Wipeout of the Wireless Weenies

April 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-More than 30 strange short stories will astound middle graders with tales that have endings from the mildly puzzling to the gruesome and bizarre. The seventh in a collection by Lubar, the setting is contemporary in all stories. Plot development is fast paced and most chapters average just two pages, with macabre twists and unforeseen consequences. In many stories the protagonist actually fades out into darkness and one can assume death is their ultimate fate-these entries are not for the faint of heart. In one of the more ghastly tales, "Mr. Chompywhomp," a little girl needs to make a sudden unescorted trip to her Aunt's house, who lives around the block. She runs into three nasty older boys who seem to be out to harm her. Luckily she has her teddy bear, Mr. Chompywomp. When the boys tease her and rip the bear's head off its body, a strange demonlike creature emerges from the bear and starts eating the boys' hearts, one by one. The demon grooms himself, jumps back inside the teddy bear, and the little girl tells the grisly double creature not to worry, Auntie will have a sewing kit to fix it up, "good as new." This collection will be interesting to middle grade readers, both reluctant and voracious, who are looking for scary stories and are not easily grossed out.-Ellie Lease, Harford County Public Library, MD

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2014
Grades 3-5 Lubar releases his eighth collection of warped and creepy tales, a series of very short stories, each two to seven pages. Each story contains a twist, and though many are humorous, others earn their creepy moniker. Not every protagonist in these stories will live to see another day. Following the stories, Lubar gives short explanations of each tale's inspiration. Stories include parents who fake a zombie apocalypse to avoid hosting a birthday party, a vicious doll in a dumpster, and giant squid creatures who wipe out a school because the students are too busy on their smartphones to escape. Only the protagonist, whose parents have steadfastly refused to buy her a phone, survives. The language is evocative but not overly challenging. For instance, in a story about animated cat litter, the girl sees assorted lumps lurking beneath the surface of the litter. With its mix of humor and chills, this collection is a sure bet for fans of R. L. Stine's Goosebumps series and reluctant readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)