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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
This was a solid middle grade spooky book! It was definitely on the scarier side for the age range, so maybe upper middle grade to be safe, but the story was really interesting and I enjoyed it a lot. Some interesting friendship situations to discuss as well.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Grief, Religious bigotry
I loved this scary tale - perfect for middle grade kids! I will definitely be purchasing a copy for my classroom.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Angela Cervantes works her storytelling magic crafting a tale that seamlessly blends the struggles of Rafa's real-life challenges with an eerily captivating supernatural twist. Living with his abuela and abuelo while his mom serves time in prison, Rafa faces not only the trials of summer school and his mother's impending release but also the unfolding mystery surrounding local legends. As Rafa delves into the unsettling history of his neighborhood, the line between fiction and reality blurs. While the cover might not scream 'spooky' enough, don't let that fool you—this is a hidden gem that offers just the right dose of creepy for upper elementary readers.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read this to my 7-year-old. Solid enough kids horror story. Better than most Goosebumps books (especially the pile of unnecessary spinoffs like HorrorLand and SlappyWorld). It's filled with homages to classic horror which is nice. The Nightmare on Elm Street-esque nursery rhyme used throughout is actually more disturbing than the one in the movie. Kinda fails to stick the ending though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Drug abuse