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The Zombie Who Cried Human
Little Boy Zombie lives on a big farm just outside of Romero Town with Mama Zombie, Papa Zombie, and Rex the Zombie Dog.
One day, while Mama Zombie and Papa Zombie are away, Boy Zombie is left in charge of the farm. But when he gets bored, he decides to play a prank on the citizens of Romero Town. He yells toward town, "Humans here, humans here!" And all of the zombies come shambling to the farm to help.
When they discover they've been tricked, Boy Zombie is warned by his "Don't cry 'humans' when there are no humans!"
But will he learn his lesson in time?
The Zombie Who Cried Human is the first book in the "Friendly Little Monsters" series from Brian James Freeman and Glenn Chadbourne, who are blending classic fables with modern storytelling techniques to entertain children and adults of all ages.
One day, while Mama Zombie and Papa Zombie are away, Boy Zombie is left in charge of the farm. But when he gets bored, he decides to play a prank on the citizens of Romero Town. He yells toward town, "Humans here, humans here!" And all of the zombies come shambling to the farm to help.
When they discover they've been tricked, Boy Zombie is warned by his "Don't cry 'humans' when there are no humans!"
But will he learn his lesson in time?
The Zombie Who Cried Human is the first book in the "Friendly Little Monsters" series from Brian James Freeman and Glenn Chadbourne, who are blending classic fables with modern storytelling techniques to entertain children and adults of all ages.
64 pages, Hardcover
Published September 30, 2018
22 people want to read
About the author
Brian James Freeman
100 books150 followersBrian James Freeman sold his first short story when he was fourteen years old and now writes full-time thanks to the support of his patrons on Patreon. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, three kids, a German Shorthaired Pointer, and an English Pointer. More books are on the way.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 15, 2018
The Zombie Who Cried Human is supposed to be the first book in the "Friendly Little Monsters" series from Brian James Freeman and Glenn Chadbourne. I don't know how many there will be, but I hope there will be lots of them.
This book was adorable! It's a book about zombies, you say, how can that be adorable?! Because it is essentially a children's book. The story is told in an easy-to-read format, and every flip of the page has an illustration. That's not to say this isn't an adult book though. I thought it was terrific. And it has those little nuances that adults love when dealing with kiddie stuff. For instance, they live just outside Romero Town. :) It's the kind of book I would love reading to my weird little nephew. It's a classic fable, retold in zombie world. What's not to like about that?!
And the illustrations! In his typical style, we see the lives of the Zombie family unfold in front of us, including Rex the Zombie Dog. The pictures are colorful and attention-grabbing, but not gory. Perfect for the kiddies.
There is nothing I don't like about this book! I already have a copy on pre-order for my nephew and can't wait for it to arrive.
Thanks for Brian James Freeman and Cemetery Dance Publications for an Advanced Copy of the book in return for a review.
This book was adorable! It's a book about zombies, you say, how can that be adorable?! Because it is essentially a children's book. The story is told in an easy-to-read format, and every flip of the page has an illustration. That's not to say this isn't an adult book though. I thought it was terrific. And it has those little nuances that adults love when dealing with kiddie stuff. For instance, they live just outside Romero Town. :) It's the kind of book I would love reading to my weird little nephew. It's a classic fable, retold in zombie world. What's not to like about that?!
And the illustrations! In his typical style, we see the lives of the Zombie family unfold in front of us, including Rex the Zombie Dog. The pictures are colorful and attention-grabbing, but not gory. Perfect for the kiddies.
There is nothing I don't like about this book! I already have a copy on pre-order for my nephew and can't wait for it to arrive.
Thanks for Brian James Freeman and Cemetery Dance Publications for an Advanced Copy of the book in return for a review.
March 18, 2023
So darn cute! Lovely illustrations! ❤️
July 28, 2018
I received this in the mail today from Cemetery Dance and wanted to take a few minutes to talk about it. I know it is not my usual kind of book to review, but I read through this very quickly and just really enjoyed it.
Based on the old fable of "The boy who cried wolf", this retelling takes place in a world where Zombies are the norm and humans are either wild or kept as livestock. Yes, I know this doesn't really sound like a kids book, but it is.
Brian's interpretation of the story will appeal to kids and adults alike. The family, consisting of Papa Zombie, Mama Zombie and Boy Zombie live on the outskirts of Romero Town and raise humans to be sold at market. One day when Papa and Mama Zombie shamble to another town, Boy Zombie is left to tend the herd with his trusty Zombie Dog Rex. As the classic fable plays out, Boy Zombie tricks the local town zombies by yelling "humans, humans are here". But what happens when wild humans really show up? Will Zombie Boy ever learn his lesson?
What really brings this story to life, or should I say undead life, is the amazing artwork of Glenn Chadbourne. Glenn has done art for many CD books in the past. The art tells a tale all its own. Each page will jump out at you with detail, always slightly askew, mixing the grays and whites of the Zombie family with more vibrant colors for clothing, scenery and the humans, of course.
This book is stated as being the first book in the "Friendly Little Monsters" series. It will be interesting to see which fable Cemetery Dance takes on next.
This is definitely a fun book to read to your kids, and will bring the "kid" out of any adult who reads it.
Based on the old fable of "The boy who cried wolf", this retelling takes place in a world where Zombies are the norm and humans are either wild or kept as livestock. Yes, I know this doesn't really sound like a kids book, but it is.
Brian's interpretation of the story will appeal to kids and adults alike. The family, consisting of Papa Zombie, Mama Zombie and Boy Zombie live on the outskirts of Romero Town and raise humans to be sold at market. One day when Papa and Mama Zombie shamble to another town, Boy Zombie is left to tend the herd with his trusty Zombie Dog Rex. As the classic fable plays out, Boy Zombie tricks the local town zombies by yelling "humans, humans are here". But what happens when wild humans really show up? Will Zombie Boy ever learn his lesson?
What really brings this story to life, or should I say undead life, is the amazing artwork of Glenn Chadbourne. Glenn has done art for many CD books in the past. The art tells a tale all its own. Each page will jump out at you with detail, always slightly askew, mixing the grays and whites of the Zombie family with more vibrant colors for clothing, scenery and the humans, of course.
This book is stated as being the first book in the "Friendly Little Monsters" series. It will be interesting to see which fable Cemetery Dance takes on next.
This is definitely a fun book to read to your kids, and will bring the "kid" out of any adult who reads it.
July 11, 2018
A wonderfully written and illustrated tale that reimagines a classic child's story. It is child appropriate and adult endearing. Freeman and Chadbourne did a delightful job!
August 12, 2018
In this fun adaptation of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, zombies are the norm, and humans are raised to be sold at market. While Mama and Papa are away, little boy zombie recalls the time that wild humans descended on the farm and the whole town showed up when Papa yelled for help. Deciding to try it for himself, he learns why it's not a good idea to cry human. The illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne are marvelous.
I received an advance copy for review.
I received an advance copy for review.
September 30, 2018
The first book in a new series that will scar your children for life.
And I say that in a good way. Kids love to be scared, and even though this isn't an in-your-face scarefest, it has some subtly disturbing stuff going on under the surface and in the background that is guaranteed to make you say "Wait...what....?".
The book takes place in Romero Town, an idyllic village in the country, and centers on a small family farm. Except the farm family are all zombies. And their dog is a zombie. And everyone in Romero Town is a zombie. (I assume that zombies are the top dogs on this particular Earth.)
In a cute little riff on "The Boy Who Cried Wolf", Mama and Papa Zombie have to take a day-long business trip to a neighboring town, and they leave Boy Zombie to watch over their livestock. Which is a pen full of humans. That are almost ready to be harvested and sold at market. (This is all very understated, but.....creepy.)
Mama and Papa warn Boy Zombie to watch out for wild humans who may try to free their livestock, and he gets the idea to cry Human, and scare the citizens of Romero Town. He does this twice, and is suitably chastised by his Zombie brethren, and you can probably guess what happens next....
The story is cute, and kids will love it. (My son is nine, and he got a kick out of reading this, especially with Halloween just around the corner.) Older readers will enjoy the undertones of Zombies raising humans to harvest, with all that implies, and Freeman and Chadbourne have a lot of fun with the premise. Chadbourne's art is a feast for the eyes, and the colors really pop. This should be a perennial Halloween read.
Cemetery Dance Publications provided a review copy.
And I say that in a good way. Kids love to be scared, and even though this isn't an in-your-face scarefest, it has some subtly disturbing stuff going on under the surface and in the background that is guaranteed to make you say "Wait...what....?".
The book takes place in Romero Town, an idyllic village in the country, and centers on a small family farm. Except the farm family are all zombies. And their dog is a zombie. And everyone in Romero Town is a zombie. (I assume that zombies are the top dogs on this particular Earth.)
In a cute little riff on "The Boy Who Cried Wolf", Mama and Papa Zombie have to take a day-long business trip to a neighboring town, and they leave Boy Zombie to watch over their livestock. Which is a pen full of humans. That are almost ready to be harvested and sold at market. (This is all very understated, but.....creepy.)
Mama and Papa warn Boy Zombie to watch out for wild humans who may try to free their livestock, and he gets the idea to cry Human, and scare the citizens of Romero Town. He does this twice, and is suitably chastised by his Zombie brethren, and you can probably guess what happens next....
The story is cute, and kids will love it. (My son is nine, and he got a kick out of reading this, especially with Halloween just around the corner.) Older readers will enjoy the undertones of Zombies raising humans to harvest, with all that implies, and Freeman and Chadbourne have a lot of fun with the premise. Chadbourne's art is a feast for the eyes, and the colors really pop. This should be a perennial Halloween read.
Cemetery Dance Publications provided a review copy.
August 4, 2018
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A reimagining of the classic fable about the Boy Who Cried Wolf, but set in a town where Zombies are in charge and humans are domesticated livestock. A bored Zombie boy gets into trouble, but learns a valuable life lesson, when he decides to trick the town folk zombies into believing wild humans have attacked and freed the domesticated humans. This story may not be suitable for everyone, but is certain to entertain the young at heart adult and older kids. The artwork is clever - the humans look a lot like zombies, and the zombies look like they might be your next door neighbors. Every illustration is slightly off-kilter: landscapes tilt, trees and buildings lean, heads and arms tilt (and fall off), further enhancing the story’s unconventional zombie/human relationship.
Overall, an amusing and unique book to add to your horror collection, and stated to be the first book in a future “Friendly Little Monster” series.
A reimagining of the classic fable about the Boy Who Cried Wolf, but set in a town where Zombies are in charge and humans are domesticated livestock. A bored Zombie boy gets into trouble, but learns a valuable life lesson, when he decides to trick the town folk zombies into believing wild humans have attacked and freed the domesticated humans. This story may not be suitable for everyone, but is certain to entertain the young at heart adult and older kids. The artwork is clever - the humans look a lot like zombies, and the zombies look like they might be your next door neighbors. Every illustration is slightly off-kilter: landscapes tilt, trees and buildings lean, heads and arms tilt (and fall off), further enhancing the story’s unconventional zombie/human relationship.
Overall, an amusing and unique book to add to your horror collection, and stated to be the first book in a future “Friendly Little Monster” series.
July 15, 2018
First, thank you to Brian James Freeman for offering a physical ARC to review (I have a signed copy on order when it’s published).
I saw some people reviewed this story from the audiobook and I say to them, they’re really missing half the experience - Glenn Chadbourne’s illustrations are a wonderful compliment to Brian’s warped retelling of the classic “Boy Who Cried Wolf” fable.
This is the first book in a new series called “Friendly Little Monsters” and I can see this being a huge hit. If (and when) I have grandkids, I will most certainly be reading these to them. I wish I had books like this when I was growing up.
If you are a horror fan, and looking for a way to get your young kids into the genre, this is the road to take. While kids will enjoy the story (and illustrations), adults will too - and both will learn a valuable lesson.
I saw some people reviewed this story from the audiobook and I say to them, they’re really missing half the experience - Glenn Chadbourne’s illustrations are a wonderful compliment to Brian’s warped retelling of the classic “Boy Who Cried Wolf” fable.
This is the first book in a new series called “Friendly Little Monsters” and I can see this being a huge hit. If (and when) I have grandkids, I will most certainly be reading these to them. I wish I had books like this when I was growing up.
If you are a horror fan, and looking for a way to get your young kids into the genre, this is the road to take. While kids will enjoy the story (and illustrations), adults will too - and both will learn a valuable lesson.
July 23, 2018
*I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I like Brian James Freeman's writing. Glenn Chadbourne is one of my favorite artists in the horror genre. I've enjoyed their previous collaborations, but this one just didn't work for me.
In the end, I guess I'm trying to figure out just what exactly this book is supposed to be. Is it a children's book? I wouldn't read it to my kids. Is it supposed to be a satire of children's books? It works a little better in that regard, but at least for me it wasn't funny enough for that.
That said, the illustrations are great and it's a very nice looking book. To be fair, I'd probably go with a 3 1/2 star rating if that was an option.
I like Brian James Freeman's writing. Glenn Chadbourne is one of my favorite artists in the horror genre. I've enjoyed their previous collaborations, but this one just didn't work for me.
In the end, I guess I'm trying to figure out just what exactly this book is supposed to be. Is it a children's book? I wouldn't read it to my kids. Is it supposed to be a satire of children's books? It works a little better in that regard, but at least for me it wasn't funny enough for that.
That said, the illustrations are great and it's a very nice looking book. To be fair, I'd probably go with a 3 1/2 star rating if that was an option.
July 30, 2018
I received an ARC for an honest review of this book.
The Zombie Who Cried Human by Brian James Freeman with artwork by Glenn Chadbourne is a great entry into what the folks at Cemetery Dance say is the 1st book in their new "Friendly Little Monsters" series. The series will feature twists on classic fables. In 'The Zombie Who Cried Human' we meet the Zombie family who 'farm' humans. Boy Zombie has a task to do which follows 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' story line. The artwork by Glenn Chadbourne is just what you want in a book of this kind. Also love the name of the town in the story and how it relates to the genre. It is a great little story and one that has this constant reader looking forward to the next entries.
The Zombie Who Cried Human by Brian James Freeman with artwork by Glenn Chadbourne is a great entry into what the folks at Cemetery Dance say is the 1st book in their new "Friendly Little Monsters" series. The series will feature twists on classic fables. In 'The Zombie Who Cried Human' we meet the Zombie family who 'farm' humans. Boy Zombie has a task to do which follows 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' story line. The artwork by Glenn Chadbourne is just what you want in a book of this kind. Also love the name of the town in the story and how it relates to the genre. It is a great little story and one that has this constant reader looking forward to the next entries.
June 6, 2018
Listened to the audio of this story as the hardcopy has not been released. Knowing that it is an illustrated story I was not sure how I would enjoy it without the illustrations. I really enjoyed the story without the illustrations. Boy Zombie is allowed to watch the human farm where his family raises humans for market while the Zombie parents go into town. This is a very quick read and saying more would give away too much. I am looking forward to getting the illustrated version and for more stories as this is scheduled to be book one in the Happy Little Monsters series.
July 30, 2018
Such a fun take on a classic children's story! There's a family, who lives on a farm just outside of Romero Town. The family consists of Papa Zombie, Mama Zombie, Boy Zombie and Rex the Zombie Dog. One day, Mama & Papa Zombie need to go away and Boy Zombie asks to be put in charge of the farm. If you know the original story, I'm sure you can guess what mischief the boy gets up to. The story was wonderfully original and the artwork is spectacular! I highly & enthusiastically recommend this to everyone!!
July 27, 2018
Got my copy in today! Just finished reading my ARC of "The Zombie Who Cried Human" by Brian James Freeman, one of my favorite authors from #CemetaryDance. I was so excited I actually read it out loud like I was reading to a group of kids. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the twist from human to zombie in this classic tale was cute. I can't wait to read more of the Friendly Little Monsters series.
January 2, 2019
Excellent kid's scary book. "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," story retold featuring zombies. Amazingly illustrated by the great Glenn Chadbourne. Bought it as a gift for my friend's soon to be 7 year old daughter, Paeyton, who loves zombies and other "scary stuff." Had to read it for myself first. Love it.
August 15, 2018
This a great little book if you like things a little off the "norm". Brian comes through with this story in his typical dark way. The drawings in the book also make it worth the time to look through this book. Glenn puts so much into his drawings and this is another great work.
January 24, 2022
This is a twist on the normal Boy who cried Wolf and it follows the same beat.
I enjoyed the story and I thought the art was great.
I'm definitely going to read this to my daughter when she is older.
I enjoyed the story and I thought the art was great.
I'm definitely going to read this to my daughter when she is older.
August 1, 2018
I received an ARC for an honest review of this book.
Cute little zombie book for kids with nice illustrations
Cute little zombie book for kids with nice illustrations
December 5, 2018
Great spin on an aged old story. Chadbourne's illustrations truly add to Freeman's reworking of the boy (zombie) who called wolf (human) story.
September 18, 2019
Do not read this to young children. Very scary!!
February 16, 2023
Awesome book with a message.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews