Persy -- You Smell Dead by Chris P Flesh

Franklin Ripp is dead. He died in a horrible, embarrassing way, but the Narrator promised him he wouldn't tell anyone the details. But that's not the point. The point is, Franklin is dead, and he died right before he was going to accomplish so much. He and his friends had started a band, he was going to try out for the football team, and he'd just started working up the nerve to kiss Lilly Weezbrock. But then he died.

Luckily, the Afterlife Commission agrees to grant Franklin a second chance to kiss his girlfriend and find true love, but if he doesn't kiss her in less than a year, he'll be pulled back to the Afterlife and he won't get to try again. So, along with two of his underworld friends, Pretty and Scary, Franklin returns from the grave.

As a zombie. The Commission didn't mention that he'd have to dig his way out of his coffin. Or that he'd have to repeatedly glue various body parts back on. But those are minor details.

Now let's say a few things about Snickering Willows, Franklin's home before he died. A long time ago, Horatio Snickering III invented Mystery Meat, which was an instant sensation and made him rich. But he was scared that someone would learn the secret of his recipe, so he outlawed all questions in Snickering Willows. Ever since, no one has asked a question without terrible consequences. So, when Franklin returns from the grave, no questions are asked, and life goes on as before. Sort of. But Franklin's learned that questions can be very important, and can even make the difference between life and death.

A children's zombie book by Chris P Flesh. Need I really say more?

I'm going through this whole zombie phase (Resident Evil, Generation Dead, etc.) and then my sister comes and hands me this. Cutest. Thing. Ever.

The Narrator is a character himself, who tells you all about how he was banished from the International Order of Narrators, and how he's trying to get back in. Then there's Franklin, the adorable little boy (see illustrations). Pretty is a tentacled, multi-eyed monster from the underworld who is 'so pretty' and thinks the same of Franklin. Scary is a phantom monster who can change into anything, but is a bit timid on the inside. Then there's Sophie, Franklin's dog, who is strangely loveable even though she's not in much of the book. The whole thing is just terribly awesome and wonderfully precious, if you can use such a word to describe a zombie book.

...You definitely can.

You Smell Dead is the first book in the Pretty Freekin Scary series by Chris P Flesh, but that's pretty much all I've been able to find out. I can't find Chris P Flesh's real name, or any bio on her/him whatsoever. But with this talent, she/he should really keep writing.

--Persy