After an encounter with zombies on a cool autumn night, a young girl wakes up to find that she’s now a zombie. That might sound like fine gross-out fun, but she quickly finds herself struggling with her new diet, because “the thought of eating brains is so gross, yuck, and icky.” Fortunately, this humorous picture book finds her inventing a new way to eat brains—juice them with fruit! Young zombie fans or adults looking to sneak in a positive message about fruits during a candy-heavy time of year will enjoy this silly take on classic zombie tropes. Lively digital illustrations from Wathmi de Zoysa in bright and appealing Halloween colors (green, orange, purple) add texture and depth to an otherwise simple premise and text.

Though de Zoysa’s faces are expressive and engaging, even when covered in sores and wounds, the illustrations tend to feel somewhat static, with only minor changes happening between pages, such as the little girl going from standing in front of the blender, to blending up her brain juice on the next page. The text is written in couplets but laid out like prose, in paragraphs, a choice that makes a first-time outloud reading aloud feel a little uncertain, especially as some of the rhymes are theoretical, like thought/start.

Still, Brain Juice is a fun and funny book that will delight anyone who loves gross and icky things. The young girl’s affinity for fruit could even prompt discussions about what young readers would want to eat with brains if they were turned into zombies, or what they’d like in their brain juice if they were a zombie. The simplicity of the narrative allows for repeat readings and the rhymes could make for a fun read aloud. A fresh take on the zombie story, Brain Juice will delight fans of the playfully grotesque … and adults trying to get their little zombies excited about fruit.

Takeaway: A humorous take on zombie lore that promotes healthy eating.

Comparable Titles: Casey Lyall’s A Spoonful of Frogs, Drew Maresco and Dallyn Maresco’s Bites, Frights, and Other Delights.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A-
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-