Haru, Zombie Dog Hero

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

Ellen Oh, author of Spirit Hunters and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award Honor for Children’s Literature, delivers a new spooky middle grade novel about the friendship between a Korean American boy and his dog, Haru—who has become a zombie! Even though the world is changing and zombie attacks are on the rise, their bond remains strong. And when their town is threatened, Haru must come to the rescue. Fans of Frankenweenie will enjoy this scary yet heartwarming read!

Eleven-year-old Luke and his dog, Haru, are the best of friends. Luke’s parents own a local grocery store in Virginia and live above the store. Luke and Haru go everywhere together, but the landlord, Mrs. Greene, hates animals and hates Haru. One stormy day, Mrs. Greene argues with Luke, and Haru runs out to defend him. She screams and falls, quickly calling the police. Even though Haru didn’t bite her, the officers take Haru away.But instead of being put down at the animal shelter, the officers send Haru to a local laboratory. The lab is owned by a multibillionaire, Anton Sinclair, who is determined to find a formula that will keep him alive forever. Sinclair’s scientists give Haru an immortality serum that kills him. But what they don’t know is that Haru comes back to life, digs himself out of the ground, and heads home to Luke. He has become a zombie dog. Though he acts differently, he is still the same sweet lovable dog he’s always been. And though the world is changing and zombie attacks are on the rise, the friendship between Haru and Luke endures, helping to save them all.

About the Author

Ellen Oh is the winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award Honor for Children’s Literature, cofounder of We Need Diverse Books and author of the Spirit Hunters series, the middle grade fantasy novel The Dragon Egg Princess, Finding Junie Kim, and the Prophecy trilogy (Prophecy, Warrior, and King) for young adults. Ellen is a former adjunct college instructor and lawyer with an insatiable curiosity for ancient Asian history. She also loves martial arts films, K-pop, K-dramas, and cooking shows, but her favorite thing to do is to try new places to eat good food. Originally from New York City, Ellen lives in Rockville, MD, with her husband, three human children, and two dog children and has yet to satisfy her quest for a decent bagel. You can visit her online at ellenoh.com.