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whatemsreadingx's review against another edition
5.0
First of all, thank you to NetGalley, North Star Editions and Jolly Fish Press for the advanced reader copy of this book.
I really enjoyed Haunt and Seek, it was a great little read.
Aimed at middle graders this book was the perfect length to introduce your child to ghosts and spooky stories. And spooky it was, even as an adult I was a bit freaked out by the ghost!
The book itself flowed really well, the story progressed with every page we read and the pictures inbetween pages helped bring Haunt and Seek to life and helped me personally to visualise the characters. The pictures were beautiful too.
One of my absolute favourite parts was how the history of Chicago was woven in to the book, it was like a ghost story and history book into one, perfect for middle graders.
The ending of Haunt and Seek melted my heart, as did the family dynamic and relationship that was shown throughout the story. It was just lovely to read.
For middle graders I cannot recommend this book enough.
I really enjoyed Haunt and Seek, it was a great little read.
Aimed at middle graders this book was the perfect length to introduce your child to ghosts and spooky stories. And spooky it was, even as an adult I was a bit freaked out by the ghost!
The book itself flowed really well, the story progressed with every page we read and the pictures inbetween pages helped bring Haunt and Seek to life and helped me personally to visualise the characters. The pictures were beautiful too.
One of my absolute favourite parts was how the history of Chicago was woven in to the book, it was like a ghost story and history book into one, perfect for middle graders.
The ending of Haunt and Seek melted my heart, as did the family dynamic and relationship that was shown throughout the story. It was just lovely to read.
For middle graders I cannot recommend this book enough.
alli_the_bookaholic13's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Jolly Fish Press for sending me an ARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3/5 stars.
I’m a little disappointed by this book because it wasn’t what I thought it would be. It was a short and sweet story about Ben who finds a toy boat and starts seeing a little boy. Ben isn’t sure what’s happening, but he thinks the boy and the boat are connected. After learning about a boat tragedy where hundreds of people died, Ben begins to think the little boy is a ghost who perished in the tragedy.
Ben and his sister Lola aren’t sure what to do, so they contact the historical group about the boy because they have a picture that he showed up in, and they’re contacted by a member of the boy’s family. Ben mails the family the boat, and hopes that the boy will be happy he is finally being found by his family.
This book was really short, and I would have liked it to be longer because I really wanted a creepy ghost story, and this just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. There were a couple of parts where the atmosphere was a bit creepier, but it moved on quickly. I wanted the ghost part of the story to be a lot more, and it just didn’t deliver in the way I thought it would.
I also felt like Ben didn’t really act his age. He was supposed to be almost 15, but it felt more to me like he was around 12. This didn’t really impact the story much, but I was expecting a little more from the character because of his age.
Overall, this was a really quick read. I’d recommend it for younger elementary readers. The feel of the story reminded me a bit of Goosebumps but a lot less scary.
3/5 stars.
I’m a little disappointed by this book because it wasn’t what I thought it would be. It was a short and sweet story about Ben who finds a toy boat and starts seeing a little boy. Ben isn’t sure what’s happening, but he thinks the boy and the boat are connected. After learning about a boat tragedy where hundreds of people died, Ben begins to think the little boy is a ghost who perished in the tragedy.
Ben and his sister Lola aren’t sure what to do, so they contact the historical group about the boy because they have a picture that he showed up in, and they’re contacted by a member of the boy’s family. Ben mails the family the boat, and hopes that the boy will be happy he is finally being found by his family.
This book was really short, and I would have liked it to be longer because I really wanted a creepy ghost story, and this just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. There were a couple of parts where the atmosphere was a bit creepier, but it moved on quickly. I wanted the ghost part of the story to be a lot more, and it just didn’t deliver in the way I thought it would.
I also felt like Ben didn’t really act his age. He was supposed to be almost 15, but it felt more to me like he was around 12. This didn’t really impact the story much, but I was expecting a little more from the character because of his age.
Overall, this was a really quick read. I’d recommend it for younger elementary readers. The feel of the story reminded me a bit of Goosebumps but a lot less scary.
elles_shelves's review
5.0
Haunt and Seek by Thomas Kingsley Troupe is a middle grade story about a teenager who experiences a haunting while visiting his grandparents in Chicago. The haunting is a bit spooky, but not scary, so it would be appropriate for the age range. This is a short story, so I don’t want to tell to many details at the risk of spoilers.
I enjoyed the history of Chicago that was interspersed throughout this story. As an adult, I will say that I learned information in this story that I’ve never heard before now. One part of the story was the sinking of the SS Eastland, where 844 people died. I had never heard of this and was definitely interested. Honestly, I would like to read an adult version of this tale it was that interesting.
I enjoyed the history of Chicago that was interspersed throughout this story. As an adult, I will say that I learned information in this story that I’ve never heard before now. One part of the story was the sinking of the SS Eastland, where 844 people died. I had never heard of this and was definitely interested. Honestly, I would like to read an adult version of this tale it was that interesting.
samanthapearl's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and North Star Editions / Jelly Fish Press for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I really enjoyed Haunt and Seek by Thomas Kingsley Troupe. I thought it was a really fun paranormal adventure. While I have enjoyed middle grade in the past, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. While reading this book I had my curiosity peaked and I simply had to do some research. I found out the SS Eastland is an actual boat and the events of that boat's tragedy layout the plot for the story. I love how the author used a real life event to really bring the story to life.
I really like this authors writing style. It's a quick and easy read that just flies by. I was throughly entertained throughout the whole book.
This is a ghost story so obviously it is supposed to have a little scare factor. While as an adult I didn't find it scary, I think it has the right amount of creepy for a middle grade child. If you have a middle grader who enjoys ghost stories I would suggest giving this one a shot.
annarella's review
4.0
A cute and spooky story that will surely be appreciated by adult and children.
it's well written, the plot flows and the characters are interesting.
Recommended
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
it's well written, the plot flows and the characters are interesting.
Recommended
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
dee_dee_reads's review against another edition
4.0
10/10 would recommend this as a way to introduce your child to spooky books.
It's a fairly short, fast paced book with characters that you dont mind spending time with and illustrations that are simply adorable.
Lola is a sassy, no holds barred little sister who youd both loathe and love to have while Ben is a bit more reserved but equally as fun to read. I connected more with Lola than I did Ben, even though he was our main character, but that's not unusual for my reading experiences so I'm not sure that I can wholly blame the book for that. The dynamic between Ben, Lola and their grandparents is heart-warming and the paranormal events do not change how the interact with each other. In fact, when the first encounter happens and Ben is left confused everyone is very supportive of him. There isn't anyone making fun of him or taking advantage of his confusion.
Did I wish that there were some moments that weren't quite as rushed so as to build the mystery and spook factor a bit more? Yes. However, the conclusion perfectly suited the story. It was satisfying and hopeful. All in all, this story just works.
It's a fairly short, fast paced book with characters that you dont mind spending time with and illustrations that are simply adorable.
Lola is a sassy, no holds barred little sister who youd both loathe and love to have while Ben is a bit more reserved but equally as fun to read. I connected more with Lola than I did Ben, even though he was our main character, but that's not unusual for my reading experiences so I'm not sure that I can wholly blame the book for that. The dynamic between Ben, Lola and their grandparents is heart-warming and the paranormal events do not change how the interact with each other. In fact, when the first encounter happens and Ben is left confused everyone is very supportive of him. There isn't anyone making fun of him or taking advantage of his confusion.
Did I wish that there were some moments that weren't quite as rushed so as to build the mystery and spook factor a bit more? Yes. However, the conclusion perfectly suited the story. It was satisfying and hopeful. All in all, this story just works.
camilaariasb's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
louisv's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you so much to NetGalley and North Star Editions/Jolly Fish Press for the Earc to read and review.
“THINKING IT MIGHT BE AN ANTIQUE OF SOME SORT, BEN TUCKED THE SMALL BOAT INTO THE POCKET OF HIS SHORTS.”
Hide and seek is a short story about Ben, who finds a toy-like boat one day. And from that day on, he sees a little boy everywhere it goes.
Even though it was a short story, I really felt like everything worked out nicely. The pacing was solid and steady, nothing happened too fast or too slow, even the ending. The characters didn’t feel flat but instead well worked out, even though they weren’t many. As a reader, I could easily picture the surroundings, even though I have never been to Chicago or even close.
And I loved the spookiness of the story, especially for one so short. If you are easily scared but want to pick something up for Halloween, this is definitely an option to consider. It also comes with beautifully done black and white illustrations.
Lastly, the big event the story is about, is unfortunately a real one. I must say I never heard of it, but I did find it interesting to read about. It reminded me that there are so many events that many people don’t know, and featuring them in books is a great way to teach people about them without overwhelming them.
“THINKING IT MIGHT BE AN ANTIQUE OF SOME SORT, BEN TUCKED THE SMALL BOAT INTO THE POCKET OF HIS SHORTS.”
Hide and seek is a short story about Ben, who finds a toy-like boat one day. And from that day on, he sees a little boy everywhere it goes.
Even though it was a short story, I really felt like everything worked out nicely. The pacing was solid and steady, nothing happened too fast or too slow, even the ending. The characters didn’t feel flat but instead well worked out, even though they weren’t many. As a reader, I could easily picture the surroundings, even though I have never been to Chicago or even close.
And I loved the spookiness of the story, especially for one so short. If you are easily scared but want to pick something up for Halloween, this is definitely an option to consider. It also comes with beautifully done black and white illustrations.
Lastly, the big event the story is about, is unfortunately a real one. I must say I never heard of it, but I did find it interesting to read about. It reminded me that there are so many events that many people don’t know, and featuring them in books is a great way to teach people about them without overwhelming them.
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