Become a reviewer
Join our dedicated community of junior reviewers! Get a free book to review, have your review published on the site and if you're really lucky get noticed by the author too!
Zombierella – Fairytales Gone Bad
Book Review
She is luck to have a special friend - a horse called Pumpkin
You can recognise that the story is a twist of the famous fairytale Cinderella. The name Zombierella is kind of a clue – recognisable but definitely different from the traditional story as you will discover if you read the book.
The tale starts in a sad way with Cinderella missing her father. She is very lucky to have a special friend, a horse called Lumpkin, who goes everywhere with her. He is faithful and I liked that she had a loyal friend.
When a new Prince arrives he wants to get to know everyone and so decides to have a ball. He was a very fussy prince. All of his servants would paint all the windows black, take away all of the garlic and sharpen the pencils. This bit was quite dark and I did not like him and I found the illustrations quite upsetting at times.
You will be pleased to know that there are 3 sisters who are ‘fake’ which I found a bit strange. They like to be extra mean to Cinderella and like to upset her as many times as they can. All of her sisters did not want Cinderella to go to the ball because they wanted the prince all to themselves.
Something terrible happens to Cinderella, but I won’t spoil it for you. The story changes and she has a new name of Zombierella and you will be surprised what happens next to her…
All in all I would say that it was a clever book, but I prefer Joseph’s other poetry as this tale was a bit scary for me.
Perhaps it would be enjoyed more by an older reader who would be less worried by the mean people.
About the Book
This is the first in a funny, deliciously dark, three-part series of twisted classics, written in verse by award-winning poet Joseph Coelho and illustrated by Freya Hartas
Based on our young reviewer’s reaction we recommend this series to readers 10-14 years rather than 8 years+
A yellow moon hangs in a satin sky the night Cinderella, barefoot and in hand-me-downs, slips at the top of the stairs … and dies.
But The Shadow of Death arrives to breathe life back into her bones and, for three nights only, Cinderella goes forth as Zombierella.
With her skin as cold as ice and her faithful horse Lumpkin back by her side, can she seek revenge on her three cruel, fake sisters, once and for all?
Crawl out of the grave and step into your mushroom carriage for this haunting and humorous adventure of the undead girl searching for her happily ever after.
Author
Joseph Coelho
Joseph Coelho is a British performance poet, playwright, and children’s author who served as Waterstones Children’s Laureate from 2022 to 2024. He studied archaeology at University College London, and his lyrical, character-driven work—from verse novels to picture books—underscores his passion for making poetry accessible and meaningful for young people.
Illustrator
Freya Hartas
Freya Hartas is a UK-based children’s book illustrator known for her playful depictions of animals, monsters, and fantastical worlds. She graduated with first-class honors from Falmouth University in 2014, lives in Bristol with her partner and their black cat Katsu, and has collaborated on books such as 'Zombierella' and 'Slow Down'.
Reviewer Profile
Iona, 8
- Reviews: 15
- Likes: reading, listening to music, climbing
- Dislikes: getting up too early
- Favourite Book: Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
- Favourite Film: After
- Favourite Song: When the Sun Goes Down by Arctic Monkeys
Would you like to read the book too?
Find out more about the title by clicking on the button below
Why not order it from an indie bookshop close to home? Or, you’ll get a discount and make a small donation (£0.30) towards the cost of posting books to our reviewers via the link above
Alternatively, please visit your local library and enquire about its availability, if you can’t find it on the shelf
Happy Reading:)
