Creepy Classroom

August 15, 2024
A weekend job at the library turns into a terrifying ordeal. Matt is sent to the school library as punishment for falling asleep in class. He's filled with uneasiness upon meeting Mr. Leclerc, the librarian, an odd man whom Matt's never seen before. His concern subsides when Mr. Leclerc offers him a paid weekend job weeding old books. But Matt begins to regret his decision the next Saturday as they descend in a key-operated elevator into a dark, dusty basement filled with old school furnishings, taxidermied animals, and formaldehyde-preserved fauna. Matt works alone all morning, paging through creepy medical texts with descriptions of rare diseases and embalming. Lunchtime passes with no sign of Mr. Leclerc. Matt's anxiety turns to full-blown panic when he discovers his dying cellphone has no service. Will Matt find a way to escape? And what does Mr. Leclerc have planned? Translated from French, this brief, fast-paced novel, reminiscent of Roald Dahl's short story "The Landlady," will hook readers from the very first page as they're eventually plunged into a living nightmare. Matt's anxiety and fear are palpable; readers will readily identify with his plight. Black-and-white illustrations peppered throughout heighten the eerie mood. Physical descriptions are minimal. Satisfyingly chilling.(Horror. 9-13)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2024

Gr 4 Up-If there ever was a time for Matt not to fall asleep, it would be in French class. Poor Matt's punishment is to help librarian Victor Leclerc in the basement library, a former dark and dingy chapel. Matt is welcomed as a "fine specimen" and tasked with boxing outdated library books. It is only after he loses track of time browsing through the tomes that Matt discovers zombie students as prisoners of the librarian, and he's next in line! Gravel's short horror novel is ideal for timid intermediate grade levels craving light scares and humor. Striving readers or English language learners will gravitate towards this 800 Lexile level work, translated from French. The plot concludes rather abruptly, perhaps in anticipation of a sequel. Educators could use this title to create figurative language lessons on metaphor or hyperbole. VERDICT A gentle horror perfect for reading aloud, and for fans of Charles Gilman's "Tales from Lovecraft Middle School" series.-Laura Dooley-Taylor

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.