ZOMBIE BUMS FROM URANUS

Butt Trilogy #2

by Andy Griffiths

Zack Freeman is back ... and so is his crazy runaway bum. But this time they're not fighting each other–this time they've joined forces to save the Earth from the most serious threat it has ever an invasion of zombie bums ... zombie bums from Uranus. Join Zack, his bum, Eleanor, Silas Sterne, the Kicker, the Smacker, the Pincher, the Forker, the Flicker and the Mutant Maggot Lord in the heart-stopping, nostril-blasting, Zombie-Bums-from-Uranus-filled sequel to The Day My Bum went Psycho.

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Fantasy, Humor, Young Adult, Adventure, Science Fiction

275 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Andy Griffiths is Australia’s most popular children’s writer. He is the author of over 20 books, including nonsense verse, short stories, comic novels and plays. Over the past 15 years Andy’s books have been New York Times bestsellers, won over 50 children’s choice awards, been adapted as a television cartoon series and sold over 5 million copies worldwide.

Andy is best known as the author of the much-loved Just! series and The Day My Bum Went Psycho. In 2008 Andy became the first Australian author to win six children’s choice awards in one year for Just Shocking!, smashing his previous record of 4 awards for The Bad Book in 2005.

In 2008 Andy and his wife Jill collaborated with The Bell Shakespeare Company on the popular and critically acclaimed theatrical production Just Macbeth! which was nominated for two Helpmann Awards. In July 2010 Just Macbeth!completed a return sold-out season at the Sydney Opera House before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it received rave reviews. The book of the play was shortlisted in the children’s section of the 2010 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.

Andy has had a long-standing collaboration with the multi-talented illustrator Terry Denton. Together they have produced theJust! series, the wildly popular The Bad Book and The Very Bad Book, the ridiculous illustrated guide What Bumosaur is That?, and the Seussian-inspired early readers The Cat on the Mat is Flat and The Big Fat Cow that Goes Kapow! Their latest book is The 13-Storey Treehouse (September 2011).

http://us.macmillan.com/author/andygr...

Reviews

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I liked this one better than the first one, however there were a couple of things I didn't.

First, for being a kids book, there was a decent amount of indecent language: Zack's dad: "Damn these antiquated machines" and lots of use of the word hell - hell-bent, snowball's chance in hell, and I believe just using the word once, but I can't really remember other than I know there was another instance besides the other two examples. Now, I don't normally care about this stuff, and I'm trying to keep in context that Andy Griffith's lives in Australia and Australians might not be as annoyingly obnoxious about "bad language" as adults are in America. However, Zack's Gran was a stickler for appropriate language, so it surprises me there is more than one occasion of "foul language" in a book that is meant for kids.

Second, and also in regards to the language business... the Uranus joke was just so overused in this book. It wasn't funny the first time, it wasn't funny the 150th time. Every time someone mentioned the planet, like "I can see Uranus from here!" Zack's Gran would go "Language!" and they'd say "I meant the planet!" Every. Single. Time. I wish I would have kept a tally because it was so obnoxiously overused I seriously think it'd be near the hundreds... thanks E.L James! Ugh -_-

Third, the ending seemed really rather rushed and ridiculous. I know... that sounds kind of silly right? A ridiculous ending for a book called Zombie Butts from Uranus? But Teresa, surely the entire book is silly? Well yes... of course the entire book is ridiculously silly, but at least some laws of science are present and accounted for. The ending, however, was just overly unrealistic and in the context within a crazy, unrealistic book itself, well it still seemed to be so unrealistic it was unbelievable in a book all about unrealistic nonsense. So therein lies the issue... if the ending seems far too unrealistic in a book all about nonsensical and unrealistic storytelling, that's probably a problem.

Other than that, the storyline was a little more interesting than the first. I liked it better. Zack's butt is probably my favorite character...other than his Gran!

[Jody Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andy has penned what started out as a humours book aimed at young readers. Unfortunately, it is a book filled with grey areas.


Bad language like 'crap' and 'hell' did not sit with me, so I stopped reading to the kids after a while due to the lack of suitability. It featured strong language i would expect in young adult but the themes were about farts and bums so the target seems young readers.


The jokes were thin, and were based around the same three with the worst being the gran and her seeing everything as bad language (including idiot. What the?). It wore thin real quick and became cringe worthy towards the end. As an adult, you could play a drinking game and take a shot every time that joke is pulled??



The story line wasn't half bad and you have to hand it to Andy for originality. I gave 3 stars for the storyline and that it would certainly attract a young readership. If it wasn't for this, it would be only awarded 1-2 stars for the language and jokes.



Unfortunately I doubt I will pursue any of Andys other writings as it isn't to my taste and I had originally obtained it as a light hearted fun read that the kids and I could giggle about since it's about farts and bums and zombies. With the language issue and the terrible jokes, this will end my journey with Andy.

[Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel of a very funny book. What to expect? More fun and more cackles at night.

[Kaisth · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book series with more butt and toilet jokes than any sane individual should be able to come up with, I actually do think these books were well written.

Just ignore the butts for a second.

These books were very creative. They took a character who was underestimated and they didn't suddenly make him the chosen one or anything, he didn't randomly level up. They just found creative solutions to the problems he faced. He picked up items along the way, and then found way to make them work, and it all followed fairly logically, and the characters stayed perfectly true to who they were.

Since I don't really want to spoil the other to books in this just in case, I just want to mention two bits in particular for this book.

Firstly the ketchup. Creative as heck, plus the bottle didn't just disappear and actually had a function itself.
Second, they actually had him make the decision between the people he loved and destroying an evil. And he made the harder decision. And then it meant Nothing. That was a great setup and execution.

There are also a lot of jokes in here that seem more amusing for parents than they would for kids, but I really do think the writing is great.

I think about the ending of the third book a lot, like A LOT. It really had me feeling a certain way and it's been at least ten years, I haven't stopped thinking about it.

Anyways, I think this series is a fantastic way to lure your children in at the idea of butt jokes but get them to actual read some well written fiction.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought a trilogy about butts could be deep (the backstory of Zack's buttfighting family is amazing), and yet... here we are.

My nine-year-old reluctant reader son devoured this and its predecessor in a day and a half and got annoyed when I told him he'd have to wait for me to order BUTT WARS.

I only wish this series were longer!

[Newly Wardell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay to be fair this book did try to warn me. FIRST page it was like hey dont read this book. But I didnt listen. To be fair it was because I didnt hear anything because its a book. But i was warned. The worst part is that pause all the poorly written poop jokes and make the antagonist more than just a butt and this could have been great. Seriously there are very few alien invasion stories with more potential. Boy is frustrated with school because he doesnt test well. So he quits school. While he is walking away from it an alien invasion strikes. This premise worked for me, But the thing is this is 200+ pages of farts and bum puns. Not super clever ones either.

[Marsyee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember liking this book better than the first book as a kid. And my opinion still haven't changed. The sequel is much scarier and more exciting than TDMBWP.

Zack grew up a lot more in just a few days of saving the world from indestructible zombie butts and by the end of the book, he was a better butt fighter than all his days in the academy. Truly riveting read.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upper elementary readers will enjoy the continued humor in this series. This time the Great White Butt lands on Uranus and sets off a methane explosion sending the zombie butts to earth. Many challenges and battles later, Zack, Eleanor, and their parents are reunited after saving the earth.

[Culture-Vulture · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wonder if the next instalment in this series will bring time travel with it. If Gran returns. If The Great White Bum returns. If the Brown Hole is sentient.

Interesting read. Too many "Uranus" jokes, though. Made it tedious despite the fun plot.

[Ian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read the first book last year, i am guessing i was hoping there would be some improvement but no it was more of the same very silly and over the top lavatorial humor that was even more extreme than the first book But hey this book is meant for kids, not adults like me!

[Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read out loud book, so funny, doesn't matter your age.

[Sarah Thornton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've always wanted to look at Uranus and other bum jokes.

[Popsicle]

In

[lola Franco · Rating 3 out of 5]

about what you would expect. but i couldn't help but read a book with this title.

[SBC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I surprisingly enjoyed this.

[Parish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember my dad reading this book to me as a child. I never fully understood the plot, as I didn't have the first book, but I had a grand old time! Read it until the cover fell off.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect for middle school boys!!

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is astonishing the number of bum and fart jokes one book can contain.

[JoRdAn BeAk · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a mint book

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read/finished this sequel yesterday/last night while I was in Tagaytay, getting ready for bed.

12:22AM--

To be honest, when I set myself up on rereading this sequel of The Day My Butt Went Psycho, I couldn't remember a thing about it. But as I continued reading it, I realized that many events seemed familiar. But I didn't remember anything major, so I still got to experience the thrill of reading this book, not knowing what was going to happen next.

This book may very well be filled with terms that only young children may find funny because of the crudeness, but I still found it fun. After reading the whole book, I saw an ad in the back pages for The Day My Butt Went Psycho and underneath, it said that it was in the New York Times bestseller list. That was when it dawned on me. The crudity of the words may turn particular people off, but the sheer adventure and thrill that this book had (and the original one, too) really makes up for it.

If Griffiths wrote real adventure novels, without any crude terms, I'm sure he'd attract more readers. His stories and ideas are good. I really am willing to bet that it's just the crude terms that made readers hesitant to start reading this series or any other books by Andy Griffiths.

Despite the crudity, I really do like Andy Griffith's style of writing. Fun, easy and believable. I really had no problem imagining everything happen, which made me have a great experience. I mean, when I started reading this evening, I was still in the 2nd chapter, but when I checked again, I was already 3/4 done with the book! That says a lot about this book, doesn't it?

--12:34AM

[Ash... =] Barrera =D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zach is a junior league butt fighter. He didn't win any simulator games so he ran away. He found a butt feeler and his butt can talk and detach itself. Its kind of creepy. She felt it and gave him some ketchup. He found about the zombie butts when he got to Mabel Town. His grandmother lives there. She was always prepared for war like this. His grandma was a famous butt fighter. Zach doesn't know that. They went to their attic and it was a butt fighter control room.A girl from the academy came in a buttmobile. She picked them up. They meet up with two other butt fighters. They burned some butts and they got knocked out from the smell. Zach's parents are on a secret E-Mission. They are on Uranus right now. They got kidnapped to the Magitorium. A butt was talking to Zach down in the Magitorium. The maggot lord came out and made a deal with them. They half to bring zombie butts to his kids. they did. They mutant maggots ate them and died. Then they woke up and the were mutant zombie maggots.The great white butt came to earth to take over. When he got there e scared all the mutant zombie maggots away. On uranus Zachs mom hit the great white butt with a perfume bomb. The great white butt blasted Zach grandma and the two other butt fighters. Zach and Elinor tried to kill it. and they did.Zachs parents came back and Zach got a certificate and the teachers of the junior league got unzombie buttified and Gran went somewhere they don't know. And they lived their life as butt-fighters. I think this book is really good and gross. I recommend that kids read this book not adults.

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zack is back along with the butts. Zombie butts from Uranus have been awaken by "accident". They invaded Earth under the command of the Great White Butt. Instantly the butt fighters got geared up and proceeded to stop these zombie butts, butt to their surprise they were unable to harm them. Their usual butt fighting techniques were useless against this new threat. They tried everything but nothing seemed to work...except for ketchup! With this new weapon they were able to hold the zombie butts off. This is the second in the series and I think it was pretty interesting. At first it seemed like all hope was lost, It didn't seem like anything could be done about the butts. This got me on the edge of my seat with all the suspense especially with the return of the kisser. I had no idea what to expect in this book, anything was possible, which made this a book you won't be able to put down.

[Gail]

What can you say about a book that comes with a warning: "If you are a parent or a teacher or even if you're just over eighteen, put this book down now!You won't like it! You won't understand it! You wil be totally grossed out by it." TRUE!! "Recommended" in a Book Links article (May 2009) The Gross and the Gory: Making Reading Connections with Boys" that states very clearly that boys like action, adventure, and toilet humor. So I was off to meet the author Andy Griffiths who specializes in such books. I only made it through a couple of chapters (after all I had been warned). Enough to know that talking butts, crapalances, poopigators, etc.are not for me. Will the third and fourth grade boys love this? And the first one "The Day My Butt Went Psycho!" I expect so.

[Ozan Akipek · Rating 1 out of 5]

What can you say about a book that comes with a warning: "If you are a parent or a teacher or even if you're just over eighteen, put this book down now!You won't like it! You won't understand it! You wil be totally grossed out by it." TRUE!! "Recommended" in a Book Links article (May 2009) The Gross and the Gory: Making Reading Connections with Boys" that states very clearly that boys like action, adventure, and toilet humor. So I was off to meet the author Andy Griffiths who specializes in such books. I only made it through a couple of chapters (after all I had been warned). Enough to know that talking butts, crapalances, poopigators, etc.are not for me. Will the third and fourth grade boys love this? And the first one "The Day My Butt Went Psycho!" I expect so

[Essau Alli · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is part of a series. Its about these kids who stop people from other planets. This butt can control the person he is on. Then when these kids realize that more people from a different planet are coming are zombie butts and they need to stop them.

I can connect this book the world because there are villains that need to be stopped. They are trying to stop them but the villain avoids them. In the world there are criminals and other bad things and the zombie butts are the criminals in the book.

I rate this book 2 stars because I did not find it as funny as the title. I thought it was not very interesting because the plot felt immature for me.

[Jose Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Zombie Butts form Uranus is a very funny and adventureous book. The reason that it was so funny was because it was well.....on BUTTS! Not just any butts though they are ZOMBIE BUTTS FROM URANUS!!!!!!!! Zack Freeman is not a very good butt fighter which in his mind the worst there ever was. Zack Freeman is not told this by his parents but they are acually first rate butt fighters but they tell there SON that they are music players and that they are on a world tour. They are acually in outer space studying the rings of Uranus. Which in this book are frozen dead cold disgusting butts! Zack freeman meets up with old friend s and enimies all while fighting the GREAT WHITE BUTT!

[Kate]

I should have listened to the warning at the beginning - this book is not suitable for adults. I did laugh out loud at many of the butt puns (univarse...haha) but they started to blend together after a few pages. Plus I didn't care for the story. I'm sure 12-year-old me would have been into it more, and I will definitely recommend this one to children who like to giggle uncontrollably. It could be good for playing the The Eye of Argon game for kids (try to read it out loud for as long as possible without laughing).

[Angeluismanzueta · Rating 4 out of 5]

this sequel is about zack and his butt go in marvelous adventures in space fighting butt zombies the great white butt and more this book is hilarious and embarrasing reading about butts. i would text-to-text this book to also previous books of one of andy griffins books known as the day my butt went psycho it is as hilarious as this book. i would give this book 4 stars because it is funny action butt fighting and more marvelous adventures along the way but closer to the end it got pretty boring it seems as if the author had noting else to say.

[Joseph Park · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think that this book was great... I mean, it had the laughs, but overall, the plot of the story was not good, and I think the author confuses people with the made-up words that he makes. The book was a great laugh because it had a lot of fiction, such as a butt who actually talks. The book is about a boy named Zack who tries to save the world from a zombie butt invasion, after he had destroyed the Great-white butt in book 1. I do not think I would recommend this book to adults, but kids who love fantasy.

[Tino]

"Zombie Butts From Uranus" was a terrible book by Andy Griffiths. It was about a boy named Zach who was training to be a butt-fighter. As he was training his test were very hard for him so he quit the butt-fighting academy. A couple days after that zombie butt landed on earth and started to attack earth. Zach was the only one who could stop them.
I really truely didn't like this book because I thought that it was stupid and really dumb. I thought it was stupid because of all the bad puns in the words.
I recommend this book to elementary students not middle school 8th grade students.