Tangled Tuesday - Author Spotlight: Margaret Lesh

Thank you for hosting me, Clarissa! Today is release day for Mr. Katz is a Zombie, a book I like to describe as The Hardy Boys meets Ghostbusters, book 1 in my Goethalsburg Ghost Squad series. A fun, silly, not really scary, but kind of gross, book for kids. And adults who are still in touch with their inner 10 year old. *raises hand.* My writing inspiration comes from Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants), and Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid). Both series are beloved by kids--maybe not so much by their parents or teachers--but they do something very important: they get kids reading!

Growing up, I was a voracious reader. If I liked a book--take Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, for example--I’d read it half a dozen times. If I didn’t like a book, I’d probably only read it two or three times. But I know there are kids out there who don’t really like to read--they’re often referred to as “reluctant readers.” I’m a big believer in literacy; that simply possessing the ability to read opens doors in life. I saw how key this was with my own son. His dad and I read to him pretty much nightly since the time he was a toddler, and in kindergarten, his reading skills took off. He’s now on the verge of college, and so much of his success in school I credit to him being an early reader.

My main goal with Mr. Katz is a Zombie really was to write a book that would be fun to read. I’m not trying to teach any big life lessons here. Just reading for the sake of reading. And, happily, it’s landed just in time for Halloween. -:)

Back jacket description:

Catastrophe looms in North Goethalsburg!

When twelve-year-old J.D. is tricked into taking possession of a book of spells, his best friend turns their teacher into a zombie. The zombification of Mr. Katz creates general chaos and a not-so-terrific time for near-genius J.D.

Teamed with his best friend Rodney, twin troublemakers, and an obnoxious ghost, J.D. must figure out how to change Mr. Katz back from one of the undead before he:

1. Escapes the janitor’s closet;
2. Eats their brains; and
3. Wears J.D.’s spleen as a hat.

Can four boys armed with a slingshot, two boxes of jelly donuts, and a handy zombie guide battle their mindless teacher and live to tell?
Probably not. You’ll have to read to find out.

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Purchase Mr. Katz is a Zombie on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Follow J.D. and the Horn Boys on Twitter: @JDHornBoys

Bio: As a child, M.C. Lesh had to hold her nose in order to eat spinach. As an adult, she hardly ever has to hold her nose when she eats spinach, but she still picks onions out of all of her food. She read a lot of books as a kid. Luckily, she didn’t have one of those video gaming machines to rot her brain. (Her friend Lorenzo says they appeal to the monkey part of the brain. She thinks that’s an insult to monkeys. Sorry, monkeys!)

Mr. Katz is a Zombie is the first book in her Goethalsburg Ghost Squad Series. She hopes you’ll return to North Goethalsburg to find out what happens when J.D. meets Martin Barton, suspected werewolf and snappy dresser. She also hopes you never have to be too serious, but in the event that you do, her advice is to keep a yo-yo in your back pocket because that is almost always a good idea.

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My Review

5-stars
This is a perfect pick and age-appropriate for All Hallows Read. A fun, fast paced, well-written book for the 7-10 year old group. One of the things I liked about this book was that the family was included in the resolution to the problem. So many kids books have the family as absent or clueless-this was a refreshing read.