Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Spooky middle grade ghost-buster delivers haunting thrills.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
As THE CLACKITY, BLIGHT HARBOR, BOOK 1 opens, 12-year-old Evie Von Rathe sets out to rescue her aunt from a shadowy being known as The Clackity. Evie must enter seven strange houses and unveil their secrets. Her horrific quest is both creepy and fun, right up to the time she confronts the ghost of a serial killer.
Is It Any Good?
Living in a haunted town has some advantages, and this spooky chiller plays them up. In The Clackity, Blight Harbor, Book 1, Evie Von Rathe is a brave and persistent heroine, and readers will root for her every step of the way as she tries to rescue her beloved Aunt Desdemona. Her supernatural opponents are sufficiently weird, and her allies steady and true. There's room for sequels, and readers will want to return for more.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Clackity portrays life in a small town. Do people behave differently in small communities?
Why do people believe in ghosts? How has the idea of an afterlife shaped world religion?
What's fun about horror and ghost stories? Why are they so popular?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Atheneum Books For Young Readers
- Publication date : June 21, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 14
- Number of pages : 288
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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