MMGM: Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones by Christopher Krovatin

GRAVEDIGGERS: Mountain of Bones
by Christopher Krovatin
Katherine Tegan Books, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-06-207740-0
Middle Grade Horror
Grades 4-8
Reviewed from purchased copy.

ABOUT THE BOOK


Ian was the one who chased the majestic buck into the forest. Kendra and PJ followed him. They all hoped to return to the hiking trail before anyone noticed they were gone. However, the mountain had other plans for them: dark, sinister plans that only nightmares are made of.

The Goonies meets The Evil Dead in this series about three kids who become separated from their backpacking group in the Montana wilderness and discover they are stranded in the heart of zombie country.

Ian was the one who chased the majestic buck into the forest. (His motto: Act first, think later.)

Kendra didn't want to become separated from the other sixth graders, but she followed Ian anyway, despite what her analytical mind told her.

PJ followed him, too. Even though he was scared, he figured he might catch some amazing footage with his video camera.

They all hoped to return to the hiking trail before anyone noticed they were gone. However, the mountain had other plans for them: dark, sinister plans that only nightmares are made of.

Now they don't know where they are. They don't know how to get home. They don't know what gruesome creatures lurk in the shadows-but when they find out, will they be able to defeat these monsters and escape the mountain together?

This first book in the Gravediggers series is a scary, mysterious, wild ride that will thrill readers to the very last page.

REVIEW

I don't normally read horror stories, adult or children's, especially not when they involve zombies. But this one appealed to me for some reason, maybe it was the wilderness survival angle, I'm a sucker for wilderness survival tales. Regardless, I quite enjoyed this book, despite the sometimes gruesome details.  I found it interesting to follow each of the three different points of view and see how differently each of the three saw their situation. Ian, the impulsive athlete who can't help but worry about what everyone thinks of him. PJ who can face his many fears only through the lens of his video camera. And Kendra, the reader and internet junkie, who is a bit clueless socially. Ian and Kendra's antagonistic relationship adds an interesting subplot to the story. 
 
The story moves along quite quickly and once the kids meet the zombies the action becomes almost nonstop. There are enough twists and turns to satisfy any reader.  The setting is described very well and suits the story to a tee.  I also appreciated that the kids had to use their brains to get out the mess and not just brawn. Each of the three kids offers their own set of strengths and weaknesses to the situation both helping and hurting their chances.  This created some depth to the story so it wasn't just about dealing with zombies. I recommend this to readers who appreciate an intense, survival/zombie story.