Book Review: How to Navigate Zombie Cave and Defeat Pirate Pete by Mick Bogerman (Slug Pie Story #1)

This middle-grade book comes with a warning at the beginning that it is somewhat graphic. And it is. As the title suggests, this is a “how to” book told in the first person by Mick Bogerman. He and his brother Finley end up in a zombie cave and have to learn how to kill zombies in order to find the zombie pirate treasure and escape with their lives.

The tone is realistic. I could imagine a young boy narrating it. It’s mainly action without much back story. I found myself drawn deeper into the story when learning about his family’s situation, for instance, and why he wanted to find the pirate treasure, and I hoped for more of that back story. Without it, the zombie-killing-spree seemed one dimensional. However, at the end, Mick proves that he grows as a character.

I can see this book appealing more to young male readers. There’s that fun “grossness” to it, with modern references that kids should pick up on (such as when he was breathing heavily, it sounded like his breath was on speaker phone). For me it was a quick read. I am not sure my parents would have approved of me reading such a violent book when I was a kid, but I probably would have snuck it out from the library anyway 😉

I received this book as a gift, but the opinions in this review are my own.