Title: Zombies vs Unicorns
Editors: Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier
Summary: It’s a debate as old as time (or, an Internet meme started in February 2007): Flesh eating symbols of the inevitable decay of modern civilization, or rainbow-farting, frolicking horned creatures. (Okay, you can obviously see my preference.) This collection of 12 short stories by some of today’s best YA writers takes up the debate, alternating zombie and unicorn stories, with editors Black and Larbalestier providing a highly entertaining commentary before each tale begins.
Stories by Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth) and Diana Peterfreund (Rampant) explore characters and situations familiar to readers of their books, while Scott Westerfeld, Meg Cabot, Maureen Johnson and Libba Bray provide new tales that will leave you wishing the pages would turn forever. Like a zombie shambling ever onward. Or a unicorn prancing, I guess. Even if you aren’t a zombie person (which makes you a unicorn person, which is…let’s face it, strange) this collection is a terrific introduction to the many facets of contemporary fantasy, and a definite must-read.
Who will like this book?: Mature readers who are fans (or haters) of zombies. Fans (or haters) of unicorns. Anyone who likes fun, fast-paced fantasy stories.
If you like this, try this: The Living Dead, edited by John Joseph Adams. A good collection of unicorn short stories – if such a thing existed.
Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian