Welcome to Scare School

by Jarrett Lerner, Jarrett Lerner (Illustrator)

Overview

A young ghost tries his best to fit in with the rest of the ghouls in this sweet and spooky chapter book by acclaimed author Jarrett Lerner.

Bash, a young ghost who’s never been good at “ghost stuff” is heading off to Scare School, the world’s leading institution for elementary scare instruction, and he’s not happy about it. In fact, he’s kind of scared! His older sister Bella, precocious in every way, was a star student there and he knows the classes are hard and the teachers are tough.

Even before his first day of school, Bash is worried about how he’s going to make it through the rigorous curriculum when he hasn’t been able to get the hang of basics like making himself invisible or passing through walls (without bonking his head!). Will the young ghost get booooted out of Scare School?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665922081
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	07/16/2024
Series:	Scare School Diaries , #1
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	126,141
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jarrett Lerner is the award-winning creator of more than a dozen books for kids, including the EngiNerds series of middle grade novels, the Geeger the Robot series of early chapter books, the Hunger Heroes series of graphic chapter books, two activity books, the illustrated novel in verse A Work in Progress, and the Nat the Cat series of early readers. You can find him online at JarrettLerner.com and on X (previously known as Twitter) and Instagram at @Jarrett_Lerner. He lives with his wife and daughters in Massachusetts.

Jarrett Lerner is the award-winning creator of more than a dozen books for kids, including the EngiNerds series of middle grade novels, the Geeger the Robot series of early chapter books, the Hunger Heroes series of graphic chapter books, two activity books, the illustrated novel in verse A Work in Progress, and the Nat the Cat series of early readers. You can find him online at JarrettLerner.com and on X (previously known as Twitter) and Instagram at @Jarrett_Lerner. He lives with his wife and daughters in Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

04/29/2024

This frightfully fun book by Lerner (the Nat the Cat series) collects all the paranormal creatures of the night into a boarding school setting. Quivering with dread, Bash, an insecure young ghost, enters Scare School, fearful that he will fail the classes meant to test his ghostly skills, including flying, invisibility, and intangibility. Bash isn’t as proficient as his talented older sister Bella, and worries he’ll be doomed to haunt small-time locations like closets or dresser drawers as a result. He’s surprised to discover he (mostly) enjoys Scare School: the headless headmaster is kind and his roommate, Itsy Spider, is his first real friend. Still, the classes are just as difficult—and the teachers are just as fearsome—as Bash anticipated. Even with amateur hypnotist Itsy as his study buddy, Bash struggles. But while he fumbles his attempt to use his powers to rescue Itsy from bullies, Bash’s actions provide a distraction that allows Itsy to scurry to safety. Via Bash’s “TOTALLY PRIVATE” journal entries, Lerner utilizes howling humor and occasional b&w comics to depict timid Bash, who—with help from his new friends and an unexpected source—faces his fears and (mostly) succeeds. Ages 5–8. (July)

Publishers Weekly

2024-04-20
A young ghost arrives at Scare School.

Unlike big sister Bella, late bloomer Bash has never been good at “all the GHOST STUFF.” Dad’s sure that Scare School is just what Bash needs. Bash isn’t so certain; he’s intimidated by his classmates and teachers. But he perks up when he meets his roommate, Itsy, a smart, welcoming spider, though he vows to steer clear of mean-spirited Vlad and Vicky. Still, the dreaded Creature Aptitude Test worries Bash. To pass, he must pass through solid objects and turn himself invisible—skills he struggles with. Bash doesn’t want to be kicked out of school, so he’ll have to buckle down. With Itsy’s help and encouragement from his classmates, Bash realizes he’s more capable than he thought. Written in first person from endearingly anxious Bash’s point of view, the book has a diarylike feel. The text is presented in a handwritten font, while grayscale cartoon illustrations are peppered throughout. The supportive, sincere friendship between Bash and Itsy is the most compelling part of the story. Letters between Bash and Bella shed further light on Bash’s personality and their relationship. Though the book’s takeaway—believe in yourself, and you can do anything—is a familiar one, it’s just what many children need…and who better to deliver the message than an adorably nervous ghost?

Approachable and comfortably predictable. (Fiction. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews