The Zombie Apocalypse Survival Guide for Teenagers Paperback – September 17, 2013

I have always appreciated Jonathan's views and his understanding of this generation and the unique ways he uses our culture to bridge gaps. I am not much of a zombie apocalypse kind of person, but Jonathan uses it in a way that is truly unique and will connect with our youth. I believe because of this, this book will be in the hands of more youth and will have an impact on their lives and their relationship with Christ.This book provides youth pastors, leaders, and parents a way to connect and grow with our youth and develop spiritually themselves. I really appreciate the real issues that are presented; they are not masked or vaguely described, but instead right inf front of you so that they can be dealt with. Everything is written in a way that is clear and easy to read while still keeping the short attention spans of teenagers with the intriguing story line. Because of this, it is easier for one to stay on track and continue through the whole book and grow spiritually.The book is easy to relate to even if you are not into the zombie craze and should be a tool for engaging and encouraging teenagers.

I just finished reading The Zombie Apocalypse Survival Guide for Teenagers and it was worth the price of the book. Where was this book 10 years ago when all my students were into making Zombie movies? As a youth pastor I began reading this book to see if it was something I would recommend to students and parents. Before I knew it I was getting more out of it than I thought I would. The book is a quick read especially if you take a chapter a day for further discussion or reading. The questions at the end were great and really made you think. I could see using this as a small group material or even a student led Bible study on campus. The premise is where culture is right now. I have never been a Zombie kind of guy, but I love the show Walking Dead, and as I read this book, I could imagine what was going on and how things were playing out. I have told my wife that The Walking Dead would make a great sermon topic and then Jonathan McKee beat me to it! The Biblical Truth that is shared is great and very helpful without preachy. I could see students that are intrigued or checking out Christianity getting into this book. The one draw back is that some parents may not like the zombie culture and be afraid to let their students read this book. I imagine there was push back to C.S. Lewis' book The Screwtape Letters too, but it has remained a classic with great truth for us to learn. If you are a parent... Give it a shot and even read it with your student. If you are a youth pastor... find a way to use this book or make it available to your students to use.

So there's this great book about zombies that's going to help you reach teenagers for Christ.Yeah, right.I was looking through some of the youth ministry websites. I was looking for ideas. I was looking for something with pop, with sizzle. Honestly, I was looking for a bargain deal as well.I came across The Zombie Apocalypse Survival Guide for Teenagers by Jonathan McKee. Followers of my blog have seen me mention that name before. I like his stuff. But zombies?Yes, friend...zombies.Call it striking the pan while the oil is hot if you want, but this book is the real deal. I wasn't sure what to expect, but by the end of the first chapter, I was hooked.Jonathan has set this book up as a journal from a teenager who has survived with his brother in a post-Havoc world where zombies reign free. Dangers abound and Chris, the kid in question, decides to journal his knowledge to help others survive.As I'm reading through the first journal entry, without realizing what was coming, I'm telling myself, 'Man, I know how I would spiritualize this and share it with teens.' Then Bam! I get to the end of the chapter and see discussion questions, a scripture passage to read and even an activity to cement the truth.27 short journal entries make for an entertaining story, though without the graphic detail that many Hollywood movies offer. And the questions and exercises after each chapter make this a great resource, either for student devotions or a small group.To be honest, I scored a free copy through my friends at The Youth Cartel, but I plan on buying several for my teens this fall. Because you never know when the Zombie Apocalypse is coming and I want them to be prepared.

Overall, the story told was fantastic. I enjoyed the flashbacks, as well as the current story, and the way they were mixed in. The end didn't seem overly mushy or unrealistic for the genre, and the stories told seemed to fit the age of the characters, as well as the potential storyline... as much as you can fit something like a zombie apocalypse.As a parent, I read this with giving it to my teen son in mind. I'm definitely going to do so. While there were a few entries that seemed a bit shallow, 95% of them were great discussion starters. I wouldn't call this a devotional as much as a discussion starter, something my son and I could read separately, then come back and talk about. I really appreciated the discussion questions, as they were great springboards, and they discussed real life. I think my favorite lessons were the few at the end, including the "utopia" that wasn't, and the idea of getting to comfortable and prideful and falling into a trap.