August of the Zombies

Zombie Problems #3

by K.G. Campbell

It started out as a small zombie problem. Then four more zombies tagged along. Now there are too many to count! From the acclaimed illustrator of Flora & Ulysses comes the exciting conclusion to the Zombie Problems trilogy.

After facing an alligator attack and a paddle boat accident in search of the zombie stone, August comes out unscathed…but empty-handed. At least Claudette is still by his side, along with a few more zombies. Of course, it isn’t long before a few zombies becomes a horde, and August has so many questions: What is he supposed to do with all of these zombies? What is his Aunt Orchid hiding? Will his life ever be like Stella Starz (in her own life)? And most importantly, will he ever find the zombie stone and get everything back to normal?

Genres: Zombies, Middle Grade, Horror, Fantasy, Humor

384 pages, Hardcover

Published January 25, 2022

About the author

K. G. Campbell is the author-illustrator of Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters. He was born in Kenya, raised in Scotland, and now lives in southern California.

Reviews

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an ending to a trilogy! I read this in just a couple of sittings. It would have been less if not for things going on around the house lol I can’t say much, or hardly anything about what happens since this is the 3rd & final book. But these characters have my whole heart, especially Claudette. I never thought I’d say that a zombie had my heart, but she does. Such a creative story with an amazing & original plot, & the best characters you’re heart could ask for-the alive & the dead ones. It’s sometimes hard for a series to capture the same magic & greatness a 1st book has, but this author made each book better than the last-which says a lot because they are EACH SOOOOOO GOOD! Everything came together, & everything throughout the books all connected & wrapped up BEAUTIFULLY. The author dotted his i’s & crossed his t’s, no loose ends were left. Such a satisfying ending that these characters I love so much deserved. How everything with the Zombie Stone & August came together, & what happened-BRILLIANT. Aunt Hydrangea development & growth & how we leave her at the end of this book-LOVED. Madame Marvell had a twist in her story, & it warmed my heart. I even LOVED what he did with Aunt Orchid’s character/story. Also, how he wrapped up the zombies own stories, specific ones especially that we’ve grown to love-incredible! Claudette though. I got so emotional over that little zombie at the end of this book-in the best of ways. Such a beautiful moment, & absolutely PERFECT. There’s nothing I would change, it was all so gruesomely genius-right down to every sentence on that last page:page 375. The cherry on top, or should I say eyeball? Lol SUPERB! HIGHLY recommend this whole trilogy. Can’t wait for more from this author. STUNNING cover & illustrations all throughout, all done by this super talented author!💜

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Originally posted at For What It's Worth on 5/2/22: https://www.fwiwreviews.net/2022/06/r...

August of the Zombies is the conclusion to this decidedly quirky and macabre mid-grade series about an ever growing band of zombies following a sweet but awkward boy named August.

For the entirety of the series, August has wished these zombies would just go away so he could be *normal* & fit in. None more than his great-great Aunt Claudette who, in in her decayed childlike form, relentlessly follows August everywhere.

I have a soft spot for Claudette and while I understood how she was cramping August's style and social life - I wished he could see the opportunity it presented. She was unrelentingly loyal and to be able to meet your family and learn from the past is a gift.

I got my wish and then some with this final installment.

My one (minor) criticism of the series is that it often branched off into so many adventures. I couldn't see how the pieces would fit in the end or why they mattered but Campbell dovetailed it all together nicely.

There are gruesome zombie bits, wild adventures, plenty of laughs, a beautiful coming of age - found family story with a surprisingly touching exploration of grief leading to the resolution to August's "small zombie problem".

What I was not prepared for was how emotional this story got. Especially the second half. I actually teared up reading the last page 😢 I'm getting a little verklempt again just thinking about it - but it also puts the biggest smile on my face. Perfect ending - for everyone!

Another thing I wanted to touch on, although I'm not a parent, is how the author never talked down to the (targeted, MG) reader. The vocabulary and concepts are designed to provoke questions and further discussion, while still providing context, and would make a wonderful group/bedtime read.

It is also a bit gorey (zombies losing body parts and the like), there are natural disasters and discusses death and grief (beautifully IMHO) but may be a bit much for some children. Or like I mentioned above - read with your child and be ready to answer questions.

As always the illustrations (also by Campbell) were lovely.

[Chelsea DiCicco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, Amazon has not allowed me to review this book *yet* as it is still technically not launched until January 25, 2022, but rest assured- the review is coming. And, it will be stellar.

We are back again in the world of August DuPont, and his seemingly horrific zombie problem, which has now escalated- if one can believe it.

I started AUGUST OF THE ZOMBIES on Tuesday (January 18th) and finished the book early this morning (Friday, January 21st). I would have read straight through if it hadn't been for 1. work, and 2. other adult-life responsibilities.

I've been anxiously awaiting and anticipating the final book of this wonderful trilogy! I am terrified of giving out spoilers for any possible perusers here who haven't *yet* had the wonderful opportunity to take this journey with kind-hearted August, delicate-tempered Hydrangea, spunky Madam Marvell, loveable Claudette, and the rest of the brood. So, I'll be sparing in my details, because I would hate to ruin the chance of you enjoying this story with fresh eyes.


Here is what I will say about this book: AUGUST OF THE ZOMBIES left me so profoundly satisfied.

Of course, I really love K.G. Campbell's writing style and haven't found a single thing of his that I could honestly lay any real critique to because I just adore every word of his writing that much. That being said, a trilogy is a big deal. Writing one fantastic middle-grade novel: hard work. Writing two? Even more work. Writing THREE fantastic middle-grade novels, consecutively, and it still remaining just as good, if not better? That's an enormous amount of pressure. And when done right, an incredible accomplishment. Surprise, surprise- K.G. Campbell has done it again!


I love how he tied up all the loose ends and strings with a pretty gruesome bow. I just loved it. And I'm especially excited to introduce this wonderful middle-grade trilogy collection to our very own Hendersonville Public Library of TN, Children's Department! They are scheduled for order and I can't wait for them to arrive! And, I definitely can't wait to share these books with my Homeschool Group next month.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The first thing readers realize is August is like a zombie magnet. He’s not sure why, but he always has a group of zombies, and butterflies, following him wherever he goes. His one hope of getting rid of them is to locate the Zombie Stone, but it’s been stolen by Professor Leech, who is on his way into the Lost Souls’ Swamp. The story becomes an adventure, a treasure hunt of sorts, as the professor searches for hidden gold and August hunts for the Zombie Stone that will open a Go-Between with the dead.
The book has a couple of interesting subplots. August’s Aunt Hydrangea may lose her home, since the crop of rare peppers is lost in a storm, meaning they can’t create her family’s famous hot sauce. Also, she hasn’t left her home in decades because of The Incident which August doesn’t discover until late in the book. August’s strong motivation to find the Zombie Stone is a wish to have a normal life with normal friends. It’s hard for him to have positive relationships when he’s constantly accompanied by the undead, and Aunt Hydrangea has kept him inside her house as protection against cruelty in the world. Finding the stone will allow him to send the zombie souls to their eternal, peaceful resting places. He wishes to have the life he sees on Stella Starz's television show where all of the characters are best friends.
August is accompanied throughout the story by a young, zombie girl named Claudette. She doesn’t have any speaking lines since she can’t talk, but she’s loyal and protective of August. The author compares her to a loving puppy, as she does whatever August asks and leaps into action if he encounters any danger. A humorous angle to her character is that everyone else believes she’s dressed in a zombie costume, and they’re impressed with the quality of her make-up. The people working on Stella Starz's television show are so impressed with her image that they want to use her in an important scene of an upcoming episode.
What didn’t work as well:
You need to read the prior two books in the trilogy before reading this one. I was unaware August of the Zombies was part of a series until I started reading it. Comments are made early on about past events, but it feels like readers are dropped into the middle of a story, which they are. It takes a while to figure out what’s going on. The easy solution to any concerns I have is to read the series from the beginning!
The Final Verdict:
Listen with your heart, not your ears. Reading the trilogy from the beginning will allow readers to fully enjoy this entertaining book. August is a very kind character caught in a challenging situation, and the author rewards him with a pleasing resolution to his problems. I recommend you give this book a shot!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

With gruesome yet oddly compelling illustrations created with watercolor and pencil by the author and a book jacket that is to die for, this middle grade novel is a 3.5 for me. Readers who are tired of the same-old, same-old will be drawn into its pages and somehow find both sympathy and empathy for the various zombies who fill its pages. It's hard to imagine feeling anything but horror for zombies, but this author manages to evoke that response in his readers once they learn why so many zombies are drawn to August DuPont, the book's protagonist. While it's helpful to have read the previous titles in this series--A Small Zombie Problem and The Zombie Stone--due to references about earlier events, readers can pick up the loose threads and with a little reading between the lines sort out what they've missed and get right up to speed. That said, why would they want to since all three books in this trilogy are a spooky, atmospheric delight and there is so much depth to the characters--yes, including the zombies? As other reviewers have noted, the author connects all the dots in this final installment of the series in a most satisfactory way, and readers will realize the very human yearnings of the zombies as well as August, to whom zombies are drawn. The book takes readers to various parts of rural Louisiana where special pepper plants are grown to make delicious hot sauce, the fate of which will decide whether August and Aunt Hydrangea will lose their home and livelihood. August battles a hurricane, a shipwreck, an enormous alligator with unusual contents in its stomach, some treachery and greed, and his own desperate desire for companionship in order to make things right again. There are even references to the cost of fame and how the private lives of famous celebrities are nothing like their public lives. Just the thought of a twelve-year-boy being followed by 33 zombies makes the book well worth reading. Plus, it's hard to resist a book that uses names such as Lost Souls Swamp and Croissant City for places.

[Shellylovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

August DuPont is a rather extraordinary twelve year old boy . He attracts both butterflies and zombies. Though he isn’t the first person to in his family to have this sort of connection. His uncle Orfeo could control them and it was a family disgrace that he used them in a stage show. All of this is relatively new to August he spent most of his twelve years at Locusts Hole . The once splendid home of his aunt Hydrangea. Alone for the most part except for a few Zombie companions . The pirate Jacques LeSalt and Claudette who is a distant aunt who passed tragically young. These are not the zombies of horror tales they are harmless and confused restless spirits trapped in this world. As the family hot sauce business is failing and debts are pilling up as well as a rather large horde of not so lively companions. August decides it is up to him to find the Dupont treasure A priceless gem known as the zombie stone . August along with his friend Madam Marvel, Gaston and Claudette will brave a hurricane explore a swamp defeat the terrible Professor Leech who also wants the stone . So August can set these restless spirits free . And save Locust Hole while perhaps ending a family feud. A fun middle grade adventure.

[Trista · Rating 5 out of 5]

This whole series is wonderful. This was a read aloud and we read it slowly since it’s the last in the series (at the time of our reading.) My children and I were sad for the book to end, but it was done so well. This is great for spooky book lovers, but be prepared to laugh and cry a little, too. I’d give it more stars if that were an option. Definitely a new favorite.

ETA we tried the audiobook for this one, but the narrator’s voice didn’t fit for us, especially for August’s character. I hope they do another audible version with Liam Aiken as narrator. :)

[Jeannie Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute story. I loved all the characters and especially the adventures. I know I started with the latest book os the series, but now I have to get the first two because it's very entertaining reading about all these past lives.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kids loved this series! We enjoyed the books very much. Highly recommend.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satisfying conclusion to this delightful, funny, and heart-felt series. Loved all 3 books!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. A great finale to the series. This book totally had my heart.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this to the kids. The books were progressively better as we made it through this trilogy.