Publishers Weekly
07/08/2024
Seventh grader Hannah Lee finds herself cursed after sneaking out of an assembly to the school’s supposedly haunted attic with her friends. Constructed as Hannah’s illustrated sketch diary, which is filled with drawings by Lai (Ghost Book) rendered in b&w with blood-red accents, Hannah notes all the strange things that begin happening to her following the game. In biology class, a knife slips out of her hand and lands “smack-dab in the middle of my forehead,” while further investigation of an itch in her gums reveals centipedes “scratching my jawbone tingly and torturous.” When the sinister force at play starts communicating with her via her journal, Hannah must find a way to expunge the evil presence or face dire consequences. But even as Hannah investigates, the curse taunts her: “You ungrateful brat.... Without the villain, there would be no obstacles, no opportunities for the hero to become a hero.” Lai’s fast-paced, body-horror-centric tale sets up an accessible and eerie mystery through which the protagonist grapples with spine-tingling terrors, uncovers previously hidden personal potential, and forms stronger connections. Character skin tones reflect the white of the page. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
* "An ominous yet irresistible story that will delight and distress in equal measure." —Kirkus, starred review
"Scares are guaranteed." —BCCB
"Spine-tingling terrors." —Publishers Weekly
"Frightfully fun. A masterpiece of storytelling." —Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood, creators of the Real Pigeons series
"Darkly funny with just the right amount of creepy tossed in." —Renee Treml, creator of Sherlock Bones
"Spooky and extremely clever." —Danny Katz, bestselling author of the Little Lunch series
Ghost Book:
"Remy Lai is a master storyteller!" —Christina Soontornvat, two-time Newbery Honor Winner
Pawcasso:
"Move over, Jeff Kinney . . . Lai’s finger is always precisely on the pulse of kid humor." —Horn Book
Fly on the Wall:
* "Henry’s character development . . . leaves Greg Heffley in the dust." —School Library Journal, starred review
Pie in the Sky:
“Perfect for fans of Gene Luen Yang and Victoria Jamieson.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2024-05-17
A young girl finds herself plagued by a dark spirit.
Seventh grader Hannah Lee and her friends skip an assembly for children’s horror author Leon Star and instead go to the school’s supposedly haunted attic, where they attempt to contact the spirits. Soon after, Hannah realizes she’s unwittingly released an evil curse. Now she must contend with bad luck such as accidentally being skewered by a scalpel during science class. Hannah suspects that Leon Star might know what’s happening and seeks help; unfortunately, he tells her she doesn’t have much time before she’ll succumb to the curse. This inventive tale is presented in journal format as Hannah chronicles her troubles in a mix of doodlelike scrawls and diary entries. Even the pages of her notebook aren’t safe from the malevolent spirit, who often interrupts her musings and responds in red ink. Readers will find much to enjoy in this fast-paced but extremely macabre tale. Body horror abounds. The book’s pages become spattered with blood as Hannah’s teeth fall out; later her dentist tells her that her gums are overrun with silverfish. Characters who initially seem merely unsettling become shockingly sinister-looking at times. Lai plays with the form and function of language, adding action and sound effects and deftly tying narrative and visuals together. In the cartoonish illustrations, characters have skin the white of the page.
An ominous yet irresistible story that will delight and distress in equal measure. (Horror. 8-12)
