Beautiful Dead

February 1, 2011

PreS-K-Thumby, the smallest duckling on the team, is starting in his first opening-day baseball game for the Webbies. The story begins at the top of the ninth, with the opposing team at bat. The artwork is stronger than the text. Morrison provides painterly renditions of the action and draws some scenes with a unique perspective to show how it feels to be a rookie at the plate waiting for the pitch or a novice fielder hoping to catch a ball to make the third out. Readers will sense Thumby's anxiety as he is often portrayed with his thumb in his mouth. Humorous batting tips are sprinkled throughout. New players will enjoy the traditional happy ending with the bons mots on the final page.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2011
Grades 6-9 High-school student Darina witnessed the seemingly random mall shooting that resulted in the death of her beautiful and talented friend, Summer Madison. With only days remaining until Summers soul is stuck forever in limbo, and distracted by yearning for her undead boyfriend, Darina must uncover the shooters identity and see that justice is served. Although the formulaic nature of the Beautiful Dead series remains, Maguires characters continue to develop, and she spins a good mystery that features a rabid fan; a dangerous, nerdy tech guy; and a romance that just cant quite be consummated.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

February 8, 2010
From the quick-cut narrative to the vividly visual descriptions, debut author Maguire’s first book in the Beautiful Dead series reads like a novelization of a TV show. It’s an accessible if shallow style, and the love-after-death theme has popular appeal. High school senior Phoenix, knifed to death in a street fight, returns as a zombie, and his grieving girlfriend, Darina, is a hidden witness to his resurrection. Defying the eerie zombie master, Hunter, Darina claims Phoenix, risking mind erasure or worse. The zombies have a goal—to solve the mysteries surrounding their deaths—and Darina offers to “play detective” for them. Hunter accepts, on the condition that Darina focus on Jonas, one of four newly undead “revenants” from Darina’s high school. From there, the story becomes a series of emotional confrontations, sweet interludes between the lovers, and adrenaline-surging moments of physical threat. Despite all the drama, the characters’ emotions seldom feel genuine (romantic sentiments are especially corny), but fans of the Twilight franchise and shows like Supernatural
should be an eager audience. Ages 12–up.