Read, Scream, Repeat is an absolute must-have for Key Stage Two classrooms and any readers who love that creeping feeling that makes your hair prickle and stomach twist. Jennifer Killick has created something truly special with a collection of thirteen chilling tales written by some of the best middle grade authors.
These stories are gripping from the first word, holding readers tight in their grasp until the very end. As I devoured each one, I couldn’t help but gasp, shudder or let out an “ooooh!” as I realised the horrible truth in the tale. It had my children completely intrigued as I read to myself – “Why do you have such an evil laugh, Mummy? What’s happened in the story?” I know it won’t be long before they devour it themselves!
Readers are absolutely spoilt for choice when deciding which short story to read first.
In Jennifer Killick’s “The Pond“, a bike stunt goes terribly wrong and Manny’s little sister’s precious doll is ruined. Does he dare get rid of the evidence by throwing the doll in the pond? Surely rumours of a curse that brings things back to life can’t be true. Manny learns a harsh lesson about owning up to his mistakes and facing the consequences before even worse consequences come to pass.
“Deep Water” by Dan Smith finds Mia spending the summer with her horrible, spoilt cousins. They bully and taunt Mia making her life miserable. One day, they demand she goes swimming with them. The children have been warned to stay away from the far end of the lake because there’s something mysterious out there. What happens when children don’t listen and swim too far?
Phil Hickes is the master of ghostly tales. In “The Attic Room“, he takes readers on a school trip to a stately home that goes terribly wrong. A strange face in an attic window, a new boy who doesn’t seem to fit in and the history of the family who used to live there add up to a story that will give you shivers.
Read, Scream, Repeat is perfect for daily short stories in the Autumn term as nights draw in and even better for residentials when children want to be deliciously scared! Each story is just the right length to read in one sitting when everyone is cuddled up together, wide-eyed and waiting for the moment of truth. Collective groans, shivers and screams will create incredible book memories and inspire children to pick up other books by these fantastic authors.
Wolf Moon by Kirsty Applebaum
Charlie’s Twelfth by Sharna Jackson
Game Over by Aisha Bushby
The Light Bulb by Rachel Delahaye
Talos Spings by Elle McNicoll
The Pond by Jennifer Killick
Underlay Underlings by Joseph Coelho
Deep Water by Dan Smith
The Green Ghost by Kat Ellis
The Glass House by Polly Ho-Yen
The Attic Room by Phil Hickes
Hide and Seek by J.T. Williams
A Cry from the Graveyard by Jasbinder Bilan
A huge thank you to Farshore Books for an early copy!
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