What do you think?
Rate this book
Brains For Lunch: A Zombie Novel in Haiku?!
Goofy, gross, demented, and delicious! K.A. Holt has created a classic tale of middle-school angst...the difference being that this illustrated novel is written entirely in Haiku.
Middle school is tough enough, but it's even worse when your classmates include lifers (regular humans), nasty blood-sucking creatures called chupacabras, and zombies. Loeb (pun fully intended) falls into the last category and, unfortunately for him, he has a huge crush on a human girl (major no-no). Can he push past the stereotypes and the different cliques to win his school's haiku competition and impress the girl?
In scenes set around a lunch table (the brains) and around the school, eyes roll and jaws drop (literally). Also featured in the cast of characters is Carl, a chupacabra (bloodsucking critter) and Mrs. Fincher, a sympathetic and seductive librarian.
Middle school is tough enough, but it's even worse when your classmates include lifers (regular humans), nasty blood-sucking creatures called chupacabras, and zombies. Loeb (pun fully intended) falls into the last category and, unfortunately for him, he has a huge crush on a human girl (major no-no). Can he push past the stereotypes and the different cliques to win his school's haiku competition and impress the girl?
In scenes set around a lunch table (the brains) and around the school, eyes roll and jaws drop (literally). Also featured in the cast of characters is Carl, a chupacabra (bloodsucking critter) and Mrs. Fincher, a sympathetic and seductive librarian.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
3 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
October 7, 2018
While I can appreciate the uniqueness of this book, written entirely of haikus, it just fell flat for me...way flat. I read it with my daughter and she was really confused and so was I.
March 21, 2012
The idea of a middle school novel in haiku grabbed by interest as soon as I saw it at the library. Brains For Lunch is, indeed, an interesting undertaking. I think there are moments of real wit and brilliance interspersed throughout the story.
As indicated by the title, the entire book is written in haiku. It revolves around Loeb, a Zombie middle-schooler who attends school with Lifers (humans), other Zombies and Chupacabras (blood-sucking creatures). He struggles with the typical geek/jock tension–from the “geek” perspective–although the characters of humans vs. nonhumans are anything but typical.
The wit is most evident in Loeb’s commentary on catching the eyeball of his friend after she rolls it or literally losing his jaw in an altercation with a brutish student. The underlying story is Loeb’s crush on a “Lifer.” This is a relationship that is unheard of at the school and he spends a lot of time denying this attraction to his friends when they point it out. In a refreshingly clever and non-preachy way the story encompasses racism and unkindness in a “Monster HIgh” type setting.
Loeb attempts to make a statement about his own abilities and individuality and about crossing what they call “the invisible line” between groups of people by writing his own haiku and performing it in a contest usually reserved for Lifers. His courage and passion resonate in his words–both those of his actual performance and those of his observations surrounding it.
The book is a fun combination of typical middle-school struggle with some zombie character and humor mixed in. The haikus, themselves, are not all particularly remarkable in and of themselves. There are, however, memorable and provoking selections:
The librarian gives Loeb a book of haiku saying
“Complicated words
don’t always make good stories.
Look at these haiku.”
I love the reference to the humor of the 80′s movie Back to the Future:
Knock knock on my head
“Hello, McFly.” She’s laughing.
Duck away and scowl
Loeb’s deft sarcasm is delightfully evident in:
No wait. Not the bell
We’re a mobile Thriller dance
Shuffling out the door
One of my favorites is Loeb’s amazed reaction to his own poetry performance:
Paper in my hand
Sitting alone on the floor
Haiku really works
I originally was hoping to use this as a read-aloud with 3rd and 4th graders. I will not be using it as a read-aloud due to some of the language (not necessarily offensive, but authentically middle-school). The book uses words like “suck” and a form of “what the hell” as well as referring to giving each other the finger. I don’t think any of these things are objectionable in the context of the book. However, these expressions sometimes take on a different color when they are read aloud by an authority figure or trusted older reader. This particular selection could be used at home, in a small group of older high school students or as an independent read.
As indicated by the title, the entire book is written in haiku. It revolves around Loeb, a Zombie middle-schooler who attends school with Lifers (humans), other Zombies and Chupacabras (blood-sucking creatures). He struggles with the typical geek/jock tension–from the “geek” perspective–although the characters of humans vs. nonhumans are anything but typical.
The wit is most evident in Loeb’s commentary on catching the eyeball of his friend after she rolls it or literally losing his jaw in an altercation with a brutish student. The underlying story is Loeb’s crush on a “Lifer.” This is a relationship that is unheard of at the school and he spends a lot of time denying this attraction to his friends when they point it out. In a refreshingly clever and non-preachy way the story encompasses racism and unkindness in a “Monster HIgh” type setting.
Loeb attempts to make a statement about his own abilities and individuality and about crossing what they call “the invisible line” between groups of people by writing his own haiku and performing it in a contest usually reserved for Lifers. His courage and passion resonate in his words–both those of his actual performance and those of his observations surrounding it.
The book is a fun combination of typical middle-school struggle with some zombie character and humor mixed in. The haikus, themselves, are not all particularly remarkable in and of themselves. There are, however, memorable and provoking selections:
The librarian gives Loeb a book of haiku saying
“Complicated words
don’t always make good stories.
Look at these haiku.”
I love the reference to the humor of the 80′s movie Back to the Future:
Knock knock on my head
“Hello, McFly.” She’s laughing.
Duck away and scowl
Loeb’s deft sarcasm is delightfully evident in:
No wait. Not the bell
We’re a mobile Thriller dance
Shuffling out the door
One of my favorites is Loeb’s amazed reaction to his own poetry performance:
Paper in my hand
Sitting alone on the floor
Haiku really works
I originally was hoping to use this as a read-aloud with 3rd and 4th graders. I will not be using it as a read-aloud due to some of the language (not necessarily offensive, but authentically middle-school). The book uses words like “suck” and a form of “what the hell” as well as referring to giving each other the finger. I don’t think any of these things are objectionable in the context of the book. However, these expressions sometimes take on a different color when they are read aloud by an authority figure or trusted older reader. This particular selection could be used at home, in a small group of older high school students or as an independent read.
July 25, 2010
book 49 for 2010. I love the idea of a zombie Haiku novel, and this doesn't disappoint. One of the best things about this book is the wide audience it will appeal to. Highly recommended for boys and girls, third grade and up.
January 26, 2023
While there were specific haikus that I thought were really great the book in entirety didn’t flow for reading. I liked parts of the story line especially where he expresses his crush. However, overall the story line just doesn’t really come together which is probably on large part due to the difficulty of actually writing a whole book using only the haiku format.
March 22, 2011
Loeb is a middle school student. He attends a middle school where zombies, humans (lifers), and chupacabras roam the hallways. With some encouragement from his favorite teacher, Loeb decides to enter the school’s poetry contest. Thing is, no zombie has ever dared enter before. Loeb also becomes interested in a certain female lifer. Will Loeb win this contest and the girl or will he just have her Brains For Lunch?
I will admit that at first I was a little apprehensive about reading this novel. I am not a big fan of poetry or necrophilia (I am, for some weird reason, a huge fan of chupacabras), so I figured I might have a little bit of trouble getting into this one. Turns out, there was no necrophilia (which was a huge plus), but I did get a water pistol packing chupacabra, who was pretty entertaining in his rottenness. Most importantly, the poetry flows so smoothly that I hardly noticed I was reading poetry. I feel Brains For Lunch is an interesting novel because of this. The entire novel is written in Haiku. The novel could have been fleshed out into a full-length novel ala Twilight, but I feel the way it is presented reflects the natural flow and feel of the writing. The illustrations bring the words to life.
The theme of segregation is clear in this novel. The students are separated by, I guess you could call it, species. This can be seen as an obvious allusion to race. We see an example of this when Loeb calls Carl a “stupid chupo.” Carl responds that Loeb is a racist.
One thing I found funny is that Loeb, as a zombie, naturally speaks in haiku. He was almost a shoe-in for the poetry contest. When Loeb performs his haiku, he manages to unite the school by showing them they all have a mutual hatred for school. They bonded by hate (haha just sounds so harsh when put like that).
This is a novel that I would love to use in the classroom. I feel this is a novel that could be used as a great introduction to haiku. I feel this novel has a good way of demonstrating segregation and how to challenge the norms. It is a short novel (88 pages), and can be taught effectively in a short span of time. However, there are certain concerns that arise when wanting to use a novel like this in the classroom. Of course I joked about necrophilia earlier in my review, but some conservative parents might see this book as an advocate for just that. Some people might have a problem with their children reading a book involving the living dead due to religious issues. It may sound crazy, but it happens.
I will admit that at first I was a little apprehensive about reading this novel. I am not a big fan of poetry or necrophilia (I am, for some weird reason, a huge fan of chupacabras), so I figured I might have a little bit of trouble getting into this one. Turns out, there was no necrophilia (which was a huge plus), but I did get a water pistol packing chupacabra, who was pretty entertaining in his rottenness. Most importantly, the poetry flows so smoothly that I hardly noticed I was reading poetry. I feel Brains For Lunch is an interesting novel because of this. The entire novel is written in Haiku. The novel could have been fleshed out into a full-length novel ala Twilight, but I feel the way it is presented reflects the natural flow and feel of the writing. The illustrations bring the words to life.
The theme of segregation is clear in this novel. The students are separated by, I guess you could call it, species. This can be seen as an obvious allusion to race. We see an example of this when Loeb calls Carl a “stupid chupo.” Carl responds that Loeb is a racist.
One thing I found funny is that Loeb, as a zombie, naturally speaks in haiku. He was almost a shoe-in for the poetry contest. When Loeb performs his haiku, he manages to unite the school by showing them they all have a mutual hatred for school. They bonded by hate (haha just sounds so harsh when put like that).
This is a novel that I would love to use in the classroom. I feel this is a novel that could be used as a great introduction to haiku. I feel this novel has a good way of demonstrating segregation and how to challenge the norms. It is a short novel (88 pages), and can be taught effectively in a short span of time. However, there are certain concerns that arise when wanting to use a novel like this in the classroom. Of course I joked about necrophilia earlier in my review, but some conservative parents might see this book as an advocate for just that. Some people might have a problem with their children reading a book involving the living dead due to religious issues. It may sound crazy, but it happens.
March 14, 2013
Brains for Lunch a Zombie Novel in Haiku is a very unique book in the sense that the entire story is told in haiku. Personally I did not enjoy the book that much, in fact I despise it. I suppose that part of the reason that I did not enjoy reading this book is because I don’t like poetry. Three reasons I did not enjoy this book would have to be because it’s short, poor character development, and a stale plot.
Most of the time I don’t have a problem reading a short book, however in this case the book is too short. The author could have gone a lot farther with this book. In fact the book was so short that I didn’t we have time to get into the story and enjoy it. When I finished the book it felt like having a piece of cake sitting in front of you but not being able to enjoy it. That is what I mean by the book being to short and not going as far as it could have.
Oh character development you can make an ok book be great and a great story be decent. All the characters are pretty static throughout the book and none of the characters seem to show any kind of intelligence what so ever. It is quite sad to think of a book with so much potential fail in one of the most important aspects of a story.
The plot of the story was quite underwhelming. The whole plot could have been way better; the story was just so linear that it made it fairly un-enjoyable. The plot just proceeds from one point to another without any smooth flow between scenes, and it happens abruptly.
I personally did not enjoy this book and I believe this book should get two stars. The story was short, character development was poor, and also the plot was blah. If you’re not into poetry and that flowery stuff like me then you’re probably not going to enjoy this book, and I suggest something a little better such as Charlottes’ Web.
Most of the time I don’t have a problem reading a short book, however in this case the book is too short. The author could have gone a lot farther with this book. In fact the book was so short that I didn’t we have time to get into the story and enjoy it. When I finished the book it felt like having a piece of cake sitting in front of you but not being able to enjoy it. That is what I mean by the book being to short and not going as far as it could have.
Oh character development you can make an ok book be great and a great story be decent. All the characters are pretty static throughout the book and none of the characters seem to show any kind of intelligence what so ever. It is quite sad to think of a book with so much potential fail in one of the most important aspects of a story.
The plot of the story was quite underwhelming. The whole plot could have been way better; the story was just so linear that it made it fairly un-enjoyable. The plot just proceeds from one point to another without any smooth flow between scenes, and it happens abruptly.
I personally did not enjoy this book and I believe this book should get two stars. The story was short, character development was poor, and also the plot was blah. If you’re not into poetry and that flowery stuff like me then you’re probably not going to enjoy this book, and I suggest something a little better such as Charlottes’ Web.
January 2, 2011
I thought that the idea of this book sounded great and was hoping for a fun quick read. However, I felt that the book was ambitious beyond its abilities and that the format really didn't work to the novel's advantage. At the beginning I had a lot of difficulty figuring out what was going on and who the main characters were because poetry formats in general leave a lot of holes to be filled in by the reader. Perhaps it would have helped had I read the front flap but a book should not depend on its summary to work. It also quickly became difficult to read the poems as poems rather than scanning the text for narrative information to find and follow the story. I find that haiku is generally beautiful on its own but that in series it loses the potency of its abbreviated format. It's sort of like the Japanese idea that one can appreciate a single blossom much better than a field of flowers. So while the the multitude of haikus is impressive, it is difficult to enjoy as poetry from one side, and difficult to enjoy as story from the other. It doesn't help that a zombie novel doesn't utilize the normal rules of reality and instead must communicate new rules on how the world works and who the people in the world are. The pictures play a much larger role in this book than a traditional chapter book, as I relied on them to communicate information that wasn't present in the text. They were okay but could have been more plentiful and more extensive, perhaps suggesting that the illustrator should have been aware of the greater need for pictures in an experimental novel in verse like this. I probably wouldn't recommend this book at all but would be interested to hear about different reading experiences from my own.
August 17, 2010
BRAINS FOR LUNCH by Austin author K.A. Holt is a zombie novel in haiku. Wait. Yes. You read that correctly. It is the tale of middle-school angst from the perspective of Loeb (teehee, get it?) a “Z” attending middle school alongside “lifers” and “chupos” (if you have yet to discover el chupacabra, let me Wikipedia that for you). Loeb’s story is told in hilariously snarky haiku, in the 5-7-5 style often referred to by haiku aficionados as “senryu.” And how appropriate, as one might imagine a zombie as a man — or middle-schooler — of few words.
And Loeb isn’t unlike most middle school guys. He goes to class. He hangs out in the library. He has an assortment of weird friends. He avoids bullies and wishes everyone could just get along. And he has a crush on an unattainable girl — a beautiful lifer named Siobhan. When the (hot) librarian tells Loeb about an upcoming poetry contest, Loeb thinks he might enter, if only to get the attention of his dream girl.
With illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist Gahan Wilson — whose quirky style fits Z life to a T — BRAINS FOR LUNCH is a must-have for middle school library shelves. Like the DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series, K.A. Holt‘s humor in this easy-on-the-eyes style will attract both reluctant readers and bookworms of all ages. And between the 5-7-5 lines are the often difficult-to tackle issues of race and intolerance that teens are facing head-on at their schools every day. BRAINS FOR LUNCH confronts these with a subtle wit deserving of a gold star. Whether you’re a 10 year old boy who needs to do a book report, a 16 year old girl who digs haiku, or a grown-up zombie buff, this is a book you don’t want to miss.
And Loeb isn’t unlike most middle school guys. He goes to class. He hangs out in the library. He has an assortment of weird friends. He avoids bullies and wishes everyone could just get along. And he has a crush on an unattainable girl — a beautiful lifer named Siobhan. When the (hot) librarian tells Loeb about an upcoming poetry contest, Loeb thinks he might enter, if only to get the attention of his dream girl.
With illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist Gahan Wilson — whose quirky style fits Z life to a T — BRAINS FOR LUNCH is a must-have for middle school library shelves. Like the DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series, K.A. Holt‘s humor in this easy-on-the-eyes style will attract both reluctant readers and bookworms of all ages. And between the 5-7-5 lines are the often difficult-to tackle issues of race and intolerance that teens are facing head-on at their schools every day. BRAINS FOR LUNCH confronts these with a subtle wit deserving of a gold star. Whether you’re a 10 year old boy who needs to do a book report, a 16 year old girl who digs haiku, or a grown-up zombie buff, this is a book you don’t want to miss.
October 30, 2010
When Brains for Lunch came across my desk at the library in my new book stash, I knew I had to check it out. Brains for Lunch is a fun twist on zombies. The book is told entirely in haiku-you see, zombies talk in haiku.
The haiku format is creative and makes for a fun fast read. It's a short book-just under 100 pages-and the short poetry format makes the book go quickly. The haiku format does give the reader a good idea of zombie speak, but at times I wish there was room for just a bit more story. I wanted to know just a bit more about the characters and the school that couldn't really be written in such a short format. The ending also felt a little rushed and didn't have a ton of explanation, again because of the format.
But the haiku format is different and I really can imagine zombies walking around talking that way. Because the book is so short, I think Brains for Lunch would be a great read for students and teachers during a poetry unit. And I have to give props to the author for managing to write the entire story in three line poems-I'm sure that was no easy task! The dislike between the zombies and the humans can even open a discussion on race and differences and everyone being equal and getting along.
Brains for Lunch is an entertaining read perfect for readers looking for something humorous and sometimes gross-I mean, these are zombies we're talking about here! Hand this one to reluctant readers looking for a good read for Halloween.
Book Pairings: Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie by David Lubar (for another fun MG zombie read), Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys by Bob Raczka (for another look at a book all written in haiku)
The haiku format is creative and makes for a fun fast read. It's a short book-just under 100 pages-and the short poetry format makes the book go quickly. The haiku format does give the reader a good idea of zombie speak, but at times I wish there was room for just a bit more story. I wanted to know just a bit more about the characters and the school that couldn't really be written in such a short format. The ending also felt a little rushed and didn't have a ton of explanation, again because of the format.
But the haiku format is different and I really can imagine zombies walking around talking that way. Because the book is so short, I think Brains for Lunch would be a great read for students and teachers during a poetry unit. And I have to give props to the author for managing to write the entire story in three line poems-I'm sure that was no easy task! The dislike between the zombies and the humans can even open a discussion on race and differences and everyone being equal and getting along.
Brains for Lunch is an entertaining read perfect for readers looking for something humorous and sometimes gross-I mean, these are zombies we're talking about here! Hand this one to reluctant readers looking for a good read for Halloween.
Book Pairings: Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie by David Lubar (for another fun MG zombie read), Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys by Bob Raczka (for another look at a book all written in haiku)
March 13, 2013
I did not really like this book for a couple reasons. There wasnt really much of a plot and it was boring. Thats why i would only give this book two stars. But not one star because I can see how it would be hard to write a book with just haikus. What I did like about this book though, was its creativity.
About half way through this book I started to realize that it didnt really have a plot. It was just a bunch of things zombies would do. There wasnt a purpose. Whcih maybe makes sense since it was written with just haikus. But if you are going to write a book out of just haikus, then you need a plot.
Since this book didnt have a plot or a purpose, I found it pretty boring. It was even hard for me to keep reading, but luckily it was a short book and I was able to finish it quickly. Whcih might be a bad thing about the book, being short and all, but to me that was another thing I liked.
Besides being short, I liked the creativity in this book. I thought some parts of it were very creative. First off who thinks of writing a zombie book in haikus? I thought that was creative, and just the whole book was creative in general. Also some seens in the book were funny and unexpected. For example the zombie said he was given the finger, and then he gave it back. I thought that was funny because he was litteraly given a middle finger.
So overall I didnt really like this book because there was no plot and it was boring. But I think I have to give it two stars for creativity and humor. I dont know if I would recomend this book to anyone though. Because if I did then that person might not want anymore recomendations from me.
About half way through this book I started to realize that it didnt really have a plot. It was just a bunch of things zombies would do. There wasnt a purpose. Whcih maybe makes sense since it was written with just haikus. But if you are going to write a book out of just haikus, then you need a plot.
Since this book didnt have a plot or a purpose, I found it pretty boring. It was even hard for me to keep reading, but luckily it was a short book and I was able to finish it quickly. Whcih might be a bad thing about the book, being short and all, but to me that was another thing I liked.
Besides being short, I liked the creativity in this book. I thought some parts of it were very creative. First off who thinks of writing a zombie book in haikus? I thought that was creative, and just the whole book was creative in general. Also some seens in the book were funny and unexpected. For example the zombie said he was given the finger, and then he gave it back. I thought that was funny because he was litteraly given a middle finger.
So overall I didnt really like this book because there was no plot and it was boring. But I think I have to give it two stars for creativity and humor. I dont know if I would recomend this book to anyone though. Because if I did then that person might not want anymore recomendations from me.
March 13, 2013
Even thought it was interesting that the book was written in Haiku, I still think the book deserves 2 stars. The reasons behind this are that the book was too short, didn’t have much of a plot, and had a boring story line.
The book was too short mainly because Haiku’s in general are really short poems. Each page only had around 4 Haiku poems that didn’t really explain much. The poems really seemed choppy and didn’t transition as well as they could have. Also, everything was briefly explained and more poems could have been used to explain certain things.
Since everything was briefly mentioned, the plot was basically non-existent. Plus, the whole book only described one short event that practically didn’t change much of anything. Also, there was no background to anything really so the story was kind of confusing.
What made the story line boring was that monsters were as if they were people living in a society, which is super lame. Also, some parts of the book were trying to be funny when really it was kind of cheesy. Basically, the story line really made it seem like a children’s book.
With the book being too short, not having a plot, and a boring story line, this book barely deserves 2 stars.
The book was too short mainly because Haiku’s in general are really short poems. Each page only had around 4 Haiku poems that didn’t really explain much. The poems really seemed choppy and didn’t transition as well as they could have. Also, everything was briefly explained and more poems could have been used to explain certain things.
Since everything was briefly mentioned, the plot was basically non-existent. Plus, the whole book only described one short event that practically didn’t change much of anything. Also, there was no background to anything really so the story was kind of confusing.
What made the story line boring was that monsters were as if they were people living in a society, which is super lame. Also, some parts of the book were trying to be funny when really it was kind of cheesy. Basically, the story line really made it seem like a children’s book.
With the book being too short, not having a plot, and a boring story line, this book barely deserves 2 stars.
October 26, 2010
Reviewed by Rusty Key Writer: Jordan B. Nielsen
Recommended for: All the strange poets and zombie lovers in your life, ages 10 and Up.
One Word Summary: Experimental
Zombies in Haiku?
And you’d thought you’d seen it all
Enter K.A. Holt
Loeb is a Zombie
Still a normal teenager
Save for rotting flesh
His school’s pretty weird
The humans are called ‘Lifers’
Zombies are called ‘Zs’
Oh and I forgot
There’s also Chupacabras
Just to make things fun
They don’t get along
Undertones of racism
Permeate this tale
Poor Loeb has a crush
A human girl named Ivy
A major taboo
To impress the girl
He enters the talent show
With his own haikus
Haiku may seem tough
But Zombies aren’t poetic
It’s just how they think
The stage is set
Everyone thinks Zs are dumb
Will Loeb prove them wrong?
He may win Ivy
But can he fight his nature?
And his lust for brains?
The point is the form
Haiku, the Japanese art
For younger readers
Does it work? Well, yes.
It’s sometimes hard to follow.
Often, words are dropped.
But if kids like it?
It gets them reading poems?
Maybe a win-win.
For more reviews from The Rusty Key, visit us at www.therustykey.com
Recommended for: All the strange poets and zombie lovers in your life, ages 10 and Up.
One Word Summary: Experimental
Zombies in Haiku?
And you’d thought you’d seen it all
Enter K.A. Holt
Loeb is a Zombie
Still a normal teenager
Save for rotting flesh
His school’s pretty weird
The humans are called ‘Lifers’
Zombies are called ‘Zs’
Oh and I forgot
There’s also Chupacabras
Just to make things fun
They don’t get along
Undertones of racism
Permeate this tale
Poor Loeb has a crush
A human girl named Ivy
A major taboo
To impress the girl
He enters the talent show
With his own haikus
Haiku may seem tough
But Zombies aren’t poetic
It’s just how they think
The stage is set
Everyone thinks Zs are dumb
Will Loeb prove them wrong?
He may win Ivy
But can he fight his nature?
And his lust for brains?
The point is the form
Haiku, the Japanese art
For younger readers
Does it work? Well, yes.
It’s sometimes hard to follow.
Often, words are dropped.
But if kids like it?
It gets them reading poems?
Maybe a win-win.
For more reviews from The Rusty Key, visit us at www.therustykey.com
November 13, 2012
Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com
In a school where humans, zombies, and chupacabras co-exist, there's never a dull day.
When Loeb meets Siobhan, a lifer (human), she seems interested in him. She, however, thinks that zombies aren't smart. To prove her wrong, he enters a haiku poetry competition. Should be simple, since zombies talk in haiku anyway, right? Wrong.
Loeb's poetic abilities seem to have frozen up. Can he win the competition and get the girl - without eating her brains?
A funny, mixed-up book for zombie lovers. Not too strong on the lovey-dovey stuff, this book is an excellent addition to fiction for boys. The characters are funny and memorable, and the haikus are fairly simple to follow most of the time. The plot seems to have an easy time holding the reader's interest.
Reluctant and avid readers who like zombies, stories about surviving middle school, paranormal fiction, and humorous tales will all enjoy BRAINS FOR LUNCH.
In a school where humans, zombies, and chupacabras co-exist, there's never a dull day.
When Loeb meets Siobhan, a lifer (human), she seems interested in him. She, however, thinks that zombies aren't smart. To prove her wrong, he enters a haiku poetry competition. Should be simple, since zombies talk in haiku anyway, right? Wrong.
Loeb's poetic abilities seem to have frozen up. Can he win the competition and get the girl - without eating her brains?
A funny, mixed-up book for zombie lovers. Not too strong on the lovey-dovey stuff, this book is an excellent addition to fiction for boys. The characters are funny and memorable, and the haikus are fairly simple to follow most of the time. The plot seems to have an easy time holding the reader's interest.
Reluctant and avid readers who like zombies, stories about surviving middle school, paranormal fiction, and humorous tales will all enjoy BRAINS FOR LUNCH.
January 12, 2015
Actual rating: 2.5
An interesting little book. I really love the idea of telling an entire story through haiku. It's really fun! However, this story was so fast and quick, it could hardly be called a story. I understand it's lenght... I'm sure it's quite difficult to write an entire story through haikus alone. And while it was very short, the author did a good job and laying a decent foundation for what's going on. It's just that everything seemed to happen in like two hours, and the romance portion seemed unnecessary. I understand the point of it, but with what else was happening in the story, it seemed like a random thing that just happened to happen instead of enhancing the story.
A super fast read (it took me like 20 minutes to read it) with an interesting concept that had the good building blocks. Perhaps more building would have made it even more interesting. But with how quickly one can read it, worth the 20 minute read :-p
An interesting little book. I really love the idea of telling an entire story through haiku. It's really fun! However, this story was so fast and quick, it could hardly be called a story. I understand it's lenght... I'm sure it's quite difficult to write an entire story through haikus alone. And while it was very short, the author did a good job and laying a decent foundation for what's going on. It's just that everything seemed to happen in like two hours, and the romance portion seemed unnecessary. I understand the point of it, but with what else was happening in the story, it seemed like a random thing that just happened to happen instead of enhancing the story.
A super fast read (it took me like 20 minutes to read it) with an interesting concept that had the good building blocks. Perhaps more building would have made it even more interesting. But with how quickly one can read it, worth the 20 minute read :-p
August 2, 2012
Did not think it was possible to create a readable novel all in haiku, but this book shows it can be done!
This is a tale of middle-school life in which the classmates are zombies and chupacabras.
A zombie student has a crush on a human classmate who he hopes to impress by winning the school's haiku competition.
Brains for lunch again.
"Stop moaning and just eat it."
Lunch lady humor.
Geek table awaits,
Larry brags about fresh flesh.
He is full of lies.
This is my life, huh?
It's the Catcher in the Fly.
Lame teen zombie angst.
Better write poem,
Last minute creative burst--
Need to eat a brain.
After the haiku victory, the zombie "gets" the girl--
Then I take a bite,
Juicy part of the left lobe--
It's my favorite.
She lets out a gasp,
It tastes so sweet.
Offer her a bite.
Bizarre poetry indeed!
This is a tale of middle-school life in which the classmates are zombies and chupacabras.
A zombie student has a crush on a human classmate who he hopes to impress by winning the school's haiku competition.
Brains for lunch again.
"Stop moaning and just eat it."
Lunch lady humor.
Geek table awaits,
Larry brags about fresh flesh.
He is full of lies.
This is my life, huh?
It's the Catcher in the Fly.
Lame teen zombie angst.
Better write poem,
Last minute creative burst--
Need to eat a brain.
After the haiku victory, the zombie "gets" the girl--
Then I take a bite,
Juicy part of the left lobe--
It's my favorite.
She lets out a gasp,
It tastes so sweet.
Offer her a bite.
Bizarre poetry indeed!
November 29, 2017
Loved the concept of a zombie story told in haiku, and the execution was pretty good, but overall I was disappointed in the story. A few big plot holes bothered me--whose brains are the zombies eating? Why shouldn't the Lifers be afraid of their zombie classmates, if they eat human brains? Is it okay that even at the end, given themes of different races coming together, everyone still hates the chupacabra?
But the biggest buzz-killer was the "romance." The girl love-interest lies and sneaks her way into the male main character's heart, and then he pins her to a wall to express his interest in her. Let's not forget the power dynamic: he's a zombie and she's a human, so presumably he could kill and eat her, but she flutters her eyelashes and says she's not afraid. Both boys and girls need to see romance that doesn't involve trickery, implied threats, and unequal power dynamics.
But the biggest buzz-killer was the "romance." The girl love-interest lies and sneaks her way into the male main character's heart, and then he pins her to a wall to express his interest in her. Let's not forget the power dynamic: he's a zombie and she's a human, so presumably he could kill and eat her, but she flutters her eyelashes and says she's not afraid. Both boys and girls need to see romance that doesn't involve trickery, implied threats, and unequal power dynamics.
February 17, 2011
Clever, but ultimately a disappointment. This book was written for a very young audience, and while it was a skilled and interesting task to write a novel in haiku (especially a zombie novel in haiku!), the fact that it was geared for a young audience made the book dull. The main story centers around a zombie boy in middle school, and along with all the middle school boy problems that one would normally find in a book like that, there are also amusingly morbid jokes regarding his school's zombie status. Example:
"'Up yours, Loeb,' he says.
Then he gives me the finger.
I give it back. Yuck."
"'Up yours, Loeb,' he says.
Then he gives me the finger.
I give it back. Yuck."
November 27, 2012
Last month, I met K.A. Holt at the Highlight's Foundation Novels in Verse workshop. She's a great lady with a sharp sense of humor and a quirky personality, and that shines through in her zombie novel-in-verse Brains for Lunch.
Told in Haiku, this is the short, sassy story of Loeb, a depressed zombie at an integrated school. He deals with the scorn of the Lifers every day, not to mention his sometimes disgusting zombie peers. But a pretty girl and a librarian might be just the ones to break Loeb out of his undead shell!
Fans of poetry, young and old, will adore this book. Holt's use of Haiku is unique and ideal: I'm convinced that zombies really would speak 5-7-5.
Told in Haiku, this is the short, sassy story of Loeb, a depressed zombie at an integrated school. He deals with the scorn of the Lifers every day, not to mention his sometimes disgusting zombie peers. But a pretty girl and a librarian might be just the ones to break Loeb out of his undead shell!
Fans of poetry, young and old, will adore this book. Holt's use of Haiku is unique and ideal: I'm convinced that zombies really would speak 5-7-5.
February 7, 2016
Haiku + Zombies. What's not to love? Actually, that's what I thought when I first picked up Brains For Lunch, but by the time I finished it, I knew I was holding something special in my hands. Not only is this novel completely written in haiku (awesome) but it's also a lot deeper than you think it's going to be. Yes, there are there are jokes about giving someone the finger (literally-- because they're zombies) but this book also covers really serious issues like racism and discrimination. Get it. Read it. You'll see what I mean.
February 23, 2017
Last year I had a student who would only read zombie books. When I saw this book, I thought of him immediately. I thought about checking it out to him but then decided I needed to read it first.
I think he'll like it. There aren't many words on the page and the drawings are cute. The storyline is... interesting.
It's not something I particularly care for but I can recommend it without feeling too guilty.
I think he'll like it. There aren't many words on the page and the drawings are cute. The storyline is... interesting.
It's not something I particularly care for but I can recommend it without feeling too guilty.
April 8, 2018
I got this for my nephew but after reading it I won’t be giving it to him for quite awhile. It was on the Junior reader shelf but it has some language and subtext that I would not want any of my kids reading before 13. That being said I really enjoyed it! I was envisioning a funny quirky book, and it is that, kinda. But it’s also got meaningful subtext and beautiful language. Was something different and unexpected.
September 9, 2010
Loeb goes to a really diverse middle school and tries to impress his love interest with....haiku? Interesting format that may appeal to some young readers, though just because it is short does not mean it is easy to follow the story (but I guess that's the point of haiku: short does not equal simple!).
October 25, 2010
Amusing, different. The technique was clever but happily it wasn't a very long book as it gets a bit old after awhile (for me). I would definitely suggest this to kids in need of a quick read or the reluctant reader or someone who wanted something a bit gross/different/more cerebral than Goosebumps.
August 7, 2011
Novel in haiku?
There's no way it can be good
It's not good, it's great!
This book is so clever, written entirely in haiku. It manages to tell a story while just being fun to read. I have no complaints except that I want more!
e have no complaints except i want more
There's no way it can be good
It's not good, it's great!
This book is so clever, written entirely in haiku. It manages to tell a story while just being fun to read. I have no complaints except that I want more!
e have no complaints except i want more
June 20, 2016
Such a quick and easy read. It was really intriguing. It was completely written in haiku! It was easy to follow and it had zombies, which I love. The drawings though were weird. Looked like a child drew them and the man character Loeb looked like a monkey at some points. And that is why I only rate this book with a 2.
May 4, 2010
- im reading this bo0k ritee n0w ! its written in stanzas when i first seen it it i thought it was a book about poems because the way it was written !! but anyways its intresting i can barely understand what half the words mean but i still get what its about !!
September 21, 2010
Middle school for Loeb is everything you expect--bad food, bullies, and girls who confuse you. Only worse, cause he's a zombie.
Told in haiku and with a fun sense of the gross, this quick read will appeal to most older elementary/middle school boys. And anyone who just likes zombies...
Told in haiku and with a fun sense of the gross, this quick read will appeal to most older elementary/middle school boys. And anyone who just likes zombies...
August 9, 2012
Curious! A title and illustrations that are cool, quirky, and comic like--which might appeal to 3/4 grade readers. But this novel in haiku is solidly written for middle schoolers. It's about a zombie who has a crush on a "lifer" (human). So it's about groups, others, even desegregation. Really!
June 16, 2015
I'm 8 years old, there are a lot of characters in this book. It is a little confusing to me. Everything else I rrrrreeeeaaaallllllyyyyyyyyyy liked. I hope you
enjoy
or enjoyed this book!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE INCREDIBLY LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL LOL LOL LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
enjoy
or enjoyed this book!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE INCREDIBLY LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL LOL LOL LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 18, 2016
This is such a fun and delightful read. This is a great book for middle school students. A zombie novel in haiku! Fabulous illustrations as well! This should a appeal to a wide variety of readers! Give it a try... -ER
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews