Ramón de Ocampo's prosaic narration adds to the uneasy mood of this middle-grade horror story. After an embarrassing school incident, Casey becomes a social outcast. His family worries about him--until a local dad drops a new friend at Casey's home. Morel doesn't speak, has no eyes, and appears to be made of clay. Oddly, only Casey seems to notice these peculiarities. De Ocampo shines at adding to the listener's discomfort. Rather than reflect Casey's anxiety, his delivery mirrors the normalcy that Casey's parents exhibit around Morel. As days pass, Morel becomes more boy-like and ingratiates himself with Casey's parents. When Morel's true nature is finally revealed, de Ocampo conveys Casey's panic--which the listener has felt all along.
(Horror. 9-12)Pub Date: July 22, 2025
Duration: 5 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063396388
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A not-too-scary horror audiobook.
Dan Bittner gives a polished performance of Stine’s middle-grade horror novel, narrating with melodramatic flair and dramatic pauses at the end of each cliffhanger chapter. When the Ferber family moves into a creepy old house on Nightmare Street, Joe’s parents are oblivious to the scary things happening in the house. In a parallel story, the Hannigan family moves into the same house, where Shawn has different creepy experiences. Both Joe and Shawn have nightmares in which they encounter horror tropes—headstones, a creepy rag doll, a looping camera, a ventriloquist’s dummy, and masked teachers—in their house and at school. Bittner’s pacing works well, and fans of the Goosebumps series will enjoy the familiar shivers and tongue-in-cheek humor.
A not-too-scary horror audiobook.Pub Date: April 18, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798228588288
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2026
Amoss’ performance makes this an extraordinary listen.
Sophie Amoss flawlessly narrates this splendid middle-grade audiobook set in New Orleans. Twelve-year-old Basil is shocked when the ghost of her Grandpere—who founded their family’s Cajun restaurant—appears at his own funeral and asks her to visit the bayou where he grew up. When Basil and her energetically rendered friend Tommy discover that the bayou has suffered from damaging erosion, they decide to work to save it. Spirited descriptions of family, friendship, the environment, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of life in a restaurant add atmosphere. A moving, beautiful author’s note includes ways for listeners to help save Louisiana’s coast.
Amoss’ performance makes this an extraordinary listen. (Paranormal. 8-12)Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 41 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063325463
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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