A novella. Dust jacket and interior illustrations by David Palumbo.
Ms. Geiss is the most dedicated fourth-grade teacher imaginable. She
goes to extraordinary lengths to make sure her students are presented
with every opportunity — showing them slides from her summer vacations
during Geography, reading to them from the classics of children's
literature after lunch, and providing them with the kinds of learning
rewards that they will truly respond to — bite-sized nuggets of human
flesh. Because Ms. Geiss' students are pint-sized zombies, and the main
tool of her peculiar version of the teaching trade is her trusty .30-06
rifle.
Ms. Geiss is firm but fair, and keeps a disciplined classroom. She has
far more trouble from the adults shambling through what's left of town
than she does from her students, though a well-bulldozed killing field
and the gasoline-filled moat surrounding the school usually keeps the
worst of the undead marauders at bay. But even the hardest working
educators let their guard down sometimes, and after the Tribulations,
just one mistake can mean school's out forever.
Bestselling, acclaimed author Dan Simmons' story “This Year's Class
Picture” is a zombie tale that could be described as best in class,
honored by the Stoker, Sturgeon, and World Fantasy Awards.
Both editions feature a striking dust jacket by David Palumbo, while
the limited edition adds two full-color interior plates, and a
full-color signature page based on the cover.
