The Nightmarys

July 26, 2010
Seventh-grade best friends Timothy and Stuart are both upset when Timothy accidentally volunteers to be a project partner in class with a surly new girl named Abigail. But although Timothy and Abigail clash, after viewing a dire-looking painting called The Edge of Doom on a field trip they are forced to bond when strange and dangerous things start happening to them, including visits from two ghostly girls called the Nightmarys. It is up to them to solve a mystery related to Abigail’s family, which involves an ancient cursed bone and a 60-year-old murder, before events turn deadly. Plot twists keep the pacing taut, conspiring to make readers believe that Timothy and Abigail have beaten the latest threat, only to put them in greater danger. Poblocki (The Stone Child) offers plenty of grisly, cinematically creepy imagery for readers who like a good scare, and the tightly wound narrative and ongoing tension between Timothy and Abigail will keep readers holding their breath until even after what they think is the climax. Ages 9–12.

December 1, 2010

Gr 5-8-When seventh-grader Timothy is paired with the new girl, Abigail, for a school project, he doesn't expect to find himself fighting against nightmares: his friend's, his teacher's, and his own. Suddenly, people who make Abigail angry are being haunted by their worst fears. But if she is causing the situation, why is she being haunted, too? And how can she make it stop? Timothy and Abigail discover that what is happening to them is somehow tied to a 60-year-old mystery of a missing girl, but the real cause of the terror taking over their town might be even older. Secrets-Abigail's, Timothy's, and even Abigail's grandmother's-must be revealed before the pair can defeat an ancient curse and put the Nightmarys to rest. Full of tense moments and atmospheric settings, this book will keep readers turning pages as quickly as they can. Poblocki keeps the suspense high as he slowly reveals the truth about who or what is in control. While the plot twists may be somewhat confusing, the strong characters and deliciously frightening action will keep fans of scary stories engaged to the end.-Karen E. Brooks-Reese, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2010
Grades 6-10 Timothy doesnt really know what to make of Abigail, the new girl in his seventh-grade class. After she is humiliated before her classmates, bad things start happening. Timothys best friend sees the clawed monster from his favorite video game at the bottom of a pool. Their teacher begins to get paranoid about the creepy specimen jars surrounding his classroom. But its not Abigails fault; in fact, she is seeing visions of the Nightmarystwo sinister little girls who beckon her to come play with them. Its a marvelously disorienting setup, and Poblocki has a knack for cornering his characters in the most unlikely of vulnerable places: a laundry room, a changing room, a hospital bed. As the plot begins to hammer sense into the horrific happeningsit all has to do with a mystical jawbone, an insane professor, and a demon called the Daughter of Chaosthe scares get bigger, though often less impactful. More than anything, this is a mystery, complete with clues and secret codes, and Poblockis deft handling of the multiple threads makes this a devilish delight.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)