| 9781454927853 |
| 1454927852 |
Available:*
Library | Material Type | Call Number | Shelf Location | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Penrose Library | Children's Book | MITC | Children's-J-Fiction | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
"Fans of Dan Poblocki, John Bellairs, and R.L. Stine will all be right at home and smiling at the shivers (and the jokes)." - Kirkus
Welcome to Thedgeroot, where Spaulding Meriwether is on a quest to make friends, become cool . . . and figure out why dead people are running around.
"You know how people always tell you 'just be yourself?' That's terrible advice. You won't survive middle school that way. Trust me."
Spaulding Meriwether, Thedgeroot Middle School's new resident weirdo and son of questionable television ghost hunters, just wants to fit in. But after a revenant chases him through the woods, Spaulding suspects there's something afoot in Thedgeroot. (At least he thinks it's a foot. Maybe it was a hand. It's hard to tell when you're running away.) Then he notices the chimneys of the abandoned factory at the edge of town puffing smoke--and his dead next-door neighbor materializes, along with David, the missing pet boa constrictor that supposedly ate him. Spaulding can't help wondering if these strange happenings have anything to do with his undead friends in the forest. Of course, Spaulding just has to investigate--but he may be biting off more than he can chew . . . .
Kids will love this hilariously creepy illustrated middle-grade novel!
"A spooky, high-interest adventure..."-- School Library Journal
. . . engaging and goosebump inducing." -- Booklist
Author Notes
Dora M. Mitchell is a writer, illustrator, and children's librarian living in a small Northern California town that dates back to the Gold Rush. She writes surrounded by dark woods where the evidence of mining days can still be found hidden away among the trees--the inspiration for the setting of The Haunted Serpent . Her latest illustration work can be seen in The Boatman by Kat Hawthorne (BookFish Books, 2015). Visit her online at doramitchell.com.
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Moving to a new town can be tough; add a 10-foot, man-eating boa constrictor, bodies being stolen from graves, and a mysterious factory and moving to the town of Thederoot is downright dangerous. After recording notes of these ominous happenings, Spaulding S. Meriweather realizes that moving to the strange town with his aunt is precarious; yet, following in the footsteps of his paranormal investigating parents, Spaulding is determined to find answers. After all, who could ignore finding human fingers in the spokes of his bike after a visit to the local pond? With help from his "ghostly" neighbor and three friends, Spaulding battles the undead, a powerful necromancer, and a "deadly" beauty to unlock the connected secrets of Thederoot. Mitchell's tale infuses mystery, horror, science fiction, and a tinge of humor to entice a wide variety of genre readers. The author's strong description of the main character's actions paired with comic-style illustrations, clipped from Spaulding's research journal, stimulate empathy as well as curiosity. Readers will feel as though they are investigators alongside Spaulding as nonstop hints and clues are sprinkled throughout. The ending, however, seems abrupt and unfinished, leaving crucial elements, such as Spaulding's relationship with his parents, dangling. The title of the book, common and unimaginative, fails to encompass the curious and original story. VERDICT A spooky, high-interest adventure for reluctant readers and fans of action-packed tales. Recommended for additional purchase.-Mary-Brook J. Townsend, The McGillis School, Salt Lake City © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Spaulding Meriwether is new to Thedgeroot, the town where his parents, television ghost-busters, have sent him to live with his great-aunt Gwen. Never one who fits in, Spaulding dreads beginning sixth grade, and, unsurprisingly, his new teachers and classmates waste no time in making fun of him. But something far more threatening is happening in Thedgeroot. Between the revenant in the woods and a run-in with his (dead) neighbor's boa constrictor, Spaulding's new home is getting creepier by the day. When he stumbles upon disturbing things in the vicinity of the old Slecht-Tech plant, he persuades two sisters to help him investigate. If the sisters harbored any doubts about Spaulding's unusual claims, witnessing decomposing bodies rise from graves in the local cemetery convinces them that something weird is indeed happening. Together, the trio work to uncover several of the strange mysteries plaguing Thedgeroot. Mitchell's well-developed kid characters and excellent caricatures (both written and visual) of the evil adult despots make this paranormal read engaging and goosebump inducing.--Petty, J. B. Copyright 2018 Booklist
