Took: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

Genre: Middle Grade, Horror

Source: Borrowed From My Granddaughter

From Goodreads:

“Folks say Old Auntie takes a girl and keeps her fifty years—then lets her go and takes another one.”     Thirteen-year-old Daniel Anderson doesn’t believe Brody Mason’s crazy stories about the ghost witch who lives up on Brewster’s Hill with Bloody Bones, her man-eating razorback hog. He figures Brody’s probably just trying to scare him since he’s the new kid . . . a “stuck-up snot” from Connecticut. But Daniel’s seven-year-old sister Erica has become more and more withdrawn, talking to her lookalike doll. When she disappears into the woods one day, he knows something is terribly wrong. Did the witch strike? Has Erica been “took”?

My Thoughts:

I discovered at Thanksgiving that my granddaughter Haylee and I share a love of books written by Mary Downing Hahn.  She expressed a desire to read Took. She said she’d been trying to get a copy from her school library, but it was always checked out. I made sure she got one for Christmas. She and her brother Jacob spent the Wednesday through Friday with us. We took them to the library yesterday. While she sat and read books to her brother, I borrowed her book and read it. Mary Downing Hahn’s books have that special creep factor that makes all of her books good.  You have a family moving into an old and creepy house. The children don’t like it. The kids at school don’t like them, and the parents are beginning to fight more and more. The author sets you up for a great scare. As you read and see how brave Daniel is, you are thinking to yourself, ‘I wouldn’t be brave enough to do that’.  One thing that makes this book so good is it has an urban legend. Every area has their own urban legends. This legend is based on an actual disappearance that had happened fifty years before. Now it is happening again. Is there truly a witch in the woods? 

I will definitely need to get another copy for my classroom shelves.

Student Saturday: Four Great Reviews today

Four great stories just in time for Halloween

Please remember these are sixth grade students, not professional bloggers. All of their reviews are their own opinions. Please feel free to comment, but be kind.

The Ghost on the Stairs by Chris Eboch
Genre: Mystery

From Goodreads:

Thirteen-year-old Jon and his eleven-year-old sister, Tania, are typical kids—except Tania can communicate with ghosts. Their parents also happen to be the producers of a ghost-hunter television show—and have no idea one of their own kids can see ghosts. In The Ghost on the Stairs, the brother-sister duo join forces to help reunite a newlywed couple from beyond the grave. In The Riverboat Phantom, Jon and Tania try to help the ghost of a steamboat worker find peace at last—and find more than they bargained for on the river!

Student Reviewer: Stefanie
The Ghost on the stairs was a great book. I recommend this book to my sister and anyone who likes to read mysteries that gives goosebumps, with some love at the same time. When I was reading this book I thought of my sister because she loves to read books that give her goosebumps. The story's main characters are Jon, a thirteen - year-old boy, Taina an eleven-year-old girl, their mom and Bruce the TV show guy. Most of the story takes place in a haunted house. In the story Taina went to the haunted house and she could see the ghosts and her brother Jon thinks she is in danger. At the same time Bruce is trying to catch the ghost on camera. She and her brother try to free the ghost. Will they be able to do it?  This is a must read book.

Scary Tales: Home Sweet Horror by James Preller
Genre: Horror

From Goodreads:
Welcome. Have a seat. Let us tell you a story. But be warned. Home Sweet Horror isn’t just any tale. This is a Scary Tale.
Meet Liam Finn, who’s just moved into a new home with his father and sister. But this old house that seems empty, isn’t . . . Bloody Mary is here. Called back from the dead by a game, she’s just dying to talk.

Student Reviewer: Alma
I read a book about a family without a mom who moved to a new house. Their son Liam Fin knew there was something going on with the house, his sister didn't believe a word Liam was saying. Then they both worked together to figure out the mystery of the house. It was a really amazing, interesting, good book. I would recommend this book to people who really love scary and mysterious books.

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn
Genre: Mystery/Horror

From Goodreads:

When twelve-year-old Florence boards the crowded horse-drawn coach in London, she looks forward to a new life with her great uncle and aunt at Crutchfield Hall, an old manor house in the English countryside. Anything will be better, she thinks, than the grim London orphanage where she has lived since her parents' death.
          But Florence doesn't expect the ghost of her cousin Sophia, who haunts the cavernous rooms and dimly lit hallways of Crutchfield and concocts a plan to use Florence to help her achieve her murderous goals. Will Florence be able to convince the others in the household of the imminent danger and stop Sophia before it's too late?

Student Reviewer: Mayra

This book started with an eleven-year-old girl  named Florence that lived in an orphanage with a lot of girls and a lot of ladies that take care of them. Florence gets to  go live with her uncle in a big house that is out of town. She goes and finds out her cousin Sophia had died and her cousin James has been sick ever since Sophia died. It has been almost a year. Florence feels like something is following her and she is trying to find out what or who it is. I recommend this for people who like mystery books. I had a connection to this book, because sometimes I feel like something is looking and me and there is nothing there.

Shadow of Darkness by Rashad Freeman

Genre: Horror

From Goodreads:

Anthony Dimair isn't your average teenager. Anthony Dimair doesn't have your average teenage problems. Unfortunately, Anthony Dimair doesn't know that yet.

By most accounts Anthony's been a pretty normal kid his whole life. When he starts what should be a normal year of high school, he suddenly begins to change. There's something dark buried deep inside him, but it wants to get out.

As people start disappearing and unknown assailants start following him, Anthony turns to his Uncle for answers. With only the help of his friends he sets off on a quest to discover the truth. But discovering the truth may very well get him killed.

Follow Anthony on an epic adventure as he races against time and the darkness inside him. Will he survive to find out the truth? Or will he get himself and his friends killed in the process?

Student Reviewer: Darietne

The main character in this story is Anthony. There’s a mystery in his life he doesn’t know about. They were at Dr. Heizwick’s and Dr. Vorcick’s lab when Dr. Vorcick did something wrong. Anthony was just going to start school when he started hearing things. This book made me feel curious about what was going to happen next. This book is great for anyone who likes horror stories. I though of all the things that happened and why they happened. It reminded me of a movie called “The Evil Dead”.

Student Saturday: Scary Tales Home Sweet Horror by James Preller

Student Reviewer:  Amari B.
Genre: Middle Grade, Horror

A book called "Scary Tales" will send goosebumps up your spine! The amazing author of this book is named James Preller. He is one of my favorite authors! He eve wrote a second Scary Tales called I Scream You Scream. In this amazing book of scary tales, there is a story about how this family of three moved into this thousand year old house. They have two children named Liam Finn, and Kelly Finn. They feel uncomfortable about this spooky house. Liam is the one who is so freaked out about this house. When something strange happens....
It was fascinating to learn about the kids experience with scary things happening. I would recommend this scary book to the carers who would want to read this book in the bathroom with only candle light letting you be able to read.  I loved this book!

The Carvings: A Short Story Anthology by Drake Vaughn

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Source: I received a copy in exchange for my honest review

From Goodreads:

The Carvings Collection: A selection of ten shocking tales from the crinkled mind of Drake Vaughn. The short stories span every arena of horror - from psychological tales of imagination gone wrong (“Dolls” and “Carvings”), to supernatural monsters (“Master Key,” “Sales,” and “Flatheads”), to realistic crime (“In The Chair,” “The Test,” and “Driver’s Seat”), along with a new spin on old tropes (“Trip to V-Town” and “The Garden”). All are bite-sized chunks for fans of horror and dark pulpy fiction.

My Thoughts:

I love short stories.   When I only have a few minutes to read I can sit with a good short story and get my reading fix.  This book is filled with great stories.  I must tell you that some of the language is a little rough in a couple of the stories.  However, if you can just jump over those words you will thoroughly enjoy the book.   The first story “Dolls” held the utmost creep factor.  When I read stories like this it makes me wish I could spend the day getting to know the author, just to see how they really think.  “In the Chair”  reminded me of one of those great movies you see on TV where you think the criminal is going to get caught only to have things spun around in some weird twisted way that catches you by surprise.  I mean this in a good way.  “The Garden” was one of those stories that took me by surprise.  It leads you to think one thing and then you get to the last page only to have it be something completely different than what you thought.  I would have to say my favorite of all of the stories was the one the book was named after, “The Carvings”.  Once again the author leads you down a path only to surprise you at the end.  I have to say that this was one ending that completely surprised me and I completely agreed with.  You really need to read this book to see what I am talking about because I’m not going to say anything more that I have said.

About the Author:

Drake Vaughn is the author of The Zombie Generation, along with many other pieces of dark fiction. His self-proclaimed “crinkled fiction” is a blend of horror, dark fantasy, and speculative fiction with a heavy psychological bent. His tales appear deceptively simple, but transform into a wild spree of suspense, madness, and trauma. He lives in Santa Monica, CA with his wife and a black cat named Shadow (who he is certain has come back from the dead on a number of occasions.)

To discover more of his crinkled tales, please visit his Amazon page.

Likewise, feel free to follow him on Twitter and like his page on Facebook. Or join his mailing list at his website:  www.DrakeVaughn.com

Student Saturdays: More Bones - Arielle North Olson

Student Reviewer: Jose M-M

From Goodreads:

Ready for scary?! Shhh! Have you heard about the man who marries . . . a corpse?! Or what about the magic school where one student in every class is never allowed to leave? Or the beautiful red-haired maiden whose hair is actually serpents? Many of these tales go back hundreds of years and to the farthest corners of the earth, but as diverse as they are, they also reveal one important truth: everyone loves a scary story. The authors have dug deeply?from Egypt to Iceland?to find the spookiest stories for More Bones. Listen! Can you hear the bones beginning to rattle?

 

Student's Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading the book.  As a kid or student I have seen so many movies that are horror, like "Paranormal 3".  Well this book talks about legends about ghosts from different countries.  These stories take place in China, Egypt, Spain and Hawaii.  I love the book because it was a bit of horror.  I can't wait to tell my teachers and friends to read this book.

Student Saturdays: Revenge of the Gnomes - R.L. Stine

Publisher:  Scholastic
Pages:  144
Genre:  Middle Grade Horror
Student Reviewer:  Lauren

Goosebumps Revenge of the Gnomes is written by R.L. Stine.  It is about a family with two kids and the dad is obsessed with tacky yard decorations.  So one day they buy two gnomes.  At night the kids hear the gnomes scrumaging through the garden but the parents don't believe them.  The main characters are the two gnomes, the dad, and the two kids. In Palm Springs there was a gnome hunt and some were mean gnomes and some were nice.

Pricker Boy - Reade Scott Whinnem

Publisher - Random House, 2009
Genre:  Horror
Age:  MG/YA
Pages: 288
Source:  Purchase

Stucks Cumberland is ready for summer vacation.  It is a time when many of his friends return to their vacation homes.  However, their vacation doesn't go the way they plan.  Something is in the woods.  No one goes beyond Widow's Stone for fear of running into the Pricker Boy.

The Pricker Boy was a young boy tricked into believing his fur trapping father was keeping his mother in a cage in the forest and feeding her raw bits of meat.  The boy goes looking for his mother.  When he doesn't return, the kids start rumors that the thorns have taken him and now he seeks revenge against those who were so cruel to him.  He has taken on the form of a being made from and covered with thorns.

This is the story that Ronnie tells around the campfire every year.  All of Stuck's friends say that it is not real but when Stucks claims to have seen the Pricker Boy, they all start wondering how much of it is true.  Mysteriously the items they have given to the forest and the Pricker Boy to keep him from getting revenge on them have all mysteriously returned.  What does it mean?

I wasn't really sure what to make of this book.  I couldn't put it down.  I still don't know if the Pricker Boy was someone they made up from legend or if he was real.  There were other issues going on and the author purposely left the ending the way he did so the reader could decide.  This is what made this such a delicious read.  I read this in e-book form and have ordered several hard copies for my shelves at school.  My students who are fans of horror will love this book.