The Federation Of Children’s Book Groups (FCBG) Book Awards is based around the top 12 highest scoring titles that the children in their book groups have read that year. Anybody under the age of 18 can register their vote on the FCBG website HERE.

I’m cheerleading for the frightfully funny ‘Mutant Zombies Cursed My School Trip!’ by Matt Brown. It fantastic to see a humorous title make the short-list!

I’d like to start my review off with a comment from Keith the Zombie, one of the main dribbling zombies in the story:

“Hello. This is the Keith the Zombie from Matt Brown’s book. Matt Brown want me to say a big fank you to all non-zombies for votin’ and gettin’ Mutant Zombies Cursed My School Trip on shortlist for a FCBG award. Matt Brown is too busy sittin’ around in his boring pants to do it himself but he say that it is amazin’ and grate news and he is happiest non-zombie in whole wide world. Fanks.” 

Ian and his imaginary friend, Remington Furious III, are busy packing for Ian’s school trip. Ian was hoping this school trip might be a good opportunity to get to know his classmates, but there seems little point if his dad’s going to take on ANOTHER new job and make them move to ANOTHER new house. Nevertheless, Ian gets his packing done and is ready to board the coach on departure day.

After a long, boring journey on the coach (sat next to his teacher as he had no friends) Ian and the rest of his classmates arrive at Leviathan Hall. It does not look as advertised in the brochure. And their welcome by the waxy-looking Mr Grimble is less than reassuring.

Theres something very odd about Leviathan Hall.  There’s something very odd about Mr Grimble. And there’s definitely something very odd about the green-skinned, moaning servants who keep bumping into things and dribbling.

Matt Brown has, once again, managed to tread the fine line of being properly creepy but also hilarious! He masterfully steers his readers from laughter to fear as the true scope of what’s at hand at Leviathan Hall comes to light.

I love that this series is so highly illustrated. Paco Sordo’s illustrations add so much to the humour of the book.  Here is an example of his work, from rough outline to filled in illustration:

Don’t forget to head the FCBG website to vote, and to listen to Matt talk more about his book on the Library Girl and Book Boy podcast.

Library Girl.

*Many thanks to all at the FCBG for organising this fantastic book award and blog tour*