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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
When I went into this, I expected a book about a boy with borderline OCD; what I got was my worst nightmare put onto pages. I have an extreme phobia of wasps and it just so happened that this book was solely about wasps infesting and *almost* killing this boy. It started as a story about this boy, Steve, and his little brother, Theo, who needs a heart operation. Innocent enough. Then it went to a queen wasp coming in Steve's dream and telling him that they're making him a new brother, then making him agree to helping them and finally they eat their way into his house when no one's home and trying to murder him so they can eat Theo. It's not to say it's a bad book. There was clearly a lot of thought put into this and planning how to get the most horror out of you. It shocked me. Praise to this author for making such a unique yet terrifying story. (Though I must say I will not have a very fun time this summer thinking about this book any time I dare step out of my house.) I give it 4 stars due to the fact that I will not reread it and (though impressed at the sheer creativity) I didn't expect it to be a horror book. Of course this is different for everyone and most don't have a phobia of wasps, but this truly scared me and left me with my eyes wide in horror.
Definitely foreboding, spine tingling, and a bit creepy. Perfect for those wanting something a bit scary. What I loved- the references to mental illness and the fact that we are all a bit broken in some way or another, and we just need to keep going.
Wow. What an unusual story. It had a similar feel to A Monster Calls where it's a story that tackles tough, gut-wrenching issues with fantastical elements and skewed reality. This would make a good pick for older kids who love those bizarrely creepy stories like Coraline. Oppel really dials up the tension and dread here, especially if you're not a fan of insects/wasps. Klassen's illustrations are the perfect complement in that they somehow subdue the horror, yet perfectly capture the story's atmosphere.
This was a weird little read, but one that I couldn't put down. Not in a "holy crap what happens next" kinda way, but more in the fact that I was very intrigued how the story would tie itself together. I can't promise that this strange story did in fact wrap itself up, but the ending didn't leave me feeling empty or let down. This is a simple abstract story with well done writing.
A creepy kids read! It was quick and easy. If I read it when I was young I would probably have a phobia for wasps.
This one was pretty strange...I'm still not sure how to categorize it..
Summary: When wasps come to Steve in a dream offering to fix his sick baby brother, he thinks all he has to do is say yes. But yes may not mean what Steve thinks it means.
Summary: When wasps come to Steve in a dream offering to fix his sick baby brother, he thinks all he has to do is say yes. But yes may not mean what Steve thinks it means.
Steve is an anxious child. It doesn't help that his new baby brother has all kinds of medical issues. Steve never refers to baby Theo by name, but just as "the baby" as if naming him will make him more real. Steve's parents are loving parents, but are mostly concerned with the new baby. Steve and his sister are left with a babysitter a lot. They discover a wasp nest in the backyard and Steve gets stung. Turns out he is severely allergic.
Steve starts having dreams about an angel who offers to make everything perfect, including his baby brother. Steve likes the dreams until they start turning dark and scary. The angel turns into the wasp queen and she was the one who stung Steve. She did it so she could have a bit of his DNA to create a new baby. This baby will replace Theo and be perfect. Of course, it will be part wasp and Theo will die, but that is just part of the deal Steve unwittingly agreed to. Steve tries to talk to his parents and his therapist about his dreams, but no one believes him. Things are made even creepier by the weird knife man who keeps trying to talk to Steve and the voice of Mr. Nobody on his sister's play phone.
I didn't know what to expect from this story, but I am sure I didn't expect the creepy wasp baby stealers. It reminded me of changeling stories, but with a twist. I liked the fact that Steve seemed like a real kid dealing with real life issues (except the wasp visions of course). He is anxious, washes his hands a lot, is scared about his baby brother and worries about things other kids worry about. I also liked that the book dealt with the baby's medical issues and possible problems later in life. I am sure there are lots of kids out there who have siblings with medical problems who can identify with Steve. Short and creepy and a pretty good read.
Steve starts having dreams about an angel who offers to make everything perfect, including his baby brother. Steve likes the dreams until they start turning dark and scary. The angel turns into the wasp queen and she was the one who stung Steve. She did it so she could have a bit of his DNA to create a new baby. This baby will replace Theo and be perfect. Of course, it will be part wasp and Theo will die, but that is just part of the deal Steve unwittingly agreed to. Steve tries to talk to his parents and his therapist about his dreams, but no one believes him. Things are made even creepier by the weird knife man who keeps trying to talk to Steve and the voice of Mr. Nobody on his sister's play phone.
I didn't know what to expect from this story, but I am sure I didn't expect the creepy wasp baby stealers. It reminded me of changeling stories, but with a twist. I liked the fact that Steve seemed like a real kid dealing with real life issues (except the wasp visions of course). He is anxious, washes his hands a lot, is scared about his baby brother and worries about things other kids worry about. I also liked that the book dealt with the baby's medical issues and possible problems later in life. I am sure there are lots of kids out there who have siblings with medical problems who can identify with Steve. Short and creepy and a pretty good read.
Wow, what a spooky book! Would not be out of place in a Stephen King or Joe Hill collection. I will definitely be reading more by Kenneth Oppel — this was such a unique book and I am curious about his other works. It was fascinating to see a different type of art from Jon Klassen. I can think of a few spooky story junkies to share this with. It was almost too scary for me! Grades 4 up.
This book reminds me of a Neil Gaiman or Patrick Ness tale. I loved this dark fast paced tale, can't wait to put it on my shelf for my students to experience.