July 13

10 Ways You Know You’re a Dog Groomer

1. You know how hard it is to dig hair splinters from your nose and between your fingers.

2. You say “I have so many dogs to do today” and “I need to go blow myself off” regularly and don’t giggle about how dirty it sounds.

3. You meet a friend’s pet and immediately start assessing their skin, coat, and nail condition.

4. And think less of them if there is matting or nails need to be clipped. The dog’s, not the people.

5. You begin to assess people in terms like “reactive” and “well trained”.

6. And occasionally stop yourself from telling a person they are a “Good boy/girl”.

7. You especially have to stop yourself from commanding people to “Sit”, “Stay” or “Leave it”.

8. The dogs that make you the most nervous aren’t the big ones or the guard breeds but the little ones who still have their testicles.

9. You can hear “purebred goldendoodle/cockapoo/morkie” and keep a straight face.

10. You will never name a child or a pet of your own “Bailey”, “Lola”, “Layla”, “Charlie”, “Buddy”, “Paisley” or “Jackson”.

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December 6

So Now You’re a Zombie: A Handbook for the Newly Undead by John Austin

Reviewed for MonsterLibrarian.com

So Now You’re a Zombie: A Handbook for the Newly Undead by John Austin
Chicago Review Press, 2010
ISBN: 1569763429
Available: New

So Now You’re a Zombie appears to be a book in the vein of Scott Kenemore’s The Zen of Zombie and Z.E.O, but rather than mix the undead and self help it crams loads of in-jokes into a beginner’s guide to zombies. While it’s not a novel, (there’s no real story), it’s not quite nonfiction either, and it’s often too grim to be pure humor.

Rather, it is a reflection of our current obsession with zombies and all the forms their stories have taken. Another must-have for the collections of zombie enthusiasts, and also a good addition to public collections that cater to lots of zombie fans.

Contains: Violence, gory illustrations, bad puns

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December 5

Zen of Zombie by Scott Kenemore

Reviewed for MonsterLibrarian.com

The Zen of Zombie: Better Living Through the Undead by Scott Kenemore
Skyhorse, 2007
ISBN: 9781602391871
Available: New

Kenemore’s style is laugh-out-loud hilarious and oddly encouraging. This is, in part, a serious self-help book and also an enjoyable, sarcastic parody. Loaded with humorous graphics, it is an essential for hardcore zombie lovers (or anyone who needs less stress and more brain eating in their lives).

The Zen of Zombie is definitely a gift-style book. If it’s your style you should definitely own it, not borrow, so its value to public collection is limited to those with very popular zombie theme sections.

Contains: Bad (and good) puns, comic gore & violence

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August 20

My So-Called Death by Stacey Jay

Reviewed for MonsterLibrarian.com

ISBN: 978-0738715438
Available: New
Karen tragically died from a major fall from the top of the cheerleading pyramid. Even more tragically, she has discovered that she is a genetic zombie and now has to live out the rest of her days slurping down animal brains and fearing maggot infestations. She’s even transferred to DEAD high, where supposedly she’ll learn how to cope with her new, long-lasting, but secret, un-life.

But high school, even undead high school, is cruel, and to make bad things worse, a full day into Karen’s new life a body of a student is found with her brain harvested by an unknown bad guy that just happens to be lurking around the school. Now perky, driven Karen is taking it upon herself to ferret out the killer before something really, really bad happens.

My So-Called Death weaves back and forth over the line between strong characterization and too much. As amusing as Karen’s ultramodern and perky inner monologue is, it, and the lack of strong characters outside of the lead, her best friend, and her boyfriend, is bound to annoy some readers who never saw the spirit behind similar tales, like the movies Clueless and Legally Blonde. It’s a perky-fun-gruesome mystery, horror-lite in terms of gore, violence and general darkness.  But it’s not without creepy, and almost-serious scenes, sort of like the dread one would feel at seeing a bedazzled pirate flag on an approaching ship.

As for its value to collections, there’s definitely an audience for Jay’s kind of creepy-gross-not-quite-dark humor. At the very least, adults could enjoy it for all the in-jokes about iconic 80s and 90s culture.

Contains: fried brain bites and giant maggots

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April 1

Z.E.O.: A Zombie’s Guide to Getting A(Head) in Business by Scott Kenemore

Reviewed for MonsterLibrarian.com

Skyhorse Publishing, 2009
ISBN: 9781602396487
Available: New

Z.E.O is a small, off-sized book that’s part humor, part business survival guide and part “for dummies” book. Presentation seems to be as important as content, with sidebars, zombies in the workplace illustrations and chapters that one suspects would make excellent PowerPoint presentations. Nonfiction, yet completely silly, Z.E.O shows a strong correlation between the sort of minds that conquer the business world and zombies- not an entirely kind metaphor, though it has an amusing point.

Because of the over-the-top comical writing and the lack of a story, Z.E.O is really a gift book, particularly for office Secret Santas or zombie fans, or even not-quite gag gifts to college grads, because the kind of person who would adore this book should own it, not borrow it.
Contains: Gory illustrations