Creepers

Jacob and Ava have a great family…until a new family moves in down the street. They are dressed all in black and grim as can be. When Jacob’s father returns home, instead of enjoying a nice family dinner, he flops himself into a chair in the living room and yells at Jacob. All Dad wants is his pizza, the TV, and time alone. Jacob and Ava retreat to their rooms and wait for Mom to return. When they wake late the next morning, neither parent is up and ready to go. Hoping that things will be better later, they go to school, where it’s actually worse. Teachers are watching movies on personal devices, secretaries are yelling at kids, and the principal has left. There has to be an explanation, and Jacob, with Ava’s help, will find out and fix it.

This horror story for younger readers is a great addition to the Creepers series. There are gaps in the narrative, leading to questions of who?…what?…but much of the missing information can be chalked up to the narrator’s lack of knowledge. The short length and in-depth illustrations make it a perfect bridge between picture books and longer horror stories.