Was there something creepy about your school? Welcome to another book review post, my friend! Today I am sharing my book review for Middle Grade thriller, Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick as part of the blog tour hosted by the WriteReads. This book is seeing lots of good response and has been compared to R. L. Stine’s Goosebumps. Read more about the book and then check out my review.
It’s basically the worst school detention ever. When classmates (but not mate-mates) Hallie, Angelo, Gustav and Naira are forced to come to school on a SATURDAY, they think things can’t get much worse. But they’re wrong. Things are about to get seriously scary.
What has dragged their teacher underground? Why do the creepy caretakers keeping humming the tune to Itsy Bitsy Spider? And what horrors lurk in the shadows, getting stronger and meaner every minute . . .? Cut off from help and in danger each time they touch the ground, the gang’s only hope is to work together. But it’s no coincidence that they’re all there on detention. Someone has been watching and plotting and is out for revenge . . .
Content Notes include disability, animal cruelty, death and imprisonment. Characters come from a wide range of economic backgrounds and family structures.
Thoughts on Dread Wood
Dread Wood is a fast-paced Middle Grade drama set in a school called Dread Wood High. Four kids meet at the gate on a Saturday, having earned themselves a ‘consequence’, something like a detention. As they wait to be let into the estate (because an estate it is), we are introduced to Angelo, the main character. He and his classmates have landed themselves in trouble on one fateful day earlier in the week, and now it is time to make up for their bad behavior. In the course of the morning, the group gets to know each other as well as uncover some secrets around their school, the ground specifically.
I expected Dread Wood to be an adventure, with more of a fantasy twist than a scifi one, but that was my mistake. I actually quite enjoyed the way the plot and characters were written and the setting and pace of the novel was well done. Through the different characters – Angela, Hallie, Gus and Naira, I got a glimpse of the different kinds of kids that study at the school. It also gave the kids an opportunity to realize how they are the way they are – why Angelo is aloof, why Naira is so driven to get to the top, why Hallie is always protesting about something, and why Gus is a self-conscious sweet guy. I loved their troop and enjoyed how the story built their camaraderie while putting them in tough situations.
Though the group starts off with a teacher, an impromptu investigation into a missing pig leaves the kids unattended and fearing a monster. I was reminded of the tales that buildings and forests often hold for young minds, and Dread Wood reminded me of my time in school. My Grade 1-10 school was close to a cremation ground where dead bodies were burned and I am sure you can imagine how that can run imagination wild. Anyway, while the narrative is sinister and creepy, the danger isn’t of a supernatural nature. With Angelo’s keen interest in animals, the kids soon realize that there might be a strange extra-large spider living under the school grounds. What follows is their quest to save themselves from being taken/eaten, getting some clues on how the creature came to be and a way to connect to adults – because now that Mr C is out of the picture, it’s just the grounds keeper and his wife who could help but they are giving a Witch in Gingerbread house vibe.
Overall, Dread Wood is an engaging read. I enjoyed the cast and liked how they personally evolved as well over the course of the story. It has a good mix of humor, suspense and spookiness. This was a quick read that creates some memorable characters!
Add Dread Wood on Goodreads and Storygraph shelves. It was released 31st March 2022.
Check out reviews by other bloggers on the tour. Look for #DreadWood on twitter. 🙂
Many thanks to the publisher, FarShore, and The WriteReads for providing me with a complimentary digital review copy for an honest review.
There are a few other Middle Grade books that I have reviewed here on the blog. You can check them out here. Stay tuned for more!
Cover image: Photo by Emerson Peters on Unsplash
Fantastic review!
I read DreadWood and really enjoyed it. It is amazing to see how other people thought about my new favourite book!
Thanks for reading the review and sharing that it is one of your favorite books! I love hearing that. 🙂