An interesting concept using haiku to tell a junior high zombie romance. I found it different. I found it a little confusing because I had to fill in the blanks between haiku verses but I liked it. Loeb, a zombie, like likes Siobhan who is a human. That is a big no-no in society. He thinks she is making fun of him and he has to show he is not the stereotype. It's fun as he devises a way to find out. ( )

This is such a fun and delightful read. This is a great book for middle school students. A zombie novel in haiku! Fabulous illustrations as well! This should a appeal to a wide variety of readers! Give it a try... -ER ( )

BRAINS FOR LUNCH by Austin author K.A. Holt is a zombie novel in haiku. Wait. Yes. You read that correctly. It is the tale of middle-school angst from the perspective of Loeb (teehee, get it?) a “Z” attending middle school alongside “lifers” and “chupos” (if you have yet to discover el chupacabra, let me Wikipedia that for you). Loeb’s story is told in hilariously snarky haiku, in the 5-7-5 style often referred to by haiku aficionados as “senryu.” And how appropriate, as one might imagine a zombie as a man — or middle-schooler — of few words.

And Loeb isn’t unlike most middle school guys. He goes to class. He hangs out in the library. He has an assortment of weird friends. He avoids bullies and wishes everyone could just get along. And he has a crush on an unattainable girl — a beautiful lifer named Siobhan. When the (hot) librarian tells Loeb about an upcoming poetry contest, Loeb thinks he might enter, if only to get the attention of his dream girl.

With illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist Gahan Wilson — whose quirky style fits Z life to a T — BRAINS FOR LUNCH is a must-have for middle school library shelves. Like the DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series, K.A. Holt‘s humor in this easy-on-the-eyes style will attract both reluctant readers and bookworms of all ages. And between the 5-7-5 lines are the often difficult-to tackle issues of race and intolerance that teens are facing head-on at their schools every day. BRAINS FOR LUNCH confronts these with a subtle wit deserving of a gold star. Whether you’re a 10 year old boy who needs to do a book report, a 16 year old girl who digs haiku, or a grown-up zombie buff, this is a book you don’t want to miss. ( )

Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com

In a school where humans, zombies, and chupacabras co-exist, there's never a dull day.

When Loeb meets Siobhan, a lifer (human), she seems interested in him. She, however, thinks that zombies aren't smart. To prove her wrong, he enters a haiku poetry competition. Should be simple, since zombies talk in haiku anyway, right? Wrong.

Loeb's poetic abilities seem to have frozen up. Can he win the competition and get the girl - without eating her brains?

A funny, mixed-up book for zombie lovers. Not too strong on the lovey-dovey stuff, this book is an excellent addition to fiction for boys. The characters are funny and memorable, and the haikus are fairly simple to follow most of the time. The plot seems to have an easy time holding the reader's interest.

Reluctant and avid readers who like zombies, stories about surviving middle school, paranormal fiction, and humorous tales will all enjoy BRAINS FOR LUNCH. ( )