School of Phantoms

Starred review from October 1, 2021

Gr 4-6-When creepy haunted snowmen show up overnight in Cowslip Grove, Levi and Kat are determined to get to the bottom of the monstrous visitors. In the first installment of the series, they defeated the Boojum King, an evil spirit from another world, and they worry that he is back to torment more children in their town. A horrendous blizzard blankets Cowslip Grove, leaving the students and teachers snowed in at school, where most end up hypnotized by the Boojum King. It's up to Levi and Kat, who are white, to free everyone from the trance before it's too late. This is a beautifully creepy tale that even those who haven't read the first title will appreciate. This interactive text encourages readers to engage in the critically important skill of "reading with a discerning eye" and learning "to separate fact from hoax," as readers are invited to play detective with the evidence provided. Merritt presents the story in a mix of black-and-white comics and prose. Varying in style from cartoonish to more realistic, images depict footage from cell phones and school security cameras, as well as a science journal of strange creatures. Illustrations enhance the tone as it shifts from spooky to comedic. VERDICT This must-read science- and nature-infused horror story is a rare text that truly captivates and stimulates readers' minds and imaginations.-Angie Jameson, Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schs., OH

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 15, 2021
Kat and Levi return to battle another evil foe. It's been a few months since Levi and Kat rescued Cowslip Grove's lost children from the wicked being known as the Boojum. Unfortunately, peculiar goings-on have resumed: Dozens of creepy snowmen have been popping up all over town, seemingly overnight. To make matters worse, a freak blizzard hits during the school day, forcing the students and teachers to shelter in place and wait out the storm. Power outages, howling wind, annoying classmates, and creepy snowmen soon become the least of Kat and Levi's worries: Something is stalking the dark halls, something hungry for children. Levi and Kat band together with new allies to fight off this malevolent force in a sequel that smartly maintains every winning element of its predecessor. The spooky, inked illustrations set the perfect mood for intrigue, suspense, and flashes of true terror. Levi and Kat's friendship remains charming, and the new characters add just enough to the dynamics to feel earned rather than like obligatory add-ons. This is a smart sequel, one that organically evolves the characters and their peculiar world, dropping breadcrumbs and hints that set up for a third entry while maintaining focus on the monsters at hand. Levi and Kat are White; sixth grade science teacher Ms. Padilla and new friend Dante read as Black. A spine-tingling sequel that is well worth readers' time. (Horror. 9-12)

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October 26, 2020
Twelve-year-old new kid Levi doesn’t want to be Kat Bombard’s class work buddy: she’s as loud, disruptive, and energetic as he is quiet, studious, and reserved—and she tells unbelievable stories about having been abducted by aliens. They become tentative friends, however, and when several local children vanish, including Levi’s beloved younger sister Twila, only Kat and Levi remember they even existed. Monsters are preying upon suburban Cowslip Grove, and the duo must discover what lurks in the shadows and below their home’s surface before they become the next victims. With this darkly humorous, fully illustrated romp, Merritt (The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York) creates a world threatened by all manner of horrors, from banal (petty neighbors) to the unspeakable (being completely forgotten by loved ones). Merritt’s scratchy black-and-white line illustrations expertly embody Levi’s calm practicality, Kat’s hyperactive exuberance, and the twisting otherworldliness of their cryptid foes. Solid use of light and shadow manipulate the atmosphere and tension levels as the story goes from mundane to frightening, while tongue-in-cheek visual jokes make every scene worth studying. Weird, wild, and warmhearted, this is a real page-turner for the spooky season. Ages 8–12. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House.

July 1, 2020
Children are disappearing at night from the suburban town of Cowslip Grove -- and no one remembers that they ever existed. No one, that is, except new kid Levi, who teams up with classmate Kat to find his little sister after she goes missing, too. They soon realize it's up to them to save their neighborhood from monsters living underneath the local ice-cream factory. Merritt's black-and-white line drawings of legendary creatures -- which are truly the spooky stuff of nightmares -- and the interspersed shaky hand-lettered text add extra creepiness.

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from August 15, 2020
Children are snatched from their beds and erased from all memory. Levi and Kat often feel like they're the only ones out of place in their small suburban town of Cowslip Grove. The two children feel a slight remove from their classmates and families; the one thing binding them together is their ability to see what everyone else cannot: Children are disappearing. And no one else seems to remember these children ever existed. After Levi's younger sister, Twila, is taken by this evil force, Levi and Kat embark on a journey into the town's sinister past to try to save her and stop the monster once and for all. The spooky tale is complemented by ink illustrations that will give even the bravest reader a case of the willies. The narrative is smartly structured, moving the characters forward at a perfect pace that balances the tricky trifecta of thrills, exposition, and character development. The ending will leave some in tears and others enraged--or simply gobsmacked. This is one hell of a middle-grade read, the kind that will spark imaginations as it is read late at night under the covers with a flashlight. Levi and Kat appear White; the black-and-white illustrations seem to show some human ethnic diversity. A wonderfully frightening tale. (Horror. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2020

Gr 4-6-After several nights of dreams about a Really Tall Man, Cindy vanishes from her home and her family's memory. All of her things are gone, and her family doesn't remember her when they wake up. The story cuts to new kid Levi, whose parents recently divorced. Levi meets Kat, a mischievous classmate who becomes his partner on a project. Kat talks Levi into using an abandoned vehicle as their office on the edge of town. One evening when Levi comes home too late, he is chased by the dark shadow of a Really Tall Man. Levi's younger sister, Twila, falls victim to the same fate as Cindy. No one but Levi remembers Twila. As Levi and Kat work together to try to catch the monster, they camp out on a hill beside a farm and instead discover a chupacabra who may be able to help them find out who's taking children. By putting some clues together, Levi and Kat make their way to the local ice cream factory where they uncover an operation to cast sleeping spells on children and bring them underground. Levi's quick thinking and Kat's bravery rescue the children trapped in a dreamland underneath the factory. The copious illustrations and unusual page formats offer a varied reading experience, but at times the pacing is slow. VERDICT A story for persistent readers who are interested in fantastical mysteries with many twists, turns, and lively illustrations.-Lindsay Persohn, Univ. of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2020
Children are disappearing at night from the suburban town of Cowslip Grove -- and no one remembers that they ever existed. No one, that is, except new kid Levi, who teams up with classmate Kat to find his little sister after she goes missing, too. They soon realize it's up to them to save their neighborhood from monsters living underneath the local ice-cream factory. Merritt's black-and-white line drawings of legendary creatures -- which are truly the spooky stuff of nightmares -- and the interspersed shaky hand-lettered text add extra creepiness. Cynthia K. Ritter

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)