My Rotten Friend

by Stephanie J. Blake

Overview

Penelope is a little different. She might also be a little...undead. After biting some teachers, Penelope gets sent home from school. And that's when things go from bad to worse! What would you do if your best friend turned out to be a zombie? This hilarious tale is perfect for anyone who thinks the B in BFF should stand for BRAINS.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781489653222
Publisher:	Weigl Publishers Inc.
Publication date:	08/01/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	56
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 11 Years

About the Author

Stephanie J. Blake is a full-time writer who lives with her husband and three children in picturesque Colorado. Stephanie's first novel for children, The Marble Queen, was a 2013 Color Book Award finalist. Mariano Epelbaum is an illustrator, character designer, and animator from Buenos Aires. He enjoys trying different styles of illustration as he is inspired by each project he works on.

Read an Excerpt

My Rotten Friend

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By Stephanie J. Blake

ALBERT WHITMAN & Company

Copyright © 2015 Stephanie J. Blake
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8075-5327-5

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CHAPTER 1

She's my best friend, but I won't lie, Penelope smells like something died.

Her hair is matted.

She's missing an eye. Can you sort of see her brains?

She said she's in the eating mood, But she didn't want to share my food.

She bit the coach. A teacher too.

I had to take my best friend home.

I rode my bike. She shuffled along.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from My Rotten Friend by Stephanie J. Blake. Copyright © 2015 Stephanie J. Blake. Excerpted by permission of ALBERT WHITMAN & Company.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Editorial Reviews

07/27/2015
Give Blake and Epelbaum credit—they don’t go halfway on this story of ill-fated human-zombie friendship. Using an AAAB rhyme scheme, Blake (The Marble Queen) writes from the perspective of a blond, blue-eyed narrator, whose BFF has seen better days: “She’s my best friend, but I won’t lie,/ Penelope smells like something died./ Her hair is matted. She’s missing an eye./ Can you sort of see her brains?” Epelbaum gives Penelope a cute kitten T-shirt and skirt—as well as sickly green skin, a lolling tongue, and body parts that tend to become detached. The narrator sticks up for her friend, but after getting bitten herself, she starts “feeling hungry, but not for food...” Especially icky scenes include one of Penelope chowing down on brains (while flies sample her own), so while Epelbaum’s cartoons establish a sunny suburban atmosphere, this story is best for families who like their humor wicked. Ages 4–7. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Epelbaum ably adds comic touches with his slick digital cartoon illustrations." Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2015

"Give Blake and Epelbaum credit--they don't go halfway on this story of ill-fated human-zombie friendship…Especially icky scenes include one of Penelope chowing down on brains (while flies sample her own), so while Epelbaum's cartoons establish a sunny suburban atmosphere, this story is best for families who like their humor wicked." Publishers Weekly, July 24, 2015

From the Publisher

2015-07-15
A friendship between a girl and a zombie goes awry. The results are downright frightening. Penelope is the narrator's best friend. She is also a zombie. The other kids in school give Penelope a wide berth since she always seems eager to bite someone. Blake tells the majority of this unfortunate tale in awkwardly rhyming text. "She said she's in the eating mood, / But she didn't want to share my food. / She bit the coach. A teacher too. / Do you think they'll be OK?" Penelope goes home with her friend, and then the inevitable happens—the narrator is bitten by her zombie pal. Soon, her father, the letter carrier, and a dog become part of the "zombie buffet." Readers may cringe or cackle at the page showing a blissful Penelope enjoying her plate of pink brains, but there are few places where readers can fully engage. Epelbaum ably adds comic touches with his slick digital cartoon illustrations, but even those fail to rescue this tainted tale. While zombies appear to be the creature of this Halloween season, look elsewhere for an entertaining reading experience. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews