The Book That Ate My Brother

January 1, 2011

Gr 3-5-Follow-ups to the "Library of Doom" series, these brief, fast-paced titles are good for a mild spook. There are dangerous books out there, and the mysterious Librarian keeps them from falling into the wrong hands. In The Book That Ate My Brother, siblings Tyler and Jack are consumed by an evil book with an appetite for humans. It's up to the Librarian and his sidekick, the Specialist, to intervene and prevent the boys from death by digestion. In The Vampire Chapter, Harry and Jon look into a mystery surrounding a vampire book checked out from the library, only to find the real thing. Luckily, the Librarian is on the case as well, rescuing the boys and retrieving his book in the process. The dialogue, basic and straightforward, only serves to move the plot ahead, resulting in flat characters. The books are created to look like old tomes, with smudged yellowed pages and torn corners. Irregular fonts are used to emphasize key words. Inky, comics-inspired artwork appears frequently, breaking up the texts. Back matter includes discussion questions and writing prompts, which adds usefulness in a classroom setting. Entertaining, if unremarkable, fare for readers finished with Alvin Schwartz's "Scary Stories" (HarperCollins).-Travis Jonker, Dorr Elementary School, MI

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