Could Bert really be a zombie cat?

Two friends put their brains together

to find out in a wry new mystery series.

Kara LaReau illustrated by Ryan Andrews

W hile helping her best friend, Danny, film his latest

horror flick, Mellie discovers a scraggly cat behind a dumpster
outside the YummCo Foods factory. Mellie names the stray
Bert and hides him in her room, knowing her parents won’t
let her keep him. But soon Bert has decapitated all her stuffed
animals, and before long he is leaving the headless corpses of
birds and mice as gifts for her. Danny is convinced the cat is
a zombie, living on the brains of his victims. But is that what
is really going on? Award-winning author Kara LaReau lets
loose a fresh and sharply funny new mystery series, with an
irresistible touch of the macabre. Fans of creepy stories and
animal lovers alike will devour this fast-moving first episode
of the series in one gulp.

About the Author

KARA LaREAU is the author of many books for young
readers, including the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book The
Infamous Ratsos, The Infamous Ratsos Are Not Afraid, and The
Infamous Ratsos: Project Fluffy. She is also the author of the
Bland Sisters series of chapter books. She lives in Providence,
Rhode Island.
ON SALE JULY 14, 2020
HC: 978-1-5362-0106-2
$15.99 ($21.99 CAN)
About the Illustrator
Also available as an e-book RYAN ANDREWS is the illustrator of The Dollar Kids by
Ages 8–12 ● 144 pages
Jennifer Richard Jacobson. He is also a comics artist, and
two of his web comics have been nominated for Will Eisner
Comic Industry Awards. He lives in Fukuoka, Japan.

Illustration © 2020 by Ryan Andrews

 A Note from Kara LaReau
I’ve always loved creepy stories—maybe it’s because I come from an old New England town
with a history of hauntings and witches. It’s the same town where Stephen King spent
a good part of his childhood, and it inspired some of his most famous stories. It’s the
inspiration for the setting of the ZomBert Chronicles, too.

These stories are also an homage to all the cats I’ve known. The first pet cat I ever had
was named Lullabye. He was quite the hunter and enjoyed leaping into the air to catch
dragonflies, which he’d then leave all over our lawn. Another cat, Josie, used to leave
headless frogs on our front doorstep. I never truly appreciated these “gifts” at the time,
but I’ve managed to incorporate them into the ZomBert Chronicles, along with all sorts of
other freaky feline behaviors I’ve witnessed over the years!

Other Books by Kara LaReau

The Infamous Ratsos Series

A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book “A pleaser for fledgling chapter-book

“A chapter book that entertains and
uplifts.” —School Library Journal
“Action and real emotion are packed
appealingly into this rumbustious tale
for readers ages 5–8.” —The Wall Street
Journal
readers, rather more heavily and
explicitly agenda-driven than previ-
ous episodes, but chock full of positive
values and life lessons.” —Booklist
HC: 978-1-5362-0005-8
PB: 978-1-5362-0880-1
Also available as an e-book

HC: 978-0-7636-7636-0
PB: 978-0-7636-9875-1
Also available as an e-book

 “Another tale for fledgling chapter- Coming in May 2020!

book readers that highlights the
profound value of kindness to others.” HC: 978-1-5362-0006-5
—Booklist (starred review) Also available as an e-book

HC: 978-0-7636-7637-7
PB: 978-1-5362-0368-4
Also available as an e-book