TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY

A new arrival to isolated Seven Falls discovers plenty of substance to creepy legends about the dark woods around town.

Readers who are convinced that grown-ups are clueless and never listen to kids will find strong confirmation in Howard’s middle-grade debut. Multiple monsters are the main event, but a sparkling cast of seemingly ordinary young people who prevail thanks to unexpected depths of courage and resourcefulness comes in a close second. Having been kicked out of boarding schools all over Europe mostly (he contends) through no fault of his own, 12-year-old Dig Romer has been sent to live with his aunt, uncle, and nerdy overachiever cousin, Elliot. He soon encounters a menacing PE teacher, a bigfootlike Boojum in the woods, and increasingly strong evidence that Bram Stoker’s Dracula wasn’t fiction at all—except for the ending. A rash of missing persons cases that leave the police and other adults dismissively waving their hands impels Dig to lead his reluctant but game cousin and other even more unlikely allies on a rescue attempt through uncharted woods and stygian caves to a terrifying climax. Being clever, insatiably curious, and totally fearless (aside from a tendency to melt down almost comically in the presence of bats), Dig makes a winning protagonist, and his supporting crew is equally memorable. Most central characters are cued white.

A cheerworthy adventure rich in frights and surprises.