MY ROTTEN LIFE Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie

The gross-out factor is high, but so is the laugh meter as 10-year-old Nathan suffers so much middle-grade angst that he volunteers to try a mad scientist's "Hurt No More" formula. In this first book of Lubar's new series, Nathan accidentally gets drenched with the whole beaker and finds he can no longer eat, breathe, or summon a pulse. Luckily, his brain keeps churning out funny observations. Matthew Brown voices a wry Nathan, and Kathleen McInerney gives spark to shy Abigail, the mad scientist's niece and Nathan's only hope for reanimation. Both narrators have a nice range of middle-grade voices, including those of a snooty princess and a lummox of a bully. Who knew a zombie could be part living dead and part superhero? Forget vampires. Zombies are the new cool kids. M.M.C. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2009]