Publishers Weekly
10/05/2020
Chicago seventh grader Claire Koster, 12, appreciates the predictability and comfort of science—which is why her father, an author obsessed enough with creepy Chicago history to quit his job teaching history and start a ghost tour bus company, is driving her up the wall. Equally aggravating is watching her best friend and fellow science lover, Casley, slowly replace her with new girl Emily Craig, who likes makeup and clothes. But when Claire assists her father on a tour one night, she is startled to discover an unexpected passenger: a pale, dark-eyed little boy, “six, seven tops,” who just may be a ghost. Claire must soon acknowledge that not everything can be explained by science; she discovers a scrap of paper reading “396” after boy disappears, and more paranormal occurrences follow. Currie’s vivid descriptions of the spirit (“His dark eyes. His dripping clothes and bloodless face”) conjure a chilling atmosphere. Engrossing snippets of Chicago history ground the novel, with references to real-life locations, including Hull House and the sunken SS Eastland, “right at the intersection of LaSalle Street and Wacker Drive.” A spine-tingling blend of hauntings and history. Ages 10–up. Agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Scritch Scratch brims with eerie thrills and nail-biting chills that are sure to keep readers turning pages. Don't dare read this at night!" — Kate Hannigan, author of Cape, book one in The League of Secret Heroes series
"The historical details are fascinating...Mary Downing Hahn fans will enjoy this just-right blend of history and spooky." — Kirkus Reviews
"Delightfully chilling and rooted in history, this haunting thrill ride will keep you hooked." — Jess Keating, author of Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray
"A spooky mystery with a sweet heart. Readers will be gripped by Currie's storytelling, and encouraged and excited to look into the history of their own cities and towns." — Jarrett Lerner, author of the EngiNerds series
"This is a teeth-chattering, eyes bulging, shuddering-and-shaking, chills-at-the-back-of-your-neck ghost story. I loved it!" — R.L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps series
"[Offers] a ghost-hunterly blend of reality and chills that should appeal to many readers with creepy interests, and this dive into spooky Chicago history will keep them scarily happy until they’re ready for Selzer’s Just Kill Me." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A spine-tingling blend of hauntings and history." — Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
2020-05-03
A ghost haunting prompts a Chicago girl to investigate her local history.
Seventh grader Claire loves the predictability of science while her father relishes the paranormal, running a ghost-tour business in Chicago. Their worlds collide when Claire must help out her father at the last minute, and a ghost boy not only becomes an unwanted passenger on the bus, but follows her home and around the city. Currie’s visceral descriptions of the boy’s haunting—scratching behind walls, dripping water, icy air, scrawled notes, and more—exude creepy. Also scary to the middle schooler is losing Casley, her best friend and science fair partner, to Emily, the new girl in school who’s preoccupied with makeup. When Claire can no longer keep the ghost a secret, she recruits her older brother, along with Casley and Emily, to help her discover his identity. As she tries to apply the scientific method to the paranormal mystery, Claire realizes as well that there’s a human story behind every historical event. And as finding the ghost’s story becomes her mission, she researches a true Chicago disaster that killed more lives than the sinking of the Titanic. In the process, she also learns that jealousy hinders female solidarity. The historical details are fascinating, and the lessons Claire learns are lightly delivered. All characters, including the ghost boy, assume the white default.
Mary Downing Hahn fans will enjoy this just-right blend of history and spooky. (author’s note) (Paranormal suspense. 10-13)
