Mild monster exposure for kids just dipping their toes in creepy.
Following Ghost Attack (2017), a new spooky encounter triggers Alex’s allergies.
White Alex is on the verge of setting a new kickball home-run record. But there’s a new (exceptionally pale) recess monitor that the kids nickname Gloomy Girl, and suddenly Alex can’t stop sneezing—explosions so big they don’t just impede his kickball game, but also bring on massive, sequential humiliations. Field day is coming up, and Alex’s plan to win a trophy with his kickball skills is jeopardized by his allergies. His white cousin Sarah attempts to talk to the monitor to straighten things out only to learn that Gloomy Girl can speak directly into minds and controls an army of rats. The cousins consult The Big Book of Monsters and follow up with internet research (there’s a savvy subplot on how to evaluate online sources), determining that she’s a vampire capable of being outside on cloudy days. But they need to solve the allergy fast—Alex’s parents want to come watch field day, and if his allergist mother sees him sneezing she could pull him from all sports. Lubar’s second in his horror-lite chapter-book series features a likable protagonist whose loopy problem is, though exaggerated, similar enough to real-world ones suffered by many kids to make him easy to connect to. The agreeably zany plot winds its way to a conclusion that even includes reconciliation with a school bully.
Mild monster exposure for kids just dipping their toes in creepy. (Fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-545-87349-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
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A warmly reassuring tale for those who prefer their scares on the lighter side.
Bash is back for another session of Scare School.
This second series installment sees the young ghost tasked with completing a group project that requires him to learn about a terrifying place in or around the school. Bash is assigned to work with Wes, a shy but gentle and artistic werewolf, and Vicky and Vlad, two prickly vampires. The group decides to research the spooky forest. Bash is nervous about exploring the forest; plus, he must contend with teammates who don’t pull their own weight (Vicky and Vlad goof off in the gym while Bash and Wes wait for them in the library). But Bash eventually finds a way to confront his fears as he and the others complete their project. Despite the premise, this tale’s more sweet than spooky. Endearing Bash frets about new experiences but proves eager to jump in. He has a delightful, supportive friend in his roommate, Itsy the spider; her tiny knitted socks are an especially charming detail. The characters’ realization that fear can sometimes hold us back will resonate with readers. The plot moves at a steady clip, while stick figure illustrations and comic panels break up the text, giving the tale an appealing, Wimpy Kid–esque vibe.
A warmly reassuring tale for those who prefer their scares on the lighter side. (Fiction. 6-8)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781665922128
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
No need to be afraid of monsters after reading this sweet and unusual friendship story.
A boy discovers that monsters are real—and that one lives under his bed.
The monster and the boy—no names given—share a bedroom, but they have never met. The monster is nocturnal and has lived under the boy’s bed for many years; he knows the sound of the boy’s voice and loves the smell of his dirty socks. One night the boy’s mother reads her son a book about monsters, and she tells him that there is no such thing as monsters. Knowing this is untrue, the monster decides to introduce himself. Predictably, this doesn’t go as well as the monster expects, and when the boy screams, the monster swallows him in a panic. This is distressing for both the monster (who just lost his only friend) and the boy (who now finds himself trapped inside a stomach). Eventually the monster coughs the boy out—only to discover the boy is now grasshopper-sized. Humor ensues. In archly amusing fashion, the author breaks the fourth wall—this is marked by teal-colored page backgrounds—reassuring readers during potentially scary parts of the book, filling in background details, or collegially including them in aspects of the storytelling. Teal-flecked grayscale cartoons appear on almost every page, making this a solid choice for new independent readers. As depicted on the cover, the boy has tightly coiled brown curls and pink skin.
No need to be afraid of monsters after reading this sweet and unusual friendship story. (Fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: July 28, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-21783-7
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Godwin Books
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2020
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BOOK REVIEW
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