Nightbooks

Name: Nightbooks
Item: Nightbooks
Rating: 5
Author: Mary Eisenhart

Book review by

Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 9+

(i)

Witch holds kids captive in creepy but sweet fantasy tale.

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age 10+

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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

Educational Value

Steeped in references to classic children's tales, creepy and otherwise (Hansel and Gretel, the Arabian Nights), as well as classic horror movies (e.g., Night of the Living Dead). A bit of Arabic and Middle Eastern culture as Yasmin remembers happy times with her late "sito" (a term for "grandma" in Arabic). Much of the plot involves writing and storytelling and the issues and skills involved, from interior logic to writer's block.

Positive Messages

Strong messages of courage, friendship, teamwork, determination. Also a love of home and family. Acts of kindness pay off.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Struggling with being called a weirdo at school because he likes monsters and creepy stuff, Alex is highly relatable in his most vulnerable moments, which makes his moments of courage, connection, triumph all the sweeter. Yasmin has been captive for so long and seen so many kids disappear that she refuses to be friends with Alex at first, though the two eventually become a great team. Several of the now-vanished kids offered the right help at the right time.

Violence

For some readers, the most harrowing part of the story will be scenes where Alex thinks about his parents discovering he's gone, and when he wakes briefly and thinks he's home. Premise of being held captive, knowing other kids have also been there and never been seen again is scary. Constant threat that the witch will do something terrible as well. And you'll never get home. But there's more subtle violence underlying this story, whose events are set in motion when Alex is branded a freak by his teachers and classmates because he covered his notebook with monster stickers.

Sex

Language

Alex is frequently on the receiving end of name-calling, including "weirdo," "freak," and "loser."

Consumerism

Occasional references to actual commercial products and works of art -- e.g., Froot Loops, Night of the Living Dead.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Nightbooks by J.A. White (The Thickety) is a creepy tale with elements of the Brothers Grimm and the Arabian Nights, in which a boy is held captive by a witch in a magical apartment and forced to tell stories every night to stay alive. Between the creepiness of the situation and the relatable description of young Alex's feelings as he thinks of his mom discovering him gone, this tale may be too much for sensitive souls, but the rewards are huge: a thrilling plot, with strong messages of self-acceptance, being who you are, being a good friend, and problem-solving -- as well as quite a few short, creepy stories and much discussion of the writer's craft and how to make storytelling work for you.

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Adult Written byBellareviws1 October 9, 2018

age 10+

NightBooks

It was really fun to read. If you are younger then ten I recorded having a parent read it to you. Some of the words are really tricky to read.

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What's the story?

Alex, who loves monsters and creepy stuff, hates being called a weirdo, so in the dead of night he goes to burn his NIGHTBOOKS, in which he's been writing his own scary tales, so that he can be a normal person. Unfortunately, he's taken captive -- in a magic apartment in his building in New York City -- by a witch, who makes it pretty clear that he's never going home. However, she needs a storyteller to appease whatever it is that's trying to destroy the building, so some of those scary tales come in handy. Meanwhile, Alex finds another kid being held captive, along with evidence that there used to be lots more. What happened to them?

Is it any good?

Author J.A. White is in top form in this tale of a horror-loving kid who's captured by a witch in modern-day New York City and forced to tell scary stories. Nightbooks isn't for everyone, especially more sensitive readers, but it's full of rewards, from lots of useful information for budding writers to strong messages of friendship and self-acceptance, as its relatable characters face numerous perils.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about stories that use elements from other stories (like "Hansel and Gretel" here) to create something new. Do you think this approach works well in Nightbooks? What elements do you recognize from other stories?
Have you ever been stuck in a bad situation you didn't think you'd ever escape? What happened?
If someone you knew plastered stickers of monsters all over his notebook, would you think he was weird or cool?

Book details

Author: J.A. White
Genre: Fantasy
Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Friendship, Misfits and Underdogs, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
Book type: Fiction
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date: July 24, 2018
Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
Number of pages: 304
Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle