The Puppet's Payback and Other Chilling Tales

by Mary Downing Hahn (Author)

The Puppet's Payback and Other Chilling Tales
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

From master of middle grade horror Mary Downing Hahn, an assortment of eerie short stories to thrill and chill young readers.

Meet a malicious hand puppet that's as much a part of your body as your hand itself. Attend a school that prepares students not for life, but for death. Witness a boy who lends his baseball glove to a different kid every spring--though he himself died years ago . . .

Best-selling author Mary Downing Hahn is at her eerie and unforgettable best in this collection of thrilling, chilling tales, and an afterword reveals sources of the author's inspiration as well as tips for young writers.

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School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-Hahn returns with more chilling tales for young readers, this time in short story form. This collection of 10 stories ranges from ghosts to witches and everything in between. Hahn's tales are typically gut-wrenchingly terrifying, often with grotesque monsters and an abundance of horrifying detail; but the stories included in this selection tend more on the side of creepy, eerie incidents. These stories are more accessible for sensitive readers who are still looking for a scare, but are not ready to delve into more ghastly selections. The format would work well for read-alouds, as many of the stories are short enough that they could be shared in a group. Hahn also includes a non-horror story that explains how she became a writer, particularly one of ghost stories, which will be of interest to young readers and could be used to inspire young writers in a classroom setting. VERDICT This collection of short spooky tales is accessible for more sensitive readers, but will still find fans with Hahn's regulars and horror aficionados alike. A suggested purchase for most middle grade collections.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"There is something for every fan of paranormal page-turners.... Unearthly tales sure to tingle the spines of fans new and old." —Kirkus

"This collection of short spooky tales is accessible for more sensitive readers, but will still find fans with Hahn's regulars and horror aficionados alike."—School Library Journal
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780358539780
Lexile Measure
680
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Clarion Books
Publication date
September 07, 2021
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039030 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Death & Dying
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV058000 - Juvenile Fiction | Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural
JUV018000 - Juvenile Fiction | Horror
JUV038000 - Juvenile Fiction | Short Stories
JUV069000 - Juvenile Fiction | Ghost Stories
JUV067000 - Juvenile Fiction | Thrillers & Suspense
Library of Congress categories
-

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