With zombies continuing to enjoy enormous popularity in mainstream culture, from zombie walks to zombie versions of beloved classic novels, it should come as no surprise that teen fiction is also being inundated with stories about the living dead.
The following is a list of some of the best zombie books for young adults, including brief synopses and reviews.
Best Zombie Books for Teens: Reviews
1. The Forest of Hands and Teeth, by Carrie Ryan (Random House, 2009, ISBN: 9780385736817): This novel, set in a fenced quasi-Puritan community surrounded by a forest filled with the “Unconsecrated” (zombies), is a dark but gripping read. Mary yearns to discover whether a world exists beyond the Forest, and when she and her friends become separated from their community during a zombie attack, she finds the answer to her question.
2. Generation Dead, by Daniel Waters (Hyperion, 2009, ISBN: 9781423109228): This novel, the first in the Generation Dead series, depicts a typical American high school, with one exception: dead students are returning to life to continue their studies. Things become increasingly complicated for Phoebe, the likeable protagonist, when she develops a crush on one of the living dead. An intriguing commentary on bullying and high school politics.
3. Sabriel, by Garth Nix (HarperCollins, 1995, ISBN: 9780064471831): While not marketed as a zombie novel, Garth Nix’s Sabriel (the first installment in the Old Kingdom series) describes the adventures of Sabriel the Abhorsen, whose magical heritage requires her to do battle with the animated dead. This is a good book for teens who enjoy epic fantasy with their zombies.
4. My So-Called Death, by Stacey Jay (Flux, 2010, ISBN: 9780738715438): This lighthearted-yet-gory teen novel stars an amusing zombie cheerleader, Karen, who is sent to a high school for the undead after an accident leaves her with a cracked skull and a taste for animal brains. This is not a “literary” novel, but teens aren’t likely to find it boring.
5. The Enemy, (Penguin, 2009, ISBN: 9780401384641) by Charlie Higson: This post-apocalyptic novel, set in a London where all the adults have turned into zombies, features a cast of young adult protagonists trying to protect themselves—and each other—from the “sickness.” The Enemy will appeal to teenaged fans of 28 Days Later and Shawn of the Dead.
6. Strange Angels, by Lili St. Crow (Razorbill, 2009, ISBN: 9781595142511): While not solely a zombie novel, Strange Angels is an appealing read that stars the teenaged Dru Anderson, whose father returns from the dead. Dru, who has been raised to fight the paranormal, is an engaging heroine in this page-turner of a novel.
Teen Zombie Books: Here To Stay, or Just a Fad?
This article contains only a sampling of the well-written zombie books for young adults currently enjoying popularity on the market. With several of the books listed above being the first in an ongoing series of zombie-themed novels, it’s unlikely that this trend will disappear in the near future. Even Hollywood is banking on the continued popularity of the genre; with a movie version of The Forest of Hands and Teeth currently in the works, teens can look forward to zombie literature written specifically for them making the leap from the page to the big screen.
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Heather Fawcett - Heather Fawcett is a Vancouver-based writer and editor. She holds an M.A. in English Literature and specializes in teen fiction, having ...
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