You can't reach into a YA bookshelf these days without risking zombie infection, but Krovatin has done something fairly unusual here. It's not some tweak on zombie rules; rather, it's a seriousness rarely seen in zombie books for this age range. A nature program in the Montana mountains goes awry when 11-year-olds Ian (the wild one), Kendra (the brain), and PJ (the geek) get lost, cross over a forboding stone fence covered with painted sigils, and take refuge inside a cabin where they find a book labeled "READ ME TO LIVE." Enter the zombies e hungry corpses of a lost dance troupe called the Pine City Dancers o shamble after our trio as they hunt for the alleged witch who began this curse. One part wilderness survival story and one part grueling horror, Krovatin's text lends the characters and events just enough realism to give the plot a welcome weight, without entirely sacrificing the middle-grade attitude ("I think I see a bone sticking out of it, yeech"). A clever opener to what looks to be a series.

While on a school trip in the Montana wilderness, sixth-graders Ian, Kendra, and PJ run off into the woods after a deer; soon they're lost--and face to face with zombies. The suspense and fear are masterfully built by switching between the preteens' distinct voices in this first series installment. Young horror fans will eat up this fast-paced survival story.

SAT words and occult trappings characterize this middle-grade zombie adventure from teen author Krovatin (Venomous, 2008). On an electronics-free school trip to the Montana wilderness, sixth graders Ian Buckley, PJ Wilson and Kendra Wright quickly break the first rule, straying off the path and into the forest. Separated from their classmates, the trio is relieved to stumble across a cabin in the woods, until they discover a skull in the basement and a mysterious journal that tells of shadows in the forest--and, of course, zombies start beating on the front door. With the journal in hand, the three kids begin hunting for the witch they believe controls the creatures and their fate. Though the story is told from the three kids' alternating points of view, the voices all have the same flavor and would be unidentifiable if not for the chapter headings. There's simply not enough personality behind the three 11-year-old protagonists to make a distinction. Describing a wall as "infected" and introducing words like "ideating" and "sigil" (Kendra is building her vocabulary) jar just enough to break the otherwise compelling pace. Indistinct voices and questionable word choices aside, the author does manage to keep the pages turning all the way through the end. Toning down the edgy side for a young market, Krovatin stills provides moments of gross-out gore in this reluctant-reader pleaser. (Adventure. 10-12)

Gr 5-8 What was supposed to be an exciting school trip in the Montana mountains turns out to be anything but for sixth graders Ian Buckley, PJ Wilson, and Kendra Wright. Straying from the path, the three kids get lost and realize that something is not quite right. Their sense of dread intensifies upon discovering a stone wall covered in a weird symbol. As darkness approaches, the trio stumble upon an abandoned cabin where they find a skull in the basement and a mysterious journal that warns of dark forces at work. Then zombies attack, and they must run for their lives. The group seeks out the witch they believe is behind this sinister evil, hoping she can help them protect their school friends from being attacked and end the zombie curse. Using alternating points of view, Krovatin masterfully combines horror and humor in this heart-pounding, action-packed story that deals with survival, friendship, and self-discovery. Although the ending is a little rushed, this page-turner will satisfy fans of the genre and leave them anticipating future installments. Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY