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The Zero Degree Zombie Zone
In the spirit if Tony Abbott's UNDERWORLD books, comes the new kid on the block - Barkari Katari Johnson!
Shy fourth-grader Bakari Katari Johnson is having a bad day. He's always coming up against Tariq Thomas, the most popular kid in their class, and today is no different. On top of that, Bakari has found a strange ring that appears to have magical powers--and the people from the ring's fantastical other world want it back! Can Bakari and his best friend Wardell stave off the intruders' attempts, keep the ring safe, and stand up to Tariq and his pal Keisha, all before the school bell rings? Media celebrity and Essence Magazine entertainment producer, Patrik Henry Bass delivers adventure, fun, fantasy and friendship in this illustrated action-packed adventure starring an African American boy hero and his classmates.
Shy fourth-grader Bakari Katari Johnson is having a bad day. He's always coming up against Tariq Thomas, the most popular kid in their class, and today is no different. On top of that, Bakari has found a strange ring that appears to have magical powers--and the people from the ring's fantastical other world want it back! Can Bakari and his best friend Wardell stave off the intruders' attempts, keep the ring safe, and stand up to Tariq and his pal Keisha, all before the school bell rings? Media celebrity and Essence Magazine entertainment producer, Patrik Henry Bass delivers adventure, fun, fantasy and friendship in this illustrated action-packed adventure starring an African American boy hero and his classmates.
144 pages, Library Binding
First published August 26, 2014
14 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 20, 2016
This was an interesting story. I loved the ice zombies very creative. It was a great book to teach kids to not be bullies and be friends. Even though Bakari was getting bullied by Keisha and Tarik they were able to team up and save the world from being invaded by ice zombies. Loved that at the end they were able to work together and become friends. This is a great book for teenagers. Has adventure, team work and determination.
August 4, 2017
A quick read but good plot about friendship and self-confidence. Most appropriate for grades 3,4,5 and maybe a young 6th grader.
August 23, 2020
Patrik Henry Bass is quite the gifted writer. He writes Bakari Katari Johnson in such a way that he’s sooooo relatable. This kid, who is so far removed from me. Whose situation is completely different from mine - except maybe that we both grew up in public school. I get him. That’s an amazing feat for a writer to pull off.
And as soon as I wrote this, I got to page 24 and something happened that mirrored something that happened to me in class one day. Of course, Bakari is 9 and I was 16 at the time. But still.
And the theme of this book calls to me. It’s so easy to follow the path of least resistance. Bakari notes that “…doing things isn’t really my specialty.”
How many of us walk through life waiting for things to happen TO us? Not really making any decisions, except in reaction to things that happen to us. This is such a well-written metaphor for those of us who like to settle in that rut and let people make decisions for us.
I love this book. I love the story. I think I would have loved it in fourth grade, too. Check it out.
And as soon as I wrote this, I got to page 24 and something happened that mirrored something that happened to me in class one day. Of course, Bakari is 9 and I was 16 at the time. But still.
And the theme of this book calls to me. It’s so easy to follow the path of least resistance. Bakari notes that “…doing things isn’t really my specialty.”
How many of us walk through life waiting for things to happen TO us? Not really making any decisions, except in reaction to things that happen to us. This is such a well-written metaphor for those of us who like to settle in that rut and let people make decisions for us.
I love this book. I love the story. I think I would have loved it in fourth grade, too. Check it out.
January 12, 2018
It's a cute chapter book for beginning readers. I picked it up at my stepdaughter's elementary school book fair. The zombies are appropriate for the age group; although, they are not the gory, brain devouring kind you may imagine from The Walking Dead, which is a good thing for such young readers.
November 11, 2020
Fantasy Fiction. I enjoyed this short chapter book because it touches on subjects of real life problems such as bullying and how the character resolves them in a heroic way. This is a great independent reading book and a follow up writing response to go along with it.
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November 11, 2020Fantasy Fiction
Independent Reading
This book is very interactive and interesting for children. I would give this book as an independent reading and assign pages for my students as homework. This book would give a great opportunity for a book report for my students to complete.
Independent Reading
This book is very interactive and interesting for children. I would give this book as an independent reading and assign pages for my students as homework. This book would give a great opportunity for a book report for my students to complete.
November 30, 2021
11/27/2021 ~ An action/thriller in which the characters fight of frozen zombies. There are a few gaps in the world building & magic, but the book is very readable and has a fabulous cover. I'd definitely buy this for my elementary library, but it's no longer available in print. :(
July 7, 2018
Potential for SEE 360
April 28, 2019
Nathan liked it. He enjoyed the portals which took the characters to the zombie zone.
Want to read
April 14, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
August 15, 2021
Started it awhile ago. It was ok. Quick read if you stick with it.
July 17, 2023
Just gave me flashbacks of reading the Daisy Meadow Fairy books with the kids and battling Jack Frost.
February 9, 2017
Bakari Katari Johnson usually keeps his head down in school and doesn't talk much, so he's pretty annoyed when his friend Wardell nominates him to be hall monitor. This puts Bakari up against class golden boy Tariq and his mean cousin Keisha. Pretty soon Bakari has bigger problems on his hands, though, when he's sucked into a portal that takes him to a frozen land of ice zombies. The ice zombie king demands that Bakari give his magic ring back - a ring that is currently in Keisha's possession. Can Bakari get the ring away from Keisha and save the world from an ice zombie invasion? Will he ever be elected hall monitor? This day at Thurgood Cleavon Wilson Elementary School is full of surprises.
This was fine. I'm sure kids will like the action, supernatural adventure, and friendship drama. For me it was just like a lot of early chapter books in that the conflict is resolved too easily and is a bit predictable. In terms of Bakari's character and others, it did a lot of telling and not as much showing. Keisha was one character I was impressed with. I like that she's tough, even sometimes mean, but that it's presented as a trait that is sometimes positive and good to have on your side. I would probably hand this to kids who like action and adventure who are reading at this level, but it's definitely not a personal favorite of mine.
This was fine. I'm sure kids will like the action, supernatural adventure, and friendship drama. For me it was just like a lot of early chapter books in that the conflict is resolved too easily and is a bit predictable. In terms of Bakari's character and others, it did a lot of telling and not as much showing. Keisha was one character I was impressed with. I like that she's tough, even sometimes mean, but that it's presented as a trait that is sometimes positive and good to have on your side. I would probably hand this to kids who like action and adventure who are reading at this level, but it's definitely not a personal favorite of mine.
October 20, 2014
Summary – Bakari Katari Johnson is feeling like his life is out of control. Not only did his best friend Wardell sign him up to run in the election for hall monitor before he said it was okay to do, he keeps butting heads with his fourth grade nemesis, Keisha whose cousin, the ever popular Tariq, is also running for hall-monitor. Oh yeah, there’s also this magical ring that ice zombies from another world want and they think Bakari has and they want it back – or else!
What I thought – The combination of this fun and unusual zombie story along with the great illustrations make this book a winner! The story is an interesting take on zombies (like they don’t infect anyone and they are ice zombies – actually that’s kind of cool) and it is completely appropriate for younger kids. I think a lot of kids will get into the story because it is a fun and easy read but it is packed with action. Bakari is a great character who is very believable as a fourth-grader. I like how he handles everything even with the threat of a full-scale zombie invasion looming (and also dealing with a bully). I like how Mr. Bass mixes a bit of magic and fantasy in a realistic setting. Mr. Craft’s illustrations go with the story very well and make it all the more enjoyable. The characters in the book are all African-American so people looking for diverse characters – check it out – even if you are not – check it out – it’s a good book! I think kids who like NERDS and Diary of a Wimpy Kid-type books will enjoy this book. I hope there will be a sequel.
What I thought – The combination of this fun and unusual zombie story along with the great illustrations make this book a winner! The story is an interesting take on zombies (like they don’t infect anyone and they are ice zombies – actually that’s kind of cool) and it is completely appropriate for younger kids. I think a lot of kids will get into the story because it is a fun and easy read but it is packed with action. Bakari is a great character who is very believable as a fourth-grader. I like how he handles everything even with the threat of a full-scale zombie invasion looming (and also dealing with a bully). I like how Mr. Bass mixes a bit of magic and fantasy in a realistic setting. Mr. Craft’s illustrations go with the story very well and make it all the more enjoyable. The characters in the book are all African-American so people looking for diverse characters – check it out – even if you are not – check it out – it’s a good book! I think kids who like NERDS and Diary of a Wimpy Kid-type books will enjoy this book. I hope there will be a sequel.
February 14, 2017
Can only say "meh". Wanted to like it more than I did. But I think it would be good for 2nd or third graders.
August 11, 2014
I've read about almost smart zombies, very fast zombies and the typical feet-dragging zombies. I have never read about icy-cold frozen zombies until now.
This is such a neat concept and it's done in a fun way. An adventurous one, with so many possibilities. It's the story of Bakari Katari Johnson, a shy fourth-grader who just want to be left alone and unnoticed. Unfortunately for him the ruler of the zero-degree zombie zone suspects him of a magical ring thievery. He is willing to get his ring back at all costs, including a human world invasion. The problem? Katari doesn't have it.
I really enjoy it when characters grow over the course of a book. Katari grows into a confident and butt-kicking fourth grader in his quest to find the ring and save the world. It's fast paced because everything happens on the same day. I KNOW!
Some of the character dynamics will seem a little cliché at first (for an adult) but it definitely makes sense towards the end when things get really hot (or cold, since we're talking about icy-cold/frozen zombies after all).
Now I can't help but wonder, what happens when a frozen zombie bites you?
This is such a neat concept and it's done in a fun way. An adventurous one, with so many possibilities. It's the story of Bakari Katari Johnson, a shy fourth-grader who just want to be left alone and unnoticed. Unfortunately for him the ruler of the zero-degree zombie zone suspects him of a magical ring thievery. He is willing to get his ring back at all costs, including a human world invasion. The problem? Katari doesn't have it.
I really enjoy it when characters grow over the course of a book. Katari grows into a confident and butt-kicking fourth grader in his quest to find the ring and save the world. It's fast paced because everything happens on the same day. I KNOW!
Some of the character dynamics will seem a little cliché at first (for an adult) but it definitely makes sense towards the end when things get really hot (or cold, since we're talking about icy-cold/frozen zombies after all).
Now I can't help but wonder, what happens when a frozen zombie bites you?
January 16, 2015
Meh, it was okay. It shows the reader how an ice zombie invasion can help you win friends among people who hate you.
Keisha finds a ring that opens a door into the ZDZZ, but Bakari is the one who gets yelled at by the owner, the king of the ice zombies. He wants his ring back so he can invade earth and make it a chillier place. It's up to Bakari and his best friend, Wardell to team up with bossy Keisha and her "golden boy" cousin, Tariq to close the hole for good.
Now, if only you can break into school cliques that easily.
I read this book because it by an African-American author and I wanted to see what he thought a 4th grade experience was like.
Keisha finds a ring that opens a door into the ZDZZ, but Bakari is the one who gets yelled at by the owner, the king of the ice zombies. He wants his ring back so he can invade earth and make it a chillier place. It's up to Bakari and his best friend, Wardell to team up with bossy Keisha and her "golden boy" cousin, Tariq to close the hole for good.
Now, if only you can break into school cliques that easily.
I read this book because it by an African-American author and I wanted to see what he thought a 4th grade experience was like.
July 26, 2015
Bakari has not a lot of success making friends in his classes at school over the past three years, and he has been really good at making enemies of the two popular students, Tariq and Keisha. During a visit to the bathroom, Bakari is stolen away by Zombies who insist that he has a very important ring that belongs to the leader. Bakari must find the ring, put up with Tariq and Keisha, and try to save his school from the Zombie invasion.
August 27, 2014
Pretty cute, with nice art. The zombies the title mentions aren't gory walking corpses but frosty interdimensional beings, so no worries about scaring the new chapter book readers it's aimed at.
Full review at http://storytimehooligans.wordpress.c...
Full review at http://storytimehooligans.wordpress.c...
January 30, 2016
This is a fun action packed story about some kids that encounter ice zombies. It's brief so there aren't a lot of explanations, but I'm glad to have something shorter to offer younger readers. It seems many chapter books for kids these days run to about 300 pages at least.
The charachters don't get along at all when the story starts, but the common enemies force them to work together.
The charachters don't get along at all when the story starts, but the common enemies force them to work together.
May 4, 2015
A quick read aloud for the kids where students are inexplicably fighting ice zombies. Nothing is really explained, but that's not the point. The action and humor are fun, and my kids liked it, but it wasn't anything amazing.
April 9, 2015
A quick read aloud for the kids where students are inexplicably fighting ice zombies. Nothing is really explained, but that's not the point. The action and humor are fun, and my kids liked it, but it wasn't anything amazing.
February 9, 2016
The zombies in this book are made of ice, so there is no gore. Four kids - two are popular and two are not. They are united against the zombies and end up friends. I think thee are some 3rd and 4th graders who would like it, but I think it is a little too young for MHL.
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September 17, 2014My fourth grader just started to read this book yesterday. He loves it. He asked if he could take it to school to read in his free time. Awesome!!
September 23, 2014
Maybe I am too old for this sort of plot thing. Painful.
October 28, 2014
I'm interested in seeing how kids react to it. So far, no one has picked it up at school... Somehow, I thought it would have more cover appeal.
December 2, 2014
I like that it is a short self contained fantasy adventure but at the same time it felt rushed.
December 1, 2014
Great mix of middle school issues and scifi #diversityinbooks
March 26, 2015
This far-fetched but earnest middle grade illustrated novel should have appeal to reluctant readers and fans of wimpy kid. The characters are relatable, there's plenty of action and there's humor.
August 6, 2015
A great book with lots of action, geared towards elementary school kids but enjoyable for adults too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews