BOOK CLUB
Chilling Reads for the Tweens
By Sally of Maricopa County Library District
If your tween horror fan has outgrown R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” series but isn’t quite ready for Scott Cawthorn’s popular “Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF)” teen series, try these spooky middle-grade read-alikes!
“Krazyland” by Mar Romasco-Moore
Keeping with “FNAF’s” arcade backdrop, “Krazyland” tells the story of 12-year-old Nathan after his uncle purchases a local children’s play-place called Krazyland. The perfect spot for birthday parties, field trips, and portals to the nightmare realm, the play place takes on a life of its own, leading the neighborhood kids on a chaotic, tilt-a-whirl adventure beyond the bounds of reality.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT:
A heady cocktail of mystery, sarcastic humor, and clown-colored chaos, this tale is ideal for the late-elementary to early middle grade reader.
“No Place for Monsters” by Kory Merritt
This story, which is the first in a series, follows Levi as he struggles to fit into his new small-town life. When he’s forced to buddy up with class misfit and cryptid-hunter Kat, he finds it increasingly difficult to ignore the strange happenings around town. The pages are brimming with sketchy, hyper-detailed illustrations that place slice-of-life shenanigans shoulder-to-shoulder with alien abductions and haunted nightmares!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT:
The story balances gross-out middle grade humor with age-appropriate Eldritch horror to make this a quick, engaging read despite its length.
“They Threw Us Away: by Daniel Kraus
“They Threw Us Away,” which is the first installment of “The Teddies Saga” series, follows the stories of sentient children’s toys (in this case, stuffed bears) as they navigate the dangerous, unforgiving world of The Dump. With writing that is earnest and engulfing, this twisted tale transports its readers into a world of menacing rodents, garbage mountains, and sharp-beaked gulls.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT:
Better suited to the older middle grade reader as a bridge into more advanced teen reads, Kraus’s novel is evocative, adrenalizing, and unsettling.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sally is a librarian at Queen Creek Library and is a creative writer with a lifelong passion for story craft and wordsmithing. She grew up devouring spooky stories – first Alvin Schwartz’s “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” then later Darren Shan’s “Cirque du Freak” series – along with mountains of candy every Halloween and insists on dressing as if every day is October 31.
KID BOOK REVIEWER – MANU
“THE TRUMPET OF THE SWAN”
AUTHOR: E.B. White
GENRE: Fiction
AGES: 5 – 12
SYNOPSIS: This book is about a swan named Louis, a trumpeter swan. But unlike the others, Louis can’t trumpet gracefully. One day, his father steals a brass trumpet. Will Louis become a real trumpeter swan now? Will he be able to make graceful music?
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK: This book has a really nice storyline, and the events unfold nicely. Louis shows that he is courageous, brave, persevering, unique, and that there is no wrong way to do something.
“WHO IS J.K. ROWLING?”
AUTHOR: Pam Pollack and Meg Belviso
GENRE: Non-fiction
AGES: 6 – 13
SYNOPSIS: Have you ever wondered who J.K. Rowling is? You might remember her as the author of the popular “Harry Potter” series. She was also a little girl with a big imagination and a teenager who stood up to bullies. English was her favorite subject in school, and she spent a lot of time writing. Find out more in this book.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK: J.K. Rowling didn’t give up even when many publishers rejected her first book. She persevered, got her book published, and went on to become a wildly successful author. Her “Harry Potter” series is unique and much loved across the world.
“THE MAGNIFICENT BOOK OF ANIMALS”
AUTHOR: Tom Jackson
GENRE: Non-fiction
AGES: 8 and up
SYNOPSIS: Want a cool fact about koalas? Do you want to know what reindeer eat? This book can tell you all that and more! Get the facts about many wild, magnificent animals.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK: This book has outstanding, realistic illustrations by Val Walerczuk, who did an amazing job. This is a great book for animal lovers everywhere.
