"Just the right balance of humor, mystery, and scariness for a preteen audience. A fun addition to the growing genre of scary books for middle graders; readers will be eager to see more of this smart and spunky trio in further spooky adventures." -- Kirkus Reviews "The story balances the spookier elements with the humorous and/or difficult going-ons of middle school. Heart and humor elevate the formulaic tropes, making this as easy quick pick for a just creepy enough read." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "White opens the Shadow School trilogy with a well-paced thriller of a new-kid-at-school narrative. Tension builds to a crescendo when an overnight rescue attempt goes awry, and the ending promises more adventures to come for Cordelia and her friends." -- ALA Booklist "The preteens' friendship is realistic and appealing. The suspense is engaging and consistent throughout, and there's a perfect mix of scares and mystery that will entice even the most fainthearted of readers.

VERDICT This delightful blend of friendship, suspense, and spectral sightings belongs on most shelves." -- School Library Journal Praise for Nightbooks: "Fans of gloomy fare such as Lemony Snicket, Adam Gidwitz, or Neil Gaiman will find an equally twisting and terrifying tale here." -- School Library Journal (starred review) "A thrilling tale of magic that is just scary enough." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Praise for the Thickety series: "Darkly bewitching. Readers will devour each twist and turn of the plot, right up to the startling conclusion." -- School Library Journal "The twisted plot is perfectly matched by the twisted atmosphere. Spine-tingling." -- Booklist (starred review).