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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Isabel Atherton's "Zombie Cat: The Tale of a Decomposing Kitty"

Author:  Isabel Atherton
Illustrator:  Bethany Straker
Title:  Zombie Cat: The Tale of a Decomposing Kitty
Plot Type: Zombie Apocalypse
Ratings:  V4; S0; H2
Publisher:  Skyhorse (10/2012)

     If you've been searching for a Halloween gift or a Christmas stocking stuffer for a cat-loving fan of The Walking Dead, this book is exactly what you need. Although it looks like a children's picture book at first glance, the subject matter and the illustrations are strictly for adults. The titular hero, Tiddles (aka Zombie Cat), is definitely more of a nightmarish Tim Burton feline than a cuddly Disney kitty.

     As the story begins, Tiddles is living a carefree life that centers around flirting with the neighborhood females and eating lots of mice. When a toxic nuclear spill contaminates the mouse population, Tiddles gets bitten and wakes up as one of the undead, with mangy fur and a rapidly rotting body. Soon enough, the zombie apocalypse is on, with all the usual undead symptoms spreading through both the human and animal populations at a rapid pace.

     At first, Tiddles roams around town thinking about braaiiinnnssss, but he has too much of a conscience to join the other cats in attacking people (including children) on the street. Eventually, Tiddles heads for home and mewingly begs Jake, his owner, to let him into Jake's now-boarded-up house. When Jake relents and lets Tiddles inside, they maintain an uneasy existence—for awhile.

     Together, the quirky story and the charming, if grotesque, illustrations make for a winning novelty book. Click HERE or HERE to watch two slightly different book trailers. 

     And here's one more video—this time it's a zombie cat time lapse sequence. Although this zombie cat isn't Tiddle, it's absolutely fascinating to watch the fanged and furry critter emerge from an initially blank page. Click HERE to watch it.

     This book reminds me of last year's Zombie in Love, by Kelly DiPucchio. Click HERE to read my review of that book.

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