The Ooze

by Tash McAdam

Bran's taking the recycling down to the basement when the lights go out and the elevator stalls . Bran's phone's dead, he can hear screaming, but he can't get out. Eventually, he manages to pry the doors open to find that something's very wrong. His own mother can't remember his name, there is this black slime dripping out of her ear and then she kills their cat. Bran runs. Outside, Vancouver is teeming with people acting strangely, and they all have the same black slime in their ears. What is going on and how can Bran stop it? This high-interest Orca Anchor title is written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level.

Genres: Young Adult, Horror, LGBT, Science Fiction, Canada, Teen

96 pages, Paperback

Published February 15, 2022

About the author

Tash is a Welsh-Canadian author, activist and educator. Their publications include The Psionics (Nine Star Press), and the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections Blood Sport and Sink or Swim (Orca Books). They are also featured in multiple anthologies. Tash is a recipient of the Shoot for the Moon fund for trans writers, and a founding mentor with the Gender Generations Project.

When they’re not writing or reading you can probably find Tash in a lake, lying on the carpet thinking about monsters, or getting a new tattoo. They enjoy regular cups of tea, existential philosophy, and sharp objects.

Reviews

[thegirlonfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

requested it off netgalley bc im a sucker for apocalyptic survival books and this one is by orca publishing and by an author ive read from before. this book is about bran who tries to survive a night of chaos when suddenly people start becoming violent and zombie like creatures that ooze black liquid and attack other people to change/infect them into being one of them. he meets another kid and his 2 sisters and togheter they try to run and hide from the creatures and find a way to stop it when they start followin a horde of them.. i liked the characters. bran was pretty smart and brave and the creatures were creepy.. this book is perfect for readers who are lookin for somethin easy and short/ fast to read since this is of high interest level. i also liked the ending too for obvious reasons..

[Read by Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This high-interest accessible (sometimes called "high/low" or "high interest, low reading level") novel has a lot going for it. The main character is trans and gay (a combination that confounds some people and deserves more representation in media); the action begins full-tilt and doesn't stop until the end; the novel adeptly tackles the process of coming-out as an ongoing safety issue; and, as a horror novel, includes those creepy images that linger with us (I'll remember the Ooze baby trapped in its stroller every time I see this cover). That said, the novel never really steps beyond the mediocre. Some plot points conveniently drive the reader to a conclusion (even when they don't seem rational), and the Ooze-things are inconsistently/conveniently omnipresent or entirely absent. The Ooze is the ultimate inclusive novel, both in its representation and its accessibility, but is not likely to become anyone's favourite novel.

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very short book, I read it in 15 min. It's meant for teens who read at a low level.

I definitely got Goosebumps vibes. I liked it! For a short read, it was good. I would have liked more substance, add more meat to it, but it was still enjoyable.

This author really has something going and I would love to see more! Goosebumps were a favorite growing up, so having something similar for this newer generation is fantastic.

[Dustin]

I don't know if the premise is zombies, aliens or what, but I knew I wanted to read it as soon as I read the synopsis on NetGalley. Even better yet, I was approved by the publisher, so I hope to dive into this one real quick.

Check it out, folks. Sounds fun.😁

[Alysses · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for the #transrightsreadathon

This is a short story. Get over it. You knew what you were getting into when you decided to read it. IT IS A SHORT STORY.

I thought it was great. It was fast paced, scary and intriguing. I do think certain decisions made and acted upon made no sense but all in all, I was thoroughly entertained.

I think this would have been a great start to something bigger had the author decided to continue.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is simple and it's writings for any child or teenager. Simple does not mean bad. I enjoyed this story and actually wished it was longer so I didn't have to leave Bran's world.

[Sarah A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fast read for me, but we’ll let my students be the judge.

[Flesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review reflects that this is a high interest book with a low reading level. For this type of book this is pretty good. A bit creepy and made me wonder how I would react in that situation.

[Booked 📚 · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 - Taco didn’t need to die. TW: pet death - Not a spoiler; it happens in the first couple chapters.

[pitbulls_and_prose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very quick YA read, nothing too special. Felt very goosebumps-esque which was fun

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick little read read it in one sitting. I liked the green flag portrayal of an lgbtq+ main character (you don't really see that in books now). Though I have to say the plot is really fast, I get that it's for teens with reading disabilities but there was really no time to breathe it in. It was just going to go until the end, and the end was interesting, too. I wasn't expecting that ending, but it was a happily ever after, and I'm happy about that.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a decent book for what it's intended to be: a Hi/Lo book for teens.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hi-lo book about a kid named Bran who gets stuck on an elevator. Once he finally gets out, things don't seem that different except even his own mom doesn't recognize him plus people have black slime coming out of their ears. It's up to Bran to figure out what is going on!
It's nice to have an Orca book with queer representation.