Kate Walden Directs: Night of the Zombie Chickens

Kate Walden Directs #1

by Julie Mata

Night of the Zombie Chickens is supposed to be Kate Walden's breakout film. But her supporting actresses-her mother's prize organic hens-are high maintenance, to say the least. Thank goodness Kate's best friend Alyssa is the star. She's great at screaming and even better at killing zombies in creative ways.

But when Alyssa turns into a real-life soulless zombie and ditches Kate for the most popular girl in seventh grade, Kate suddenly finds herself both friendless and starless. Now, thanks to Alyssa's new crowd, Kate is the butt of every joke at school and consigned to the loser table at lunch.

If movies have taught Kate anything, it's that the good guy can always win-with the right script. And her fellow social outcasts may be the key to her own happy ending. Kate hatches the perfect revenge plot against her former best friend, but even though her screenplay is foolproof, Kate soon realizes that nothing-in filmmaking or in life-ever goes exactly as planned. Especially when there are diabolical hens out to get you.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Friendship, Contemporary, Childrens, Humor, School

280 pages, Hardcover

First published May 20, 2014

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I apparently missed adding this to my shelf last year! Night time read with the kiddo. It was a lot of fun. It had a nice message that I think older elementary or younger middle school kids could relate to.

It was about a young girl who is a hobbiest film director, but she gets into a disagreement with a friend who she feels is ignoring her in favor of other friends. She's also struggling with a recent move to a new house on a chicken farm, where kids tease her about smelling like the farm, etc.

She experiences a lot of growth over the course of the book. Overall not bad, there were some humorous moments.

[Yareli Becerril · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and I would totally recommend it to people who like realistic fiction.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow it's harder to review a book I loved than one with a lot of flaws, but I'll try anyway. Kate Walden finds herself abandoned by her best friend and then (briefly) experiences life at the bottom of the middle-school pecking order. But Kate is a director, so she scripts her own revenge against her traitorous best friend--only to learn, once her revenge has played out, that she's as much a "bad guy" herself.

Kate's insights into herself were a little too mature, maybe, but just because real seventh graders might not have spelled out those truths quite as clearly doesn't mean they don't *learn* them...it just takes slightly longer to process in real life. Which is one of the great strengths of novels: they help us find ways to describe our own experiences, including the painful parts of growing up.

I'm making this book sound heavy and serious, and it's neither of those things. It's hilarious, and touching (one of my favourite bits was Kate's refusal to abandon her new unpopular-girl-table friends even when she's fought her way back up the social scale), and an easy, smooth, enjoyable read. Kate's revenge plot was so perfect I applauded her for pulling it off, even though I knew she'd eventually have to find some way to it.

My only extremely minor quibble was that sometimes the point of view seemed a little too adult for seventh grade. I can accept that her grasp of "mean girl" politics and her insights into her own flaws had to be a little more transparent to Kate than they are when you're actually in the throes of middle school, because otherwise the book wouldn't have worked...but having Kate muse that the main street of her hometown was like the main street of similar towns all across America was jarring, because who knows that in seventh grade unless they have a specific reason (parents are obsessive cross-country travelers, maybe)? As an adult the "one street with stores and a theatre" would seem unimpressive and like-every-other-town, sure. But when you're actually twelve and live on a farm outside of town, going into town for a day feels exciting and Main Street still looks impressive, even if you have seen Hollywood on television.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gr 3-8 -- Kate Walden thinks she has a handle on her life's cast of characters. Devoted Dad, chicken-farming Mom, annoying little brother Derek, and Alyssa, Kate's BFF and the star of Kate's most ambitious movie to date. There's also social outcasts Margaret and Doris, and Lydia, Most Popular Girl. But when Lydia turns her attention to Alyssa, Kate finds herself shunned and picked-on. At home, her dad is acting squirrely and her mom is oblivious to her pain. The only constant in her life is Derek, who is still annoying.
Julie Mata has an unerring ear for tween dialogue, and conveys Kate's hurt and anger with a you-are-there clarity, even - and perhaps especially - when she lashes out irrationally. Despite all the drama, there is humor and a great deal of warmth in this clean read.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up in my local Goodwill a few weeks ago. I always shop at the book section. Night of the Zombie Chickens ended up being in the adult upper shelves or else I wouldn't had seen it or bought it. It has a cute and fun cover and that's what drew my attention, and why I ended up buying it.

I really wasn't aware that it was a middle school book until I read the back, when I was about to start reading. My three children are young adults in their twenties, so it's been awhile. I used to read many of their books.

It started off slow, I really wasn't liking it and I thought, oh no. But as I was reading more, it grew on me, but not to give it anymore than a 3.

This story is about friendship, family drama and peer pressure.

Kate is in 7th grade. The Walden family moved to the outside of town because her mother quit her high profile career to raise chickens, except Kate despises chickens. She has to feed them and collect their eggs every morning. When she isn't doing that, Kate is a Director. She loves making movies. She is making a movie called, what else, Night of the Zombie Chickens. She has a best friend, Alyssa. They've been friends forever, but then middle school drama happens and Alyssa dumps her for the most popular girl in school. There's a school play, Annie, a red wig that is stolen, Kate's father is acting really strange and taking secret telephone calls, is he having an affair?

I think this is a good book for a middle school child to read as Kate grows by the end of the book. It's all about life lessons.

[Katherine Loyacano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Walden Directs: Night of the Zombie Chickens by Julie Mata is a light-hearted, middle-grade zombie story about friendship and family. Kate Walden was a happy teenager until her mom quits her corporate job to become an organic chicken farmer, moving the family to a farm far from Kate’s friends and social life. Kate’s love of movies and interest in filmmaking prompt her to make a zombie film with her mom’s chickens and her best friend Alyssa. Everything is going as planned until Alyssa drops Kate for Lydia, the most popular girl in the 7th grade, and Kate quickly becomes a social outcast. Kate refuses to have egg on her face for long and hatches a plan to get revenge.

I enjoyed this story. It was humorous and heartfelt with what it means to be a friend at the core. Mata does a good job with character development and exploring tough issues teens face, such as fitting in at school, divorce, and family conflict. I love Kate’s growth from the beginning of the novel until the end. Entertaining middle-grade read!

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grew on me. Yes, it had some predictable moments and girl drama almost always gets an eye roll from me, but I genuinely liked the characters, cared about the resolution, and enjoyed all the film lingo. Solid middle grade realistic fiction.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great middle grade book about a girl aspiring to be a film director. Complete with friendship drama and of course zombie chickens!

I picked this up for a quarter at a library sale - it’s staying on my shelf and hopefully my kids will read it someday! Great find!

[Cathlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

super cute and very relateable for kids going through those middle school years full of shifting friendships, social pressures, and family struggles

[Lil Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read, great for Middle School

[Jasilyn G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very funny, and has a lot of plot twist. If you like a book about movies, farmer, and friendship than this is a book for you.

[ZACH]

ok

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is perfect for middle grade readers. Even though I started reading it on accident, I really enjoyed it. Very cute book!

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never actually finished this book but I did skim a head a little to see if it was worth finishing. I decided not. It was pretty boring and the characters weren't always exactly likable. The plot was fine but just not for me. Too boring.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Walden wants to become a famous movie director someday with fantastic actors and actresses under her artistic genius. Currently she's only in 6th grade and her artistic pool is limited to family, friends, and the evil chickens that have wrecked her social life and quite possibly stolen her mother's affection. See, Kate used to be cool. She used to be in the upper tiers of middle school, but then her mom decided to quit her job and start organic chicken farming. And when popular girl Lydia came over to be a zombie in one of the last scenes of Kate's most recent movie, she got a front row view of the disgustingness that is chickens. And she has no qualms about telling people how Kate lives among these pooping feather brains. Kate might have recovered from that except that that same week her mom came and shared in class about raising organic chickens AND in the middle of the crowded hallway chicken poop falls right off of Kate's shoe and is seen by all. Now Kate is being called Crapkate, her best friend Alyssa has drifted over to the dark side with Lydia, and Kate is left sitting with Margaret and Doris at the losers' table. Alyssa was the one who invited Lydia over, she didn't stand up for Kate during the Crapkate incident, and in all, she's been a rotten friend, so Kate hatches a plan to teach Alyssa a lesson that involves the theft of the Cute Red Wig for the upcoming production of Annie. The plan gets set in motion no problem, but then Kate starts to learn some things about herself, middle school social standings, and true friendship. With the help of Margaret and Doris (who turn out to be not so bad after all), Kate must try to make things right before she ruins multiple lives.

I came oh so close to quitting on this one at multiple points. I work with middle schoolers, and get to see plenty of real life middle school drama, so picking up a book and suffering through it with one more middle schooler was not my idea of fun or relaxing. I wanted to drop the book and give it two stars. But I stuck with it and plowed through to see what Kate learned (or to see if the chickens finally went zombie in real life and ate everyone, an ending Kate would have probably approved of). I was glad I did finish it, because I now know several students this book will speak to because it seems so in touch with real pre-teen drama. I liked the lessons that Kate learned about revenge and doing what's right and family and friendships, the resolution she found with her friend and her mom is great (and not too easy), and the realization that both the people at the top and bottom of the middle school social ladder have something to offer is a great bonus. (Lydia does not come off as 100% evil in this, nor do Margaret and Doris come off as 100% normal, but all very real and with things to offer to the group.) I think this message from Kate's mom towards the end of the book best sums up the treasure waiting for kids who read this book, ""You know, Kate, all of us get busy building our careers, building our families, our friendships. It's easy to forget that we're also building who we are. We do it every day. It's not what other people think of us that defines us. It's what we do and how we act.""

Notes on content: No language stronger than crap. No sexual content. No violence, just psychological meanness and a theft that all get worked out.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Walden, a 7th grader, has recently moved out of town because her mom decided to raise organic chickens instead of working at a software firm. Kate still goes to the same school as before but she misses the convenience of living near her friends. Oh, and she hates the chickens. However, she is a smart, resourceful and creative girl and she uses her mom's chickens as props/extras in her movie "Night of the Zombie Chickens". Her friend, Alyssa, plays the main character and almost all of Kate's other friends and her family have played zombies at one point or another. Alyssa asks if Lydia, the most popular girl in 7th grade, can be a zombie but Lydia plays everything for laughs and Alyssa joins in. This is the start of the breakup of their friendship and, when things get really bad socially at school, Kate decides to get her revenge on Alyssa. Her plan is very creative and it works beautifully, leaving Alyssa the social pariah. However, Kate is not at all sure that she feels good about the outcome and confesses to her new friend Margaret and Alyssa. She decides to set up another scenario (script writing skills do come in handy) that will clear Alyssa and enlists the girls' help. The plan works even better than expected, even though there are some nail biting moments. Kate manages to keep her new friends as well as repair her relationship with Alyssa.

I really enjoyed this story of middle school girls jockeying for social position. The description of the social dynamics at school feels very real and the dialogue is snappy and authentic. The thing that makes this story different is that Kate is so creative and actually comes up with a way to get back at her ex-friend, something that many people in her position have dreamed about. The story also goes into the intended and unintended consequences of her actions. Alyssa suffers as Kate intends but it doesn't make Kate feel as good as she'd hoped. And other people suffer as a result, too. I did like that Kate managed to keep her new friends Margaret and Doris. Also, during the course of the book, she becomes more empathic towards the points of view of her own family members who are dealing with the changes moving to a chicken farm brings.

[Tali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A free copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kate Walden Directs: Night of the Zombie Chickens is the story of 12-year-old Kate, an aspiring film director, who lives on a farm with her mther, father and annoying little brother and who, along with her best friend Alyssa, is making her film, Night of the Zombie Chickens, using her mother's organic chickens as Alyssa's co-stars. All is going well until Alyssa becomes friends with the most popular girl in their grade, Lydia, and they begin to pick on both Kate's movie and her family and mother's farm business. Relegated to the 'loser table' in the cafeteria, Kate plots the perfect script to get even with her ex-friends, only it all starts to go wrong and she might need the help of her new friends to make it all right again.
I liked this book. At times it felt all too real with how cruel and thoughtless girls that age could be and I really empathized with Kate when she realized that she'd been ditched by her best friend and laughed about behind her back. I thought the relationship between Kate and her family was really well written too, especially her relationship with her mother which showed all the frustration and love you can have towards your family all in one moment. I have to say though that I didn't like Kate's plan to get even with Alyssa and Lydia - it was uncomfortable to read and it did make me like Kate a little less at that moment, especially as you would hope that the main character you're rooting for wouldn't stoop to that level. I also found it strange that although Kate harbors lots of anger towards Alyssa for for ditching her and spreading rumours about her, she feels no such anger towards the other girls that either pick on her or pretend not to know her, but just excuses their behaviour. It bugged me when reading it.
All in all a good book, but perhaps a little too young for me, although I did really like Kate as the main character. 3 stars.

[Joella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kate Walden has one serious hobby. She is making a film. She and her best friend Alyssa have been working on the film for ages. Kate writes, sets up, directs and films the scenes. Alyssa stars in them. Along with a few chickens. Sure they may seem like the organic chickens from her mother’s organic chicken farm business, but really they are the zombie chicken stars of the movie. If only Kate could think up a good ending for the film. But this is all just the background hobby for the book. The real meat of the story is how Kate learns to deal with what happens when bad things happen to you–even if sometimes bad things happen because your best friend isn’t always acting like a best friend.

This is another drama, drama, drama book about tween girls. And to be quite honest, no it wasn’t my favorite book. In fact, I found Kate quite annoying. Which meant that I cringed most of my way through the book. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t appreciate the fact that tweens who are trying to understand the complexities of the whole middle school social circles (and the roller coaster of popularity that comes with it) will enjoy the story. And the fact that there is something as strange as zombie chickens thrown in (and a secret or two as to how to make really good fake blood) will help those crazy tweens to laugh at the absurdity of it all. So yes, I can recommend this book with a librarian’s gusto. I just know that I personally would skip the drama and the backstabbing and the selfishness of those tween years. I personally would rather go and read something about paper-folded Star Wars characters.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

7th grader Kate Walden wasn’t thrilled when her mother quit her job and moved them out of town to a “farmette” where she could raise organic chickens. Kate hates the chickens and the work they make, but she gets back at them by making them the villains of the zombie chicken movie she’s been making, starring her best friend Alyssa. Things are going fine until all of a sudden, Alyssa falls under the spell of the school’s most popular girl, and suddenly Kate is the butt of all school jokes, and has to sit with the other outcasts. Simmering for revenge, Kate devises a plan, which works brilliantly—-or does it? Somehow, she doesn’t feel quite as good as she thought she would. What should she do now?

Well, this book had some interesting elements, like the chickens and the water tower, but I’ve read a much better book about a girl not thrilled that she lives on a farm and brings animal poop to school on her shoes—“Waiting for Normal.” In this one, I just really didn’t like Kate for most of the book. I know the point is that she recognized her failings and tried to become a better person, but that doesn’t make her any more fun to hang out with for 200 pages, and I found myself skimming. I also thought the solution to the auditions was predictable, and the solution to at least one of Kate’s problems was Deus ex Machina. That said, Kate did feel like a real kid going through real kid problems, her relationship with her friend and her brother were also realistic, as was her relationship with her parents. If I’d liked her better, I would have enjoyed the book.

[Brenda]

Kate loves to make movies, one day she hopes to be a film director. Her newest project is called Night of the Zombie Chickens, starring her best friend Alyssa. Living on a free range chicken farm, Kate has the luxury of having chickens available for filming, now all she needs is to figure out an epic final scene. Ever since Kate moved, Alyssa has seemed distant and less interested in the project as she once was. Alyssa has also been hanging out with Lydia, the most popular girl in school. At first Alyssa says its because both of their parents are divorced, but when Alyssa starts taking part in some of the teasing that Lydia and her crowd direct toward her, Kate knows that she doesn't want to be friends anymore. Kate is left to sit at "the loser's table" with Margrett and Olivia, which doesn't turn out to be as bad as she thought. Kate thinks that Alyssa needs to see just what she has put her through, so she comes up with just the right idea. Everything goes as planned, but even the best laid plans aren't always the right thing. Kate finds herself in the position of having to rewrite everything and fix her mistakes. Mata gives you the feel of middle grade girls, especially when Alyssa and Lydia begin to hang out. It's actually sad to experience the teasing that the girls and other students put Kate through. Yet, I also felt disappointed that she chose to try and exact revenge on Alyssa, even though she kind of deserved it.

I received a review copy from Disney/Hachette Book Group for consideration for the 2014 Cybils award in Middle Grade fiction.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

7th grader Kate Walden wasn’t thrilled when her mother quit her job and moved them out of town to a “farmette” where she could raise organic chickens. Kate hates the chickens and the work they make, but she gets back at them by making them the villains of the zombie chicken movie she’s been making, starring her best friend Alyssa. Things are going fine until all of a sudden, Alyssa falls under the spell of the school’s most popular girl, and suddenly Kate is the butt of all school jokes, and has to sit with the other outcasts. Simmering for revenge, Kate devises a plan, which works brilliantly—or does it? Somehow, she doesn’t feel quite as good as she thought she would. What should she do now?

Well, this book had some interesting elements, like the chickens and the water tower, but I’ve read a much better book about a girl not thrilled that she lives on a farm and brings animal poop to school on her shoes—“Waiting for Normal.” In this one, I just really didn’t like Kate for most of the book. I know the point is that she recognized her failings and tried to become a better person, but that doesn’t make her any more fun to hang out with for 200 pages, and I found myself skimming. I also thought the solution to the auditions was predictable, and the solution to at least one of Kate’s problems was Deus ex Machina. That said, Kate did feel like a real kid going through real kid problems, her relationship with her friend and her brother were also realistic, as was her relationship with her parents. If I’d liked her better, I would have enjoyed the book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course, it was the title that pulled me in. Who could resist? I love the next fantasy novel as much at the next children's librarian but I do, on occasion, wish for more solid, everyday stories. Kate Walden Directs fit the bill and was a lot of fun to read.

Kate is having a rough time. Her mom quit her corporate job (which she hated) and is now living her dream raising organic chickens on a farm with Kate, her dad and her younger brother. Kate, a seventh-grader, hates the move, hates how removed it makes her (both geographically and socially) from her peers and truly hates these dumb chickens. As an aspiring director, she turns the farm into a movie-set and is determined to make a horror film with her best-friend as leading lady focusing on zombie chickens.

The novel tackles the horrors of cliques, revenge upon a frenemy, divorce, marital affairs and sibling relationships all with humor and a well-paced plot that never gets bogged down in preachy sermons or unbelievable scenarios of "bitchy girl suddenly turns wonderful" schmaltz. Thank you! Really liked it, will recommend to many of my tween girl patrons and feel confident that they will enjoy it as much or more than I did.

[Ionia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juli Mata has a clear understanding of what it is like to be a pre-teen and the pressures that kids feel when trying to establish their place in the social order. This book is fun to read, silly at times, but also has a lot of truth in it.

Throughout this story, I felt sorry for Kate for the situations she found herself in, even when she wasn't being very nice. She is a character that it is easy to feel sympathy for. I thought the author did a brilliant job of making her background seem realistic and colourful and the secondary characters were equally as well drawn.

For the younger kids who read this, there may be a couple of more adult themes they don't understand yet, but nothing extreme that they shouldn't be reading.

Between the zombie chickens and the Kate-caused mayhem, there is never a dull moment in this book. There are some valuable lessons here and I think even parents would have fun reading this with their child.

Overall, this one was a winner earning four out of five stars.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher and provided by Netgalley.

[Luna's Little Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was the title that first caught my attention, Night of the Zombie Chickens – I had to know more about this book.

Kate wants to be a director and after nearly a year of working on Night of the Zombie Chickens she looses her star and best friend Alyssa to the popular girl. Following a few unfortunate events and Kate is isolated and bullied while Alyssa looks on. The main difference to this story that Kate seeks revenge.

Honestly I didn’t always like Kate, she’s goes up and down like a yo-yo in her emotions but that makes her much more realistic. Julie Mata’s book shows that girls can mean or good, they will lash out and forgiving someone is much harder than doing just that.

Of course there are plenty of funny moments and I really liked the new friends Kate makes, particularly Margaret.

I think Kate Walden Directs: Night of the Zombie Chickens is a well-directed (see what I did there) story of the trails of friendship and growing up.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Walden's life is turned on end when her mother quits her corporate job and moves the family to a micro-farm on the outskirts of town and begins raising organic chickens. Kate, who dreams of becoming a Hollywood director, tries to make the best of the situation by filming a feature length movie about Zombie chickens. It stars her best friend, Alyssa. Everything is coming along well, until Alyssa starts becoming friends with the most popular girl in the seventh grade. Suddenly Kate finds herself without a best friend, and at the bottom of the social pecking order because of the chickens. How will she mange to survive middle school as the daughter of a chicken farmer? A hilarious look at the ups and downs of middle school friendships. Recommended for grades 4 & up.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Kate Walden is a spunky, inventive, fun narrator who will draw readers in with her hilarious hi-jinks and hard-working attitude. It's fantastic for readers to see a girl who turns what could be a very unpleasant situation (a new home surrounded by her least favorite animal-chickens) into art in the form of an independent film. Even readers who have no interest in film-making will be able to relate to the highs and lows along Kate's journey to see her ideas come to life. Mata does a fine job of incorporating bullying, friendship, and family issues into this sometimes silly romp. This is a great pick for middle readers who enjoy humor and realistic stories.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute book about Kate, who is in 7th grade, and has had to move away from her friends to a farm outside of town because her mother has decided to become an organic chicken farmer. Although Kate still goes to school with her friends, she is no longer close by and her best friend becomes friends with the most popular girl in her grade and leaves Kate feeling quite left out. Bullying and mean girlness show up in the book along with Kate making a silly movie about zombie chickens. I think that girls in grades 4 through 7 will enjoy this book. I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Kate's dream is to be a filmmaker and she has been working with Alyssa, her best friend, to make a movie about zombie chickens. Eventually, Alyssa starts ignoring Kate and hanging out with Lydia, the most popular girl. Kate's world crumbles, she feels like an outcast, and befriends two of the school's outcasts (who turn out to be wonderful friends). Kate then decides to do something to get back at Alyssa. The book does a good job portraying middle school friendship issues and there are some funny and poignant parts to the story.

[Kyle Hui · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read this book, I couldn't put it down. During the summer of 2014, I didn't read at all. I just wouldn't have interest in reading books. But when I read this book, it got me into reading again. This book was about this girl, Kate Walden, who was a director of her own movie. She couldn't of made it without some challenges. She got bullied, faced rejection, but made it out in the end. You just have to read this book to experience it.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read for someone in middle school, or someone that just remembers the torture that can be junior high! LOL Kate is making a movie about Zombie chickens and has her best friend in the movie. When they have a falling out she has to figure out how to end the movie without her. In the process there is woes with popularity, worrying about her father having an affair and putting up with her younger brother. It was an easy read and I recommend it to younger girls.