The Zombees

PreS-Gr 3–A swarm of zombie bees leaves the cemetery to invade a town on Halloween night, frightening a trick-or-treating girl, her cat, and her town. With the help of a librarian, beekeepers are called in to save the day. Do the zombees actually come in peace, or is this a plan to eat more brains? Jolly details make this picture book shine. Rhyming and alliteration create a sense of playfulness while setting the pace. Illustrations alternate between vignettes, panels, and full-page spreads splashed with teal, gray, purple, and lime green to evoke the feeling of fall. Features of each image are slightly skewed—crooked headstones, slanted architecture—to further suggest the eerie excitement of Halloween night. Children will delight in the tattered, otherworldly zombees and enjoy searching for the silly cat in the background. A surprise ending provides the perfect finishing touch.