‘From Corpse to Childhood Companion: The Function of Zombies in Children’s Fiction’ explores the role and placement of zombies in children’s literature for a diverse range of readers. This chapter will discuss the earlier stereotypical portrayals of zombies as present in the horror genre, paying particular attention toward description of physical appearance and ways in which zombies have become such an icon for horror media and literature. However, as this chapter will also explore, there are a growing number of texts within contemporary fiction that portray zombies in a different light with a multitude of intentions (such as implying issues around social status or eco-criticism). The texts examined throughout this chapter provide examples of contemporary children’s literature, where the focus is on zombies of different ages (rather than stages of their decomposition) to mirror the age of the target audience. By presenting the reader with zombies of different ages, ranging from young children to adolescents, the author focuses on building a connection between the zombie protagonist and young reader through providing relatable surroundings or circumstances. Likewise, there are instances where fictional zombies experience key educational moments in their afterlife that may reach out to a young readership—for instance, moral dilemmas and understanding of themselves and the world around them. In building this connection, this chapter will analyze the myriad of ways through which authors appear to be presenting zombies to early-stage readers, and therefore establishing the zombie as a figure in their fictional catalog of monstrous creatures.