Zombelina school days by Kristyn Crow

Ill. by Molly Idle. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781619636415
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Themes: School life, Zombies, Dancing, Rhyming stories. Kristyn Crow's fun rhyming story Zombelina School Days is a perfect picture book for sharing with a younger audience. This story is filled with spooky jokes, funny puns and easy to read rhymes. When she scans her body in her daddy's X-ray machine, after her breakfast of lizard eye gruel, her mom calls her drop-dead gorgeous!
Zombelina the gorgeous green zombie loves to dance; she has practised her special moves for show-and-tell. Something interesting happens as she twirls, her body parts go flying, with her arms or hands landing in some funny places. In a class full of human pupils, Zombelina is just one of the team. When Morty a new student arrives, the little zombie and her best friend Lizzie help him settle in, teaching him new dance moves and playing bug detective at recess.
Molly Idle's cute colour pencil illustrations bring Zombelina, her family and class mates to life. Her artistic style with sharp lines and bright colours are a perfect match for Crow's poetry. Where will Zombelina's arm, hand or leg fly off to when she dances? There is a musicality and fluidity of movement here that adds to the fun and excitement of Zombelina School Days. Crow's understated messages of acceptance, encouragement, friendship and having a go promote inclusiveness.
Rhyllis Bignell