Creepers: Soul Harvest (Creepers Horror Stories) by Edgar J. Hyde

What worked:

This book is easy to read due to its short chapters and total number of pages. The entire story takes place over the course of one day. The eerie black-and-white illustrations help create a mysterious, supernatural tone. The new ghoulish neighbors dressed in “black and old-timey” clothing silently move in, so readers immediately know these characters have evil intentions. The name of the series is appropriate, since the book is creepy, but not so scary that it will give young readers bad dreams. At first, the strange behavior only seems to affect adults, but the main characters discover that other children are behaving oddly, too.

Jacob is the main character, but his younger sister, Ava, is the hero. Noah is Ava’s best friend, and Alex is Jacob’s best buddy. Early in the book, Ava behaves like a typical little sister, but it’s clear that Jacob loves her dearly. He is the one who consoles Ava when their neighbor angrily yells at her. In contrast, Ava volunteers to perform two risky tasks that are critical to stopping the strange happenings in their town. However, young readers and the characters will anxiously await news to find out what’s happened to her after the climax.

What didn’t work as well:

Obviously, a book this short sacrifices any kind of descriptive development of the characters and plot. Readers are left to wonder how the “seeds” are planted before souls can be harvested. Why are the four kids the only ones not affected?

The final verdict:

This will be popular with young or reluctant middle-grade readers. It’s fast-paced and spooky, which will make it appealing to them. I recommend you give this book and series a shot.