Welcome to Lovecraft Middle School...

Why hello there!

Welcome back to the site that aims to bring you something SPOOKY, something TERRIFYING, but mostly something BOOKISH every day of the week….Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we are celebrating the first book in a newly released Middle Grade series from the great folks over at Quirk Books.  (Hi, Eric!)  Right from the start, your attention will be fully engaged as you take a second, no THIRD look at the unique cover that graces this installment (and will grace future installments...woo-hoo!)  How so?  Well, it’s called a lenticular cover and basically it gives you a 3D look at a changing picture…you know, so that (in this case) you can see Professor Gargoyle as he appears and as he REALLY is… *-*  Without further ado, allow me to introduce today’s book of choice….

Tales from Lovecraft Middle School, Book 1:

Professor Gargoyle

By

Charles Gilman

Illustrated by

Eugene Smith

From the publisher…

Strange things are happening at Lovecraft Middle School. Rats are leaping from lockers. Students are disappearing. The school library is a maze of secret corridors. And the science teacher is acting very peculiar. In fact, he just might be a monster in disguise. Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur knew that seventh grade was going to be weird, but this is ridiculous!

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Sounds pretty cool, right?  It is, it is…it REALLY is!

It’s a quick read at only 175 pages, but a fun one nonetheless and something that we all can relate to on some level.  Who HASN’T been the new kid in school at one time or another?  I know I have more times than I care to remember, but while exciting because of the newness of it all, that same newness makes it rather terrifying; especially if you’ve been bullied (like Robert here) or are a bit shy (like myself).  Lucky for me, no two-headed rodents befriended me (though they were pretty cool in theory) nor did any of my teachers try to bite my head off…literally at least.  (^_^) 

For Robert, those things are simply a part of his new daily routine…well not simply but considering everything else he has to deal with, simply DOES sum it up.  The story as a whole is exciting with enough forward momentum to keep even reluctant readers turning the pages and as a bonus it works for both boys (with the gruesome aspects and main character) AND girls (with the mystery to be solved and his new mysterious friend Karina) with its varied content and no parental type warning is required….though if the reader is leery of spiders, you might want to read it during daylight hours only; just sayin’.  

Aside from the overall entertainment value of this imaginative creation and the great illustrations strewn throughout that provide more food for your eyes, I love how this quirky book works little life lessons and messages into the story.  That’s right, (slightly) hidden messages and morals abound…who would’ve thunk!  We learn a lesson in bullies and how to handle them; even if Robert doesn’t exactly follow the advice given.  We see that not all things that are odd or unusual equate to something bad or evil; the old don’t judge a book by its cover.  That same principle can be applied to our Professor “friend” who umm…has some rather unusual eating habits to contend with (Blech!) as well as a temper that has him flying off the handle (or classroom floor) when push comes to shove.  We see that shiny and new doesn’t always mean bigger and better.  We find out that our fears can be overcome or at least faced a bit easier with a little help from our friends and a smidgen of confidence in ourselves.  We even learn that just because a rat has two heads does not mean that they share the share opinions, inclinations nor food preferences.  (Okay, so that last one may not be as usable world wide but at Lovecraft Middle School, it definitely helps!)

In conclusion, a great new series that will have you devouring pages faster than the professor can gobble small rodents…not that he would or anything…~whistles.  Let your imagination run wild through the hallways of a school named after one of the known masters of spookiness (it’s true…check out the author’s page to learn more!) and try to help Robert and friends uncover just what is lurking around the next corner…you know, before it uncovers them! 

Special thanks to Eric at Quirk Books for the review copy.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their complete catalog, be sure to stop by their site, friend them on Pinterest or follow along on Twitter.  To discover more about the world of Lovecraft Middle School, check out the school’s official site or Facebook page…who knows?  Maybe you’ll want to be the next student to enroll…  Also, as mentioned, this is a planned series!  Each installment promises to bring the creepy fun with The Slither Sisters arrival fast approaching and Teacher’s Pest following close on its heels.  My word!  It seems they will be popping up faster than you can say Kyaloh yog-sothoth f’ah …uh-oh.

–sees swirling abyss forming-

Gotta run!

Until next time…happy reading!