One day I was with my oldest nephew and I thought I’d take him to the library and pick up a few books to read. I was having trouble getting him to engage (he’s special needs and this was way out of his routine, so it was expected). After I started grabbing a couple titles on a whim (covers do make a difference), we wandered to the checkout desk. It was then I realized that maybe I had missed his interest level (one never knows what will grab his attention) and in a “just in case” moment, I pointed to a cart of younger graphic novels. There was this faceout near the bottom of the library cart’s graphic novels. He noticed this book, Plants vs. Zombies Volume 1: Lawnmageddon (I did not realize it was book one, but good for us), but he walked away from it. He had shown interest in it, and the one thing I do know is that sometimes he doesn’t know what is good for him.
We took it to the park. Ate some lunch and he “read” it in his own way. He laughed at it, made a face when the boy was punched in the gut and excited when the times were right. He made more faces (more punches) as people and zombies and plants did their things. Then, we we got back to my place, I read it aloud to him. I laughed so hard I couldn’t finish at times. He would be pushy and tell me to finish. And I would get excited over “Braiiiins! Brains? Brains!” and other parts, I hurt my throat! It is goofy, basically “boy humor” and a little bit more than a little campy, but so worth the read.
The story that Paul Tobin created may or may not be like the games, other media and books, but it is fun. I had known about P & Z from when my then around 6 to 8 year-old-cousin liked them. I had gotten him a couple zombie dolls/toys and would later get a coin purse I swapped for something cooler (I now use it for holding rubber bands at work), but I hadn’t read or seen things. Therefore, I went into this friendship story mostly blind, which is good for expectation suppression, but not for seeing all the crazy things our main characters do. They are fighting zombies (all shapes and sizes and traffic cones on their heads) and saving their town. One has a crazy uncle who oddly saves the day (and makes a mean pancake) and together they put the fun in dysfunctional and the ink in hijinks (okay that doesn’t make sense, but I needed another pun).
If you haven’t guessed, things are not overly complicated or too serious (unless you want to seriously laugh). The artwork is cartoon-comic-graphic novel color and detailed and the combination of art and text is not for everyone as there is so-called “boy humor” and action. But if you’re looking for something mind numbing (good way to save yourself from brain munching critters) this is it.