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By Victoria Schwab

Published: 2018

Word Count: 45,808

AR Level: 4.8

AR Points: 7.0

I suggest 5th through 8th grade.

I discovered this book while walking through B&N and then quickly located it at my local library. I was ready for something spooky but not too heavy. This book was a great recipe for that.

Why this story is relevant

For middle grade, the balance between scary and not-too-scary is difficult to perfect, and Schwab does a great job giving kids the creeps without completely creeping them out. In the story, Cass can see ghosts, which becomes super spooky when her parents take on some ghost hunting in Scotland. The story has a great, tense ending with just the right amount of dead people, and the characters and crazy events will keep kids entertained along the way.

Why readers will love it

Adults get all types of creepy movies, shows, and books aimed at them. Teens too, have pretty good horror media, including the recent Goosebumps series on Disney, and a whole range of scary books. City of Ghosts gives older elementary and younger middle school readers their own, manageable brand of scary.

What writers need to know

This book is succinct and appropriate for the age group. While the word “appropriate” may sound dull, being able to hit the nail on the head with the right amount of fright takes practice and editing. So, give this a read for a better sense of what this age range might be looking for in intensity.

Check it out at Barnes and Noble.