Scanning the Bookshelf

Vampire and "undead" teen novels seem to get tons of press, but are they healthy for younger readers? These fun reads for kids in the middle grades are every bit as engrossing with a slant toward more age appropriate thrills and chills. They are also fantastic choices for reluctant readers near Halloween season.

"Zombiekins" by Kevin Bolger; illustrated by Aaron Blecha; Razorbill/Penguin; 206 pages; $10.99.

The little town of Dementedyville is as boring as it gets until young Stanley buys a mysterious stuffed animal at a yard sale. Kind of creepy-cute yet still cuddly, the teddy bear/stuffed bunny, named Zombiekins, unexpectedly wreaks havoc on the entire school — strange things happen, especially after dark.

With laugh-out-loud humor, incredibly sillier-than-scary incidents and wacko names — Mr. Baldengrumpy, for one — Bolger's new chapter book rocks the reluctant reader audience. Peppered with goofy-fun comic-like illustrations that bring to mind "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and "Captain Underpants," "Zombiekins" is a sure-fire introduction to the undead genre for the elementary school crowd.

Want a sneak peek? Visit www.zombiekins.com.

"Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys: The Rat Brain Fiasco" by Julie Gardner Berry and Sally Faye Gardner; Grosset & Dunlap; 208 pages; $6.99.

Cody Mack, a disruptive student, is shipped off to Splurch Academy, a sinister boarding school for disobedient children. Run by monstrous teachers and a vampiric headmaster, the academy in a secluded forest has a strange way to deal with its students — by swapping their overactive brains with those of rats.

With a plot that'll get readers rooting for Cody, Headmaster Farley's brain is swapped with his own pet rat's brain, ensuing tons of laughter and satisfying payback.

Black-and-white illustrations are graphic-inspired and slightly creepy.

Also in the series and now available: "Curse of the Bizarro Beetle," also starring Cody and Headmaster Farley.

"Ghost Dog Secrets" by Peg Kehret; Dutton/Penguin; 184 pages; $16.99.

Author Peg Kehret has won over three dozen state young readers' awards, and she's a strong advocate for animal rescue organizations.

Her new novel couples her prestigious suspense writing talents while promoting the rescue of injured animals. In it, Rusty and his friend, Andrew, discover a dog that's been left chained in frigid weather with no food or water. The boys feed the neglected animal every day, but then decide to take him to their secret hideout. There they encounter a mysterious ghost dog that leads them to a startling secret.

While dealing with Andrew's snoopy sister and the escalating threats of the dog's abusive owner, the suspenseful tale leaves readers 10 and up cheering for the boys' compassion and determination.

A fabulous read that combines spookiness, mystery and animal rescue, "Ghost Dog Secrets" is thoughtful and satisfying.

"Benjamin Franklinstein Lives!" by Matthew McElligott and Larry Tuxbury; Putnam/Penguin; 122 pages; $12.99.

What happens when a Founding Father returns as a zombie to help a young scientist win the school science fair? Tons of hilarious situations — Benjamin runs low on energy and burps sparks, or just the fact that young Victor wears the same outfit every day so his brainpower can be reserved for calculating his own weather forecasts.

Peppered with black-and-white artwork that's a combination of almanac, antique advertisements and graphic comics, "Benjamin Franklinstein Lives" appears like an old book inside, but it's certainly a mod, uproarious read for the 8- to 12-year-old crowd.

"The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows" by Jacqueline West; Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin; 241 pages; $16.99.

Finally, a creepy middle-grade read starring a strong heroine. This exciting debut follows 11-year-old Olive as she discovers the mystery behind the paintings in the old Victorian mansion where she and her parents just moved. In a cool twist, Olive finds a pair of old spectacles that enable her to travel inside the paintings to a world that mimics her own, but it harbors terrifying secrets, including that of a tiny 9-year-old boy with a bad temper.

Mysterious, fresh and darkly funny, "The Books of Elsewhere" should hook fans of "Coraline," "Alice in Wonderland" and Roald Dahl. Happily, the second book in the series — already highly anticipated — is in the works.

To find out more about Lee Littlewood and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM