny and poignant. Note the plural. This is a tight book and every line is packed with quality prose. There is zero fat to trim in the story and the relatively large cast all come alive (see what I did there?) on the page.
It gets a 4-star rather than 5 because it was predictable. Maybe that's me not playing fair, being naturally older, wiser, and more cynical about books than the story's target audience.
Overall, though, the book was superb. I will be looking for more Moskowitz titles in the future, as this definitely lived up to my expectations.
December 10, 2011
First and foremost, ZOMBIE TAG is a story about brothers. About the kind of love and friendship that can only exist within a family, and the special grief that comes when that bond is broken. Twelve-year-old Wil is a younger brother, and he knows about this grief. Not long ago, he lost his brother Graham. And he misses him. A lot.
Right now, his only solace is in Zombie Tag. Or, really, the friends with whom he plays this made-up game. Wil and Graham used to make up a lot of games, and Wil just knows that Graham would have loved Zombie Tag. All his friends love it, and they play it in secret after the parents of whomever is hosting the sleep-over have gone to bed. It involves spatulas, Post-It notes, and a "key." But when it turns out that Anthony -- Wil's best friend -- has some new secrets about zombies (learned from his father's secret government job), Wil might have the opportunity to see his dead brother again after all. All he needs to do is find this mysterious bell, which Anthony confessed is somewhere in his house.
But, here's the thing: the bell might bring back the dead, but it doesn't make them who they were in life. When Wil finds this out the hard way, no spatula in the world can save him from his fate, and the choices ahead aren't going to be easy.
ZOMBIE TAG is such a brave, lovely book. Lyrically written, with well-placed humor, this is sure to capture the hearts of tween audiences and their parents alike. Doubtlessly, Hannah Moskowitz's YA fans will enjoy ZOMBIE TAG as well -- what it lacks in swear words it more than makes up for in charm. The book made this reader just a bit weepy, so here's looking at you, Newbery Committee. Do you think we could get some Zombies a shiny sticker in the near future?
Right now, his only solace is in Zombie Tag. Or, really, the friends with whom he plays this made-up game. Wil and Graham used to make up a lot of games, and Wil just knows that Graham would have loved Zombie Tag. All his friends love it, and they play it in secret after the parents of whomever is hosting the sleep-over have gone to bed. It involves spatulas, Post-It notes, and a "key." But when it turns out that Anthony -- Wil's best friend -- has some new secrets about zombies (learned from his father's secret government job), Wil might have the opportunity to see his dead brother again after all. All he needs to do is find this mysterious bell, which Anthony confessed is somewhere in his house.
But, here's the thing: the bell might bring back the dead, but it doesn't make them who they were in life. When Wil finds this out the hard way, no spatula in the world can save him from his fate, and the choices ahead aren't going to be easy.
ZOMBIE TAG is such a brave, lovely book. Lyrically written, with well-placed humor, this is sure to capture the hearts of tween audiences and their parents alike. Doubtlessly, Hannah Moskowitz's YA fans will enjoy ZOMBIE TAG as well -- what it lacks in swear words it more than makes up for in charm. The book made this reader just a bit weepy, so here's looking at you, Newbery Committee. Do you think we could get some Zombies a shiny sticker in the near future?
December 2, 2011
From December 2011 SLJ:
Gr 5-8–Ever since his older brother’s death earlier this year, 12-year-old Wil’s coping strategy has been to escape with his friends into Zombie Tag, a game in which the “zombie” tries to capture the other players and eat their brains before they can find the hidden object and escape with it. Of course, he knows (or thinks he knows) that zombies don’t really eat people’s brains: he has scoured the Internet to piece together information on the zombie awakening of 30 years ago that the government still denies happened. From his research, he knows that some kind of bell woke the dead all those years ago, and that it has been hidden in a top-secret place so that an awakening can never happen again. When his friend Anthony lets slip that his father is the keeper of this Wake-Up Bell, Wil is determined to find it and bring Graham back to life. He is ultimately successful, but having his older brother back isn’t at all what he expected, and he finds that it is lonelier with Zombie Graham than it was without him. Moskowitz keeps readers guessing as to how Wil ultimately comes to terms with his situation. The efforts of Wil and his parents to cope first with Graham’s death and then with his reappearance are a major thread in the story. While Moskowitz’s characters are fully formed and believable, it’s never quite clear whether the author’s going for laughs or poignancy, and ultimately, the result falls a little flat. Still, this unique twist on zombie stories will engage readers who are looking for contemporary fiction sprinkled with a dash of the morbid.
Gr 5-8–Ever since his older brother’s death earlier this year, 12-year-old Wil’s coping strategy has been to escape with his friends into Zombie Tag, a game in which the “zombie” tries to capture the other players and eat their brains before they can find the hidden object and escape with it. Of course, he knows (or thinks he knows) that zombies don’t really eat people’s brains: he has scoured the Internet to piece together information on the zombie awakening of 30 years ago that the government still denies happened. From his research, he knows that some kind of bell woke the dead all those years ago, and that it has been hidden in a top-secret place so that an awakening can never happen again. When his friend Anthony lets slip that his father is the keeper of this Wake-Up Bell, Wil is determined to find it and bring Graham back to life. He is ultimately successful, but having his older brother back isn’t at all what he expected, and he finds that it is lonelier with Zombie Graham than it was without him. Moskowitz keeps readers guessing as to how Wil ultimately comes to terms with his situation. The efforts of Wil and his parents to cope first with Graham’s death and then with his reappearance are a major thread in the story. While Moskowitz’s characters are fully formed and believable, it’s never quite clear whether the author’s going for laughs or poignancy, and ultimately, the result falls a little flat. Still, this unique twist on zombie stories will engage readers who are looking for contemporary fiction sprinkled with a dash of the morbid.
October 26, 2011
I have to say that lately, I've fallen in love with MG, and with ZOMBIE TAG, I've fallen hard. This book has everything you want in a good story. There's the lovable, slightly damaged main character, the family ravaged by tragedy, the friends who want to help, those who the MC betrayed.
And, of course, there are zombies.
Wil is the kind of main character you want to get behind. He idolized his brother, and hasn't quite been the same since Graham's untimely death. He'd give anything to bring him back, but everyone knows that zombies are no more. The last time they walked the earth was close to thirty years ago, and after they all abruptly died the second time, none have come back. They're gone. It's a fact, one that Wil wishes wasn't true, because how great would it be to see his brother again?
Then, his family would be whole again. They'd be normal, real people, and not the broken, hollowed-out shells they've all become. So, when Wil learns that the one instrument capable of raising the dead is within reach, he jumps at the chance. All he has to do is steal it...from his best friend's dad.
The dead rise, and Graham comes home. One problem: While Graham may not have turned into the mindless, flesh-starved undead creature everyone expects, he's also not the brother Wil knew.
So, get your spatula's ready, kids, for the ultimate undead fighting game out there, ZOMBIE TAG. Can you make it out alive?
And, of course, there are zombies.
Wil is the kind of main character you want to get behind. He idolized his brother, and hasn't quite been the same since Graham's untimely death. He'd give anything to bring him back, but everyone knows that zombies are no more. The last time they walked the earth was close to thirty years ago, and after they all abruptly died the second time, none have come back. They're gone. It's a fact, one that Wil wishes wasn't true, because how great would it be to see his brother again?
Then, his family would be whole again. They'd be normal, real people, and not the broken, hollowed-out shells they've all become. So, when Wil learns that the one instrument capable of raising the dead is within reach, he jumps at the chance. All he has to do is steal it...from his best friend's dad.
The dead rise, and Graham comes home. One problem: While Graham may not have turned into the mindless, flesh-starved undead creature everyone expects, he's also not the brother Wil knew.
So, get your spatula's ready, kids, for the ultimate undead fighting game out there, ZOMBIE TAG. Can you make it out alive?
January 14, 2012
Zombie Tag is a cute but bittersweet middle grade novel by Hannah Moskowitz. Will's older brother Graham died approximately 6 months before from an acute asthma attack. Wil and his parents haven't been doing very well since. Wil invented a game called zombie tag in an effort to learn how to battle zombies.
I loved this book. It's setting is contemporary but the world is just a little different. Zombies are a real possibility. Wil is desperate to get his family back. When he learns of a way to make his brother a zombie he does it. However, he learns that you can never go home again.
I loved Wil. He's 12 and he's dealing with a horrible situation. He makes a lot of mistakes but that's okay because he's only 12. Part of being 12 is making a lot of mistakes.
I think Hannah does an excellent job of showing how a 12-year-old boy would react to the death of his older brother. She has a lot of insight. I really enjoyed this book and will be giving it to my 13-year-old son to read. I am also looking forward to reading more books by her.
I loved this book. It's setting is contemporary but the world is just a little different. Zombies are a real possibility. Wil is desperate to get his family back. When he learns of a way to make his brother a zombie he does it. However, he learns that you can never go home again.
I loved Wil. He's 12 and he's dealing with a horrible situation. He makes a lot of mistakes but that's okay because he's only 12. Part of being 12 is making a lot of mistakes.
I think Hannah does an excellent job of showing how a 12-year-old boy would react to the death of his older brother. She has a lot of insight. I really enjoyed this book and will be giving it to my 13-year-old son to read. I am also looking forward to reading more books by her.
January 1, 2012
I've been a fan of Hannah Moskowitz's work for several years now. When I heard she was writing a book aimed at a middle grade market, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would it be super silly and goofy? Would it lose that special "Hannah" quality I've come to know and love in her work? I shouldn't have worried.
While it definitely had its silly lighthearted moments (Come on, they're playing zombie tag! RRAAWWR BRAINS!)it was more about the relationship between two brothers who had been growing up (or trying not to in some cases) and starting to grow apart. It's about love and loss and all the feelings that come along with that: the fear, the anger, the sadness, the guilt, the desire to have that person back. It's touching and poignant and very typically "Hannah".
I love that she didn't dumb down her special brand of writing just because it was aimed at a younger audience. Good job, as always, Ms. Moskowitz.
While it definitely had its silly lighthearted moments (Come on, they're playing zombie tag! RRAAWWR BRAINS!)it was more about the relationship between two brothers who had been growing up (or trying not to in some cases) and starting to grow apart. It's about love and loss and all the feelings that come along with that: the fear, the anger, the sadness, the guilt, the desire to have that person back. It's touching and poignant and very typically "Hannah".
I love that she didn't dumb down her special brand of writing just because it was aimed at a younger audience. Good job, as always, Ms. Moskowitz.
December 29, 2011
I cannot wait to read this book with my 9 year old son! Sounds like something we'll both enjoy immensely.
UPDATE: We started this yesterday. We finished this yesterday. It was a quick read but still contained a deep, evolving story. The book was funny (we laughed out loud at some parts), clever, and heartbreaking. I will definitely be adding other Moskowitz books to my to-read shelf.
Also, on a personal note-this was my very first Goodreads Giveaway book! Very exciting for us both!
UPDATE: We started this yesterday. We finished this yesterday. It was a quick read but still contained a deep, evolving story. The book was funny (we laughed out loud at some parts), clever, and heartbreaking. I will definitely be adding other Moskowitz books to my to-read shelf.
Also, on a personal note-this was my very first Goodreads Giveaway book! Very exciting for us both!
March 3, 2012
I loved this book (as much as or even more so than Moskowitz's latest novel Gone, Gone, Gone), and now I wish I had mates who were young enough at heart to play a few rounds of Zombie Tag with me.
January 10, 2012
I would think that the target market for this book is aimed at tweens, but I would recommend any age group to read this lovely written story dealing with family, love and loss. My book club does not generally discuss this type of genre, but I am short listing this book as it deserves to be read and discussed. I won a an ARC of this book through GOODREADS.
March 21, 2012
I like zombies. I like Hannah's books. You can draw your own conclusions from there! No, this book is not a thrilling action adventure. It is a very thoughtful story of family and love and death and being left behind: kiddy philosophy as dispensed by lovable and well-drawn characters.
December 11, 2011
Thank you Hannah for writing such a witty, hilarious, heart-string-tugging novel that I could share with my 8 and 11 year olds. This was the highlight of our nights, reading this together before bed. Will post a more detailed review a bit closer to release date. Amazing book!!
January 2, 2012
A very moving story about the bonds between brothers, and coping with loss. Oh, and reanimating the dead! It was heart breaking and heart warming. I will be passing my copy on to my son's third grade class.
February 4, 2012
Fast read, think middle graders will really enjoy this. Surprising depth and bittersweet story and very well done. Won this as a giveaway and glad I did. Can't wait to read with my daughter when she's a bit older.
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