|
 Review by
Louella Moreland
For fans of the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine, there is a brand-new
series for lovers of mild horror stories: Tales from the Lovecraft Middle
School, by Charles Gilman. The first book, "Professor Gargoyle," introduces
readers to the main characters and the premise behind the unusual
circumstances that are happening at Lovecraft Middle School. Even the
action-changing cover of the book draws the curiosity of the reader as it
changes from a slightly frowning older man into a smiling, red-faced,
spooky-eyed, horned demon.
After a redistricting, Robert Arthur will be attending Lovecraft Middle
School while all his friends are attending Franklin. The newly built middle
school in the town of Dunwich, Mass., has been built of 90 percent recycled
materials. It is "state-of-the-art." Or is it?
Attending a new school is bad enough, but on the first day the only
person he recognizes from past years is Glenn Torkell, a bully who has been
stealing and harassing him for years at his old school. Sure enough, Glenn
exacts a "nerdtax" right from the beginning of the day at the outdoor
assembly. When a new girl, Karina Ortiz, offers him friendly advice, Robert
is so embarrassed he yells at her. So much for starting off on the right
foot!
Inside the school, things get weird. As students open their lockers for
the first time, they discover rats in each one. After the rats scurry out of
the open front doors, things settle down to normal for Robert until the last
period of the day, when he meets his new science teacher, Mr. Goyle. From
there Robert discovers an attic room, above the library, that should not be
there and a two-headed rat he names Pip and Squeak. Then twin girls
mysteriously disappear and he begins to suspect Mr. Goyle is not human.
[to top of second column] |
When his nemesis, Glenn, is about to be drawn into a locker by a
giant squid, events really turn crazy, with Robert teaming up with
Glenn and Karina (who turns out to be a ghost girl) to solve the
puzzle as to why so many crazy things are happening in their school.
Secondary characters, such as the teachers and Robert's mother,
are well-fleshed-out, with a hint as to why Glenn Torkell is such a
bully. (Expect another story on this angle.)
Book 2, "The Slither Sisters," will continue with other twists
and turns. A third book is scheduled for release later in 2013.
Eugene Smith's black-and-white illustrations depict some of the
action of the story without being frightening.
This series is sure to be a hit for middle school readers who
like a little fright with their action. Without a complicated plot,
but with great characters and lots of fun, it is sure to appeal to a
wide audience.
To check out this book and other in the series, visit the Lincoln
Public Library, 725 Pekin St.
[Text from file received from Louella Moreland,
Lincoln Public Library District]
Ms. Lou's blog:
lincolnpubliclibraryupdates.blogspot.com |
