This Year's Class Picture

by Dan Simmons

Ms. Geiss is the most dedicated fourth-grade teacher imaginable. She goes to extraordinary lengths to make sure her students are presented with every opportunity—showing them slides from her summer vacations during Geography, reading to them from the classics of children’s literature after lunch, and providing them with the kinds of learning rewards that they will truly respond to—bite-sized nuggets of human flesh. Because Ms. Geiss’ students are pint-sized zombies, and the main tool of her peculiar version of the teaching trade is her trusty Remington .30-06 rifle.

Ms. Geiss is firm but fair, and keeps a disciplined classroom. She has far more trouble from the adults shambling through what’s left of town than she does from her students, though a well-bulldozed killing field and the gasoline-filled moat encircling the school usually keeps the worst of the undead marauders at bay. But even the hardest working educators let their guard down sometimes, and after the Tribulations, just one mistake can mean school’s out forever.

Bestselling, acclaimed author Dan Simmons’ story “This Year’s Class Picture” is a zombie tale that could itself be described as best in class, honored by the Stoker, Sturgeon, and World Fantasy Awards.

Genres: Horror, Zombies, Short Stories, Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Audiobook, Fantasy

54 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Dan Simmons is an American science fiction and horror writer. He is the author of the Hyperion Cantos and the Ilium/Olympos cycles, among other works that span the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres, sometimes within a single novel. Simmons's genre-intermingling Song of Kali (1985) won the World Fantasy Award. He also writes mysteries and thrillers, some of which feature the continuing character Joe Kurtz.

Reviews

[Данило Судин · Rating 5 out of 5]

Оповідання, яке Сіммонс написав до "зомбоманії". Сюжет простий: будні вчительки (живої), яка продовжує вести заняття в школі. Але дія відбувається після зомбі-апокаліпсису. Тому всі учні цієї вчительки - діти-зомбі...
Чудове оповідання, яке сподобається всім, для кого викладання - і покликання, і професія. Адже відчувається, що і сам Сіммонс півтора десятиліття пропрацював вчителем в школі. Вийшло оповідання від свого для своїх. Дуже миле та оптимістичне. Хоч і з деякими "чорнушними" (типовими для зомбі-хорору) деталями. Ось такий парадокс

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic little story. Somehow it manages to be sick, scary and heartwarming all at the same time.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book make me super grossed out and sad. This is because it kind of reminds me of graphic and violent games. The story is amazing. The author wrote it to make the readers think that there is no hope and then the author shows us that there is hope and happiness if you look hard enough. This book is a 5-star book.

[Aphelion · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Their teacher sat there for another long moment, saying nothing, thinking nothing, daring barely to breathe lest she shatter the moment and find it all illusion.

The moment did not shatter, but the morning bell did ring, echoing down the long halls of the school. The last teacher sat there one moment longer, gathering her strength and resisting the urge to cry.

Then Ms. Geiss rose, walked to the chalkboard, and in her best cursive script, began writing the schedule to show them what they would be doing and learning in the day ahead."

This was hands down, the best zombie fiction I've ever read. I waited for years to read the whole story after I read a small excerpt of this online. Beautiful writing, I loved how Simmons wrote Ms. Geiss.

[Mark Tallen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit that I haven't read lots of Zombie related fiction, but nonetheless this short story feels unique to me. It could quite easily fit somewhere between George A. Romero's Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead, and perhaps his Diary of The Dead. Dan Simmons provides a really good short story here, a story which won the Stoker award, Sturgeon award & World Fantasy award, for best short story.

[Elke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad and compelling - the most beautiful (I'm tempted to say poetic) zombie story I've read so far...

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect zombie story, despite the moving but rather implausible ending!

[Fantasy Literature]

4 stars from Jason, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE

Disclaimer: just so you know, some of the books we review are received free from publishers

Sci-fi and horror master Dan Simmons has only one real character in this short story: Ms. Geiss, dedicated fourth-grade teacher extraordinaire. She seems to be one of the very few remaining humans following the frequently mentioned, but never-explained, “Tribulations” that had some role in creating an environment where zombies roam the planet...4 stars from Jason, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE

[P.A. Pursley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Simmons is one of my favorite authors. This is a short story packed with information. I truly did enjoy it. I think it would be great if he wrote a longer version. It would be very interesting.

This story is about Ms. Geiss, a teacher over a class of 4th graders. The kids do not listen, are difficult to control, and don't seem to want to learn. As a matter of fact, they are not much different than 4th graders who are alive.

If you like horror and short stories...you will enjoy this!

[Art the Turtle of Amazing Girth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ended up being one of those stories that when I finished, I just looked at the wall for a minute.

The ending was a tiny bit ehhh, but not enough to drag this from 5 to 4, although, if we had a 4.5 it would be that.

Ms. Geist is one heck of a bad-mamma-jamma, and I want her on my apoc team should there ever need to be one.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simmons' experience as a teacher shines through in this short story about a 4th grade teacher trying to hold things together after The Tribulations (zombie apocalypse). This is good stuff.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different than nearly any other zombie story you will read and that is a good thing! This story will stir your emotions and also supply enough gore for your zombie loving tastes as well!

[Tina Hileman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Simmons excellence as a writer shines in this short story! If you like zombies, this is a must read.

[Scenery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a great this time as it was the first time I read it. This will probably always be one of my favorite short stories.

[Randy M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Year’s Class Picture is a fun, micro-level view of a zombie apocalypse. Said apocalypse is never explained. It is just a new fact of life referred to as the Tribulations. At the heart of the story is Ms. Geiss, an elementary school teacher doing her best to cope with the new reality.

Ms. Geiss has become very resourceful since the Tribulations, necessarily becoming skilled in the operation of earth moving equipment and automatic weapons….and meat processing plants! But Ms. Geiss is a school teacher. She has dedicated her life to the children; to their protection “from the tyrannies of too-early adulthood and the vulgarities of a society all too content with the vulgar”. The fact that her students are now zombies does not change her mission.

Ms. Geiss has not gone mad. She readily admits that attempting to educate zombie children is futile, if not deadly. But Ms. Geiss is not a fatalist. She holds onto a faith that her efforts are not in vain; that she can still connect with some residual humanity in these undead kids; that she can help them shape a better tomorrow in the new world order.

This Year’s Class Picture is a clever take on the zombie sub-genre of horror fiction. Its inward focus is a refreshing change from the mass-carnage landscapes we typically receive (though Ms. Geiss is fully capable of unleashing her own personal brand of mass-carnage!). If you like zombies, this is a must read.

[Sheri Humble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teacher of the Year

If you ever had a dedicated teacher who did his/her level best to encourage the vital spark in you, and did so against all obstacles, you will appreciate Miss Geiss. Instead of the usual soul-dead administrators, toxic parents, politically motivated textbook writers and their ilk, she now has zombies to contend with . Is it really so different? Only in her case, the children are already mind numbed, viscious zombies too. Can she continue to try to reach them while struggling just to give them a safe place to come back to? She fans the flames in more ways than one as she soldiers on. A tale to inspire, or make us want to thank whoever played her role in our own lives. Thank you, Mr. Patton.

[Лина Сакс · Rating 5 out of 5]

Я не любитель читать про зомби, поэтому к рассказу подходила со скептицизмом. И как же замечательно, что сей труд меня порадовал.

Сентиментальный рассказ и ужасный по существу. Ведь что там будет дальше неизвестно и непонятно. Что героиня будет делать дальше, придут ли ещё твари за детьми? Научится ли она слышать их не во сне? Все что в будущем, покрыто мраком и не несёт в себе ничего радостного. И только тот факт, что все, что делала мисс Гейсс не напрасно, что она достучалась до мертвого мозга - только это радует и вызывает чувства.

Иногда так приятно, что в небольшом произведении вдруг проявляется вся суть жизни человека.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simmons even does zombies well... i am not a huge fan of expensive hardcover books that contain one story, even a gem by Dan Simmons... luckily my library snagged this one for me (i subsequently found the story was in the collection 'The Living Dead') or i wouldn't have read it for a while (i am not a big zombie fan, books or otherwise)... surprisingly fun but also quite touching, this one... short, concise, lends itself to a novel maybe, but just another strong outing by Simmons...

[Ambrose Malles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I just read a touching zombie short story? I think I did, one that tells of the lengths a teacher will go to to protect her students, even when she feels her efforts are in vain. Kindness always wins in the end. Simmons uses just enough background for you to get a grip on what's going on, without over complicating what needs to be delivered quickly.

Read if you like:
- Vividly portrayed zombie children
- Satisfying endings
- Dark and graphic writing

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a fool for Dan Simmons. No matter how long or short they suck me right in. This was a great short story about zombies.

Mrs. Geiss is a fourth grade teacher and she begins every school day following her lesson plan. The difference now is that all of her class is made up of the undead. She teaches them, reads them comforting stories, feeds them and keeps them safe despite their undead condition.

[Ozsaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Geiss might be the last school teacher left on Earth, but she still takes her job seriously. Every day she teachers her zombie students hoping that one day, there will be a tiny spark of understanding.

Sad, and unfortunately dated. Still worth reading if you're into zombie horror.

[Zakki Majoka · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too dark and creepy for what I read.

[Chika N]

amaziing

[Deryk Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb short story.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.
This short story is about a woman who is the teacher to a bunch of chained up zombies in a post-apocalyptic world. Very interesting premise. Kind of creepy.

[Todd Charlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It didn't have the great twist that I remembered. I must have romanticized it over the years. But its still brilliant.

[Laura Wood🌷 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Lexie]

(the following review is from when I read the short story in The Living Dead back in 2008)

A long time teacher doesn't let something as small as a Zombie Apocalypse stop her from giving her students an education. This is a creepy, rather horrifying story that I love so much I felt I needed to buy this anthology just for it. On the one hand Ms. Geiss does a remarkably good job at keeping herself alive and fortifying her surroundings. If I ever got caught in a Zombie Apocalypse I can only hope to be half as resourceful as she is honestly. On the other she's bat shit crazy and doesn't seem to think there's an issue there. Her class is made up of previous students who have all been zombified. She neutralizes whatever threat they can be to her, shackles them to their desks and proceeds to teach them, acting as if she tries hard enough they may respond.

Its rather heart breaking. In between watching her lament her class' vacant expressions, we see her bulldoze the surrounding area to get better view of the terrain, remember vacations and times past, Ms. Geiss really tried to reach out for these kids. She wanted to protect them, just as she tried to protect them when they were alive. Yes she's off her rocker, but the ending makes it possible to think that if someone tries hard enough maybe bad behaviors can be curbed.

[Pedro Marroquín · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novella sobre una profesora que 20 años después del apocalipsis zombie sigue dando clase a varios niños (zombies) en un antiguo colegio reconvertida en fortaleza para protegerse de los zombies adultos. La premisa es bastante tonta y la historia tarda en engancharte. Y el final muy sorprendente (por absurda). No es lo mejor que he leído de este autor, ni de coña. C

[Ray Palen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another of my Halloween reads --- this short novella by the masterful writer pre-dates the current "Walking Dead" phenomenon and features a school teacher whose entire class of students are zombies. Very well written with a few unexpected twists.