Night of the homework zombies

Gr 3-5-Substitute teacher Mr. Winklepoof (aka Dr. Brainium) brainwashes a group of students by showing them a videotape, thus creating a classroom full of "Homework Zombies," kids who love to learn and do homework. Trevor Walton, a student, is in the bathroom at the time of the brainwashing incident, and realizes that something is strange when he returns to the classroom and the students are begging the substitute teacher for more homework. It's up to Trevor to save his classmates from loving schoolwork at the expense of all things good and fun in life, such as cheese puffs and video games. This interactive version of the graphic novel (Stone Arch Books, 2006) written by Scott Nickel and illustrated by Steve Harpster is slightly animated, with word balloons that pop up and cells that brighten to help listeners follow along. Narrated by a full cast, sound effects and dramatic music lend additional vitality to the tale. The story plays automatically when the CD-ROM is inserted into the computer, but button controls at the bottom of the screen make it possible to turn off autoplay and the narration and navigate through the story manually. Controls also allow students to move forward, back, or pause the story. The CD provides an audio only version of the story. This is a well-executed production, whose value is diminished slightly by the tale's implication that homework and learning are uncool.-Jennifer Verbrugge, Dakota County Library, Galaxie Branch, Apple Valley, MN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.