Rot & Ruin

Reach for this book when your teenager is wrestling with the realization that the world is more morally complex than they once believed, or when they are struggling to connect with an older sibling. Rot and Ruin follows fifteen year old Benny Imura, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world fenced off from zombies. To survive, he must apprentice with his brother Tom, a man he has long resented for a perceived moment of cowardice. As they venture into the Great Zombie Waste, Benny learns that the 'monsters' outside the fence are sometimes more deserving of pity than the humans who hunt them for sport. This is a sophisticated coming of age story that uses a horror setting to explore deep themes of empathy, family legacy, and the difference between survival and living. While it contains intense action and spooky elements, it is ultimately a story about the emotional maturity required to see others as human. It is an excellent choice for 12 to 18 year olds who enjoy high stakes adventure but are ready for a narrative that challenges their assumptions about good and evil.