Things I thought while reading this book:

1. I wanna go to a body farm!! 👀
2. Ok but not to work there 🤢
3. Frani's teen sister is a lil b**** 😒 yeah, I said it
4. Wow, ok, I didn't know middle grade horror was allowed to be this gross 😳😱
5. Adrianna, what the hell, you made me tear up OVER A ZOMBIE?! 🧟‍♂️

No but seriously, friends, gift this one to that kid in your life who's into crumbling body parts, flesh-eating bugs, and forensic anthropology. You'll instantly become the coolest adult they know 😅.

P.S. The main character has ADHD, in case anyone is looking for more of that specific rep. Oh and the zombie kid has maggots in his brain, which I feel also counts as neurodivergence 🙂‍↕️.

Happy reading!

Not going to lie, I thought this book was a bit gross and to descriptive at times for middle graders. I am sure though there will be some who think it's cool. It's not for those who can't handle gross talk of what happens to bodies as they decay! Other than that I really enjoyed this book as I thought it was an interesting take on reanimating a person. It was interesting to have locoalized zombies that just came from the body farm so it wasn't like a desease or apocolypse type thing. I will say that the MC having ADHD and the way it was written was annoying at times but I am sure depicts what might go on inside someones mind it was just annoying. Overall thought I thought it was a fun book.

Loved the location of The No-Brainer's Guide to Decomposition! This middle-grade novel is set at the Central Texas Forensic Anthropology Research Facility which is really fascinating place. The story is about Frani, a kid who has ADHD (she names it "arañita") which is a double-edged sword for her and as much as it gets her into trouble it aids in her dilemma.

So what's her dilemma? Well, bodies aren't staying dead anymore and there's a new kid in town too. Future friend or future foe?

Opinion: I really enjoyed this book, but felt at times that the plotlines stretched a bit thin in places due to the sheer number of characters and so few pages left to wrap it up. I loved the throughline about arañita as metaphor for ADHD and zombies in general. I enjoyed the pseudo-science and Frankenstein's monster x Mummy approach to reanimating corpses, but the antagonist was not as well developed as I'd like. The MC's arc was great and I think young readers would find it fun to read. But the antagonist's arc was not as satisfying as I had hoped at the start (I'm also an adult reader, so ?? take this with a grain of salt?). I'd love to read another zombie book by Adrianna Cuevas and have it be as zany as this but with fewer outside forces (outside to the MC like police and other grown-ups) spreading the book's plotline too thin.

I loved this book on so many levels! I loved the science of decomposition. As an adult I find it fascinating, but as a kid I would have eaten it up! I didn't know about body farms until I was way into adulthood, but had I read about this as a kid I would probably work on one now! I appreciated how humanizing the kids were to the undead. Put this in the hands of kids obsessed with horror, gross science, bugs, and crazy adventures. I will be handing this book to everyone!

This is not the "normal" zombie story. If you are looking for a zombie apocalypse where Z's are stumbling around and eating everyone in sight, this is not that book.

Set on a body farm located on a college campus, No-Brainer's Guide is from the POV of Frani, a tween who's father is the professor in charge of the body farm. Frani is fascinated by the goings on at the farm and the bodies that reside there. She has ADHD (though its never actually labeled that) and her mind is a constant whirlwind that is constantly jumping from one train of thought to another - a process that she blames on "Aranita," the being she has decided lives in her mind and is the cause of all of her mishaps. When Frani and her new friend discover a dead body that is up-right and walking around, they know that something is amiss. When that body begins talking to them, they decide they need to help him. And when they realize he's not the only body who is not where it should be, they know they've got a mystery to solve.

I think there will be a lot of readers who relate strongly with Frani and how she thinks and acts. The way her mind jumps around can sometimes be jarring and hard to follow at first, but Cuevas always explains how Frani gets to where ever it is she got, which helps with that disjointed feeling that can happen when she goes on a tangent. There is a lot of science talk throughout the story and a LOT of descriptions of decomposing bodies.

The book is so perfectly weird. I don’t know what Adrianna Cueves sought out to accomplish first. To write a humorous story about zombies or to write a story about dealing with ADHD, but they mix so beautifully. I love hearing what it is like for Frani to try to master her ever changing web of thoughts and distractions and trying to figure out friendships. I love how true she is to what she enjoys. And I love this very unique zombie story.

Adrianna Cuevas delivers a refreshingly unique and captivating tale in The No-Brainer's Guide to Decomposition. Frani Gonzalez, the fearless protagonist, lives an extraordinary life at the Central Texas Forensic Anthropology Research Facility, where her father works. Her nonchalant attitude towards guts, bugs, and buried bodies sets the stage for an intriguing and unconventional story that keeps readers hooked from the start.

Cuevas masterfully brings Frani's imaginative mind to life through the character of Arañita, the imaginary spider living in her brain. This clever personification of her distracted thoughts adds depth to Frani's character, making her both relatable and endearing. The moment a hand reaches out from the ground and grabs her ankle is a thrilling and pivotal scene that catapults Frani into a mysterious adventure involving teenage zombies.

The narrative seamlessly blends humor, horror, and heart, creating a story that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. Frani's journey of self-discovery and the development of new friendships are beautifully woven into the supernatural elements of the plot, adding richness to the overall story. Cuevas's writing is engaging, with vivid descriptions that bring the body farm and its eerie inhabitants to life.

The novel excels in portraying Frani's growth as she navigates the complexities of her mind and the challenges posed by the undead. The unexpected emergence of zombies and the ensuing mystery are handled with creativity and originality, keeping readers on their toes. Frani's bravery and determination, combined with her quirky charm, make her a memorable and inspiring character.

The No-Brainer's Guide to Decomposition is a delightful and original read that stands out in middle-grade fiction. Adrianna Cuevas has crafted a compelling story that skillfully balances the macabre with moments of genuine warmth and humor. This tale of zombies, friendship, and self-discovery is sure to captivate readers and leave a lasting impression.

Living on a body farm, where scientists study the effects of various things on dead bodies, can't be easy, but Frani lovs helping her father with all the work and is happy to spend her summer with her friend Benji running around the body farm. Until bodies start rising from the dead and they meet Santiago, a teenager forster kid whose death went unnoticed and now he's out of his grave. Research and science fill the investigation as more bodies, none as mentally cognizant as Santigao, rise form their graves too and are wrecking havoc on the university. It's an interesting permise shedding light on a rare setting. The characters are unique and fill their places in the story. Frani trying to deal with her ADHD that she calls a spider in her brain, Arañita, highlights how the ADHD brain works and what patients have to deal with. However, the plot is uneven, things wrap up too smoothly sometimes, and it just felt like there was something missing.

This was such a fun read! Frani was a lovable character whose ADHD often gets her in trouble while trying to solve the mystery of the newly arrised dead bodies. I loved that the setting was in Texas on a university 's forensic body farm. This made for a unique story! The book is filled with body decaying facts, humor, and heart. Hand this is MG readers who want a fun mystery filled with zombies!

This book was a fantastic read!
Informative in gross ways (which middle grade readers will love)!
Interesting characters!
Storytelling that makes you intrigued, wonder what is going on and want to keep flipping the pages to see where the story goes!
I planned just to read a little bit the day I opened it, but I ended up spending the whole day reading it instead.
I can see 5th, 6th, 7th graders especially really loving this one (among others of course).

Frani lives with her father and sister on a body farm in Texas. She loves helping her father with his research, and nothing is too gross for her. Keeping up with the bodies and notes with her father helps her focus her otherwise scattered mind. She blames her lack of attention on Arañita, who lives in her mind, spinning webs and diverting her thoughts. The book gets going quickly when her ankle is grabbed by a decomposing body.

This was a fun book, and though it's gross, it's not remotely scary. It was fun to follow Frani as she tries to help her new, decomposing friend - who was arguably the most likable character in the book. While I found the process of creating the 'zombies' a massive stretch, I enjoyed the rest of the action. Frani's constant references to Arañita became tiresome, though, within the first two chapters. It's a fun read for those that love all things science and 'gross'.

What worked:
The grossness factor of the story will appeal to many middle-grade readers although it’s not for the general population. You can expect flaky flesh falling off bodies with fingers, arms, and teeth dropping at every turn. Frani’s father studies the decomposition of dead bodies so there are over two hundred corpses buried in the backyard of their home at the university. One of his assistants is studying the effect different clothing materials have on decomposition while another is studying the bugs that feed on the dead flesh. Many young readers like to read creepy stories so this book is up their alley, minus the fear factor.
A medical term is not presented to describe the “spider” inside Frani’s head but her mind tends to quickly get distracted by a chain of thoughts. It makes it difficult for her to stay focused and complete tasks and it’s sometimes challenging to answer questions. She’ll utter random words that seem to make no sense to others but her brain follows a path of connected ideas to come up with them. Frani is well aware of the “spider” and the problems it creates and her older sister doesn’t spare negative, hurtful comments. The combination of Frani’s anger and frustration at her brain and her sister’s cruel words results in Frani’s low self-esteem. Middle-graders often fear looking stupid in front of their peers so they’ll be able to make connections to Frani’s character.
The first living corpse Frani discovers becomes a supporting character she calls Mateo. She enlists the help of a new friend named Benji and he calls reanimated bodies DUDs, Definitely Undead Dudes. Frani and Benji’s first order of business is to figure out Mateo’s real identity since the DUD doesn’t have any specific memories of being alive. He comes across as a helpless victim as decomposition leads to bits of his body falling off. Mateo displays kindness toward his new friends and helps them with trying to locate and recapture the other DUDs. Readers will feel empathy toward Mateo and the others as Frani’s father tries to figure out a humane way to allow the DUDs to rest in peace.
What didn’t work as well:
Frani’s wandering thoughts make the first few chapters challenging to read. They set the stage for her major internal struggles but it’s hard to follow her thinking. However, the author is able to describe it less as the plot moves on so it’s easier to focus on the story itself.
The final verdict:
While this is a book about zombies, Mateo has the most emotional story that will capture reader’s minds and hearts. The author blends humor, nastiness, action, and mystery to create a very entertaining tale. Overall, the book won’t interest everyone but I recommend you give it a shot.

Frani, our main character has a lot of trouble focusing both at home and at school, and blames this on Aranita, a imaginary spider in her brain. Because of this, Frani doesn't have very many friends at school, but fortunately, she loves working with her dad, who is a professor at a Texas University. He works at the university body farm where he does research on decomposition of cadavers, and Frani works well with him without getting distracted.
Our story starts when another researcher begins working with them, and he has a son, Benji, and the two become fast friends, especially, after they discover a teen body has become reanimated, and this starts happening to other dead bodies. Frani and Benji, along with the reanimated teen (Santiago) work together to figure out how this is happening.

While I was completely grossed out by body parts falling off of Santiago, and maggots sounds being compared to a certain breakfast cereal, students will not, and will enjoy the adventure.

Other topics covered: ADHD, STEM, and missing BIPOC and the lack of coverage.

If I were not a teacher, I think I would be an anthropologist, but definitely NOT a forensic anthropologist thanks to Adrianna Cuevas and her creepy crawly middle grade novel The No-Brainer’s Guide to Decomposition.

Frani’s father runs the Central Texas University Forensic Research Lab which means her backyard is a BODY FARM - no thank you! Dr. Bernando Gonalez (aka Profe) and his team study how different materials react to the decomposition process, so Frani is no stranger to the decomposing bloated bodies filled with maggots and blowflies. Inside Frani’s brain is a spider named Arañita that jumps around her brainy bouncy house- a perfect analogy for her ADHD. There is serious trouble on the body farm and the college campus when it is discovered that DUDs (definitely undead dudes) are on the loose. Will Frani solve the mystery with her hyperfocus or will her inability to deal with all the distractions lead to utter (don’t say the Z word) chaos.

It’s a no-brainer! Kids will be grossed out and delighted by this fun romp of a mystery. Inspired by a real body farm at Texas State University, readers will root for Frani, a brilliant and empathetic budding scientist struggling to make peace with Arañita the spider (also known as ADHD). A great choice for kiddos who love STEM and creepy stories with heart.

Being an autopsy technician who works hands on with decomposing bodies everyday, this story was super cute for me! I’ve always been the gross bugs and guts girl my whole life. I can’t wait to buy the physical book when it comes out to add to my library. I read this book on NetGalley for a review. This will be so much fun for middle school/early high school age kiddos. I highly recommend reading this!

Once again, Adrianna Cuevas has knocked it out of the park with this deadly and delightful story! Fans of Adrianna Cuevas will not be disappointed. Only she can make squeamish, gross things truly appealing and put a hilarious spin to them. I loved that friendship knows no bounds, that loss is handled with care and made so relatable. I love getting inside the head of a Main Character with adhd. The adventure the MC and her friends go on to find the missing cadavers is engaging and like Jurassic Park, leaves you wondering, "Could this really happen?" Everyone should read this book and all her previous books as well. My middle grade heart can't wait for her next one!