This ambling tale takes too long to get going.
A skeptic finds herself caught up in paranormal shenanigans.
Bernard situates readers in Southern, swampy, alligator-populated Bohring, amid the debris of 11-year-old Karis “Kick” Winter’s explosion. Kick plans a career in STEM, like her “super scientist” mother, Dr. Georgia Winter, who leaves Kick with her admittedly fake-psychic and quite stylish mother, Grandma Missouri, at her home, the Hollows. Kick’s visit coincides with the 100-year occurrence of the town’s curse, in which “the children turned into monsters and took over the town.” Kick’s scientific mind dismisses the lore, which comes with a nursery rhyme, even as she lies about being a psychic to fit into her new school. This strategy backfires when one of the mean-girl bullies demands that she use that ability to remove the curse. Then Kick smells the “porta potty” odor and sees a “smear of glowing green” and “horrible figures,” and she wonders if science can so easily dismiss these supernatural phenomena…and, halfway through the book, readers will wonder if the plot will pick up or stay plodding along. When done well, Southern ease, as heard in its legendary drawl and tasted in its cuisine, slows the pace to an elegant, earthy perfection. Alas, here Bernard’s use of the Southern idiom just bogs her plot down. There are some secondary characters of color, but most of the cast presents white. Several of Kick’s experiments are appended.
This ambling tale takes too long to get going. (Paranormal adventure. 8-12)Pub Date: Dec. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-368-02855-4
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
A wonderfully frightening tale.
Children are snatched from their beds and erased from all memory.
Levi and Kat often feel like they’re the only ones out of place in their small suburban town of Cowslip Grove. The two children feel a slight remove from their classmates and families; the one thing binding them together is their ability to see what everyone else cannot: Children are disappearing. And no one else seems to remember these children ever existed. After Levi’s younger sister, Twila, is taken by this evil force, Levi and Kat embark on a journey into the town’s sinister past to try to save her and stop the monster once and for all. The spooky tale is complemented by ink illustrations that will give even the bravest reader a case of the willies. The narrative is smartly structured, moving the characters forward at a perfect pace that balances the tricky trifecta of thrills, exposition, and character development. This is one hell of a middle-grade read, the kind that will spark imaginations as it is read late at night under the covers with a flashlight. Levi and Kat appear White; the black-and-white illustrations seem to show some human ethnic diversity. (This review has been updated to reflect changes to the final book.)
A wonderfully frightening tale. (Horror. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-358-12853-3
Page Count: 384
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
A spooky tale that will please readers who appreciate strong characterization.
An angry, lonely seventh grader joins a prestigious phantom-fighting group and stumbles on a mystery.
Only kids can see the ghosts that roam the streets and haunt the houses of Savannah, Georgia; once you turn 16, the ability diminishes, leaving you vulnerable to attacks. Kids can volunteer with the Ghost Scouts, an organization created to freeze and relocate spirits. Twelve-year-old Evey has no intention of joining, especially since the Ghost Scouts’ president is Laura, her former best friend who dumped her. But when the principal makes volunteering a requirement for the student of the year award, which Laura won last year and which Evey’s now gunning for, she’s determined to become the best Ghost Scout ever and show Laura “she’s not that special.” Teamwork is hard for Evey, who struggles with anxiety, ADHD, and anger management; she wishes she could handle everything on her own. But as the ghostly activity increases, Laura begins acting strangely, and Evey learns about the mysterious and powerful Ghost X. Facing the upcoming fight and untangling the mystery will require all Evey’s stubbornness—and trust in her new friends. The interesting premise is somewhat weakened by plot holes and inconsistent worldbuilding, but the portrayal of Evey’s neurodivergence and experiences with therapy is skillfully done. Evey presents white; there’s a broad range of diversity among her peers.
A spooky tale that will please readers who appreciate strong characterization. (Paranormal. 8-12)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781546128793
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2025
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