This week Mort Stone reviews the new middle grade book, IT WATCHES IN THE DARK, by Jeff Strand!
Enjoy!
My first thought after finishing this middle grade book was that it was perfect as an introductory story to the horror genre.
One thing most horror readers and writers have in common is that they read or saw that one story that made them fall in love with the genre. I had a few friends in my formative years who saw the same movies I did (and later read the same books), but none of them were drawn to the genre as I was. I did not have access to any GOOSEBUMPS books, so it was not a gradual thing for me.
When I was 13, I saw PET SEMATARY and I was hooked. From there, I devoured every book written by King I could get my hands on. The friends who saw it with me did not have the same reaction, most of them preferring action over horror.
Which is why I think the target audience for this genre will be drawn to it whether they realize it or not, but it might be best to get their reaction before you throw the heavier stuff at them.
If you are a parent and you want to find out if your child is drawn to this genre, this is the book I can recommend. It has all the necessary elements to make a scary story without being too graphic and gory. Throw in some humor to ease the tension and you get something that talks on a level that is age appropriate.
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5 Stars.
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