The Slither Sisters: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #2
by Charles Gilman
Eugene Smith, illustrator
Quirk Books
5 Stars
Releases on Tuesday, 1-15-2013
Back Cover: LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING! Sarah and Sylvia Price may resemble ordinary middle grade school students, but they’re campaigning for student council, with a secret plan for abducting the entire seventh grade! The only ones brave enough to stop them are twelve-year-old Robert Arthur and his best friends: the school bully, the school ghost, and a very hungry two-headed rat. This begins where Professor Gargoyle left off.
First, let me say I have not read Professor Gargoyle and did not have any trouble understanding what this is about. The Slither Sisters stands on its own. If you have read Professor Gargoyle you will thoroughly enjoy this second book in the Lovecraft Middle School Series. One thing new readers need to know is Crawford Tillinghast, a mad scientist, has a grand scheme to take over the middle school.
The first thing you will notice is the cover. It is a “Lenticular cover” which is one made of plastics that morphs into a different picture depending on the angle from which it is viewed similar, to a holograph. The Price sisters are shown in two views, one as themselves and the other as the transformed souls of Crawford Tillinghast. I do not like snakes so I was a bit gun shy. The cover liked the souls better than the girls on my book.
The story is about a group of middle grade kids that one mad scientist wants to transform into monsters, first to take over the school and then, I am guessing, once that is done a bigger target will appear under this sociopath’s radar. The Price sisters were transformed in book one and are back to help their “Master” complete his plan.
In the middle of everyone’s goals stands an old mansion called Tillinghast because it was once the home of the normal Tillinghast family. Crawford lives there sequestered in his laboratory and his sister is in the school. The mansion was moved into an alternate dimension during time travel testing and can now only be entered and exited through vortexes located around the school. Finding those vortexes is key to fighting Crawford.
Two boys, Robert and Glenn, along with their ghost friend Karina, and a two-headed pet rat named Pip and Squeak know what the sisters are up to. They plan to take them down—or at least stop them. Glenn, who was a big bully in book one and ripped off “fees” from Robert each day, is now Robert ‘s best buddy. No one else knows what is happening and no one will believe the three kids. They are on their own to nab the criminal weirdos.
I normally am not interested in this kind of fare, BUT I loved this book. It has the usual middle school angst, adults who do not get it, and one odd ball source of help no one will see coming. There is no violence in the story despite its theme and plot. The Slither Sisters is imaginative, sometimes funny, and a beast of a treat. Young boys who are reluctant readers will like this book. It is an easy read—I read it in one night—with few difficult words. The Price sisters are popular and have power because of this popularity. Robert, Glenn, and Karina are (or were) nerdy, setting up the
classic weak vs. strong fight.
The illustrations are black and whites that will give you a lasting impression of these characters. They have lots of detail, always good, and for the couple of scenes that are a bit difficult to imagine, the illustrations help out tremendously. Great renditions of the students.
The Slither Sisters is a creepy tale with loads of equally creepy monsters and beasts, with a few unlikely heroes thrown in. I think boys and girls will eat this book up, if for no other reason than a glimpse of middle school life elsewhere. Okay, maybe part of that is not true, but they will enjoy this story and no one will go to bed afraid or wake up terrified after reading The Slither Sisters.
To Enroll in Lovecraft Middle School go to: lovecraftmiddleschool.com
The Slither Sisters: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #2
by Charles Gilman quirkbio Eugene Smith, illustrator blog quirkbio Quirk Books website bookswebsite Releases on January 15, 2013 Trailer ISBN: 978-1-59474-593-5 176 Pages Ages 10 and up
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Copyright (C)2013 by Quirk Books, used with permission Text: copyright 2013 by Charles Gilman Illustrations: copyright © 2013 by Eugene Smith
Illustrations waiting for permissions.
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Teacher’s Pest: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #3 releases in May, 2013
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Ooooh…..this sounds fantastic for my 11 year old daughter. Can’t wait to tell her about it!
Hi Melinda, Nice to see you here. You know, there is no reason to wait. Book one is available now and could be finished before this book one. Then in May the third book will be released. Once, your daughter–or you–read The Slither Sisters, she–and you–will want to read book one Professor Gargoyle. Might as well read them in order. I wish I had, but am definitely going back to book one.
This sounds like a cool, creepy book! Thanks for sharing!
“Cool creepy” is an appropriate term. What do you think about the two-headed rat. Once the illustration permissions come through, stupid weekend post, I’ll have a picture of the cutie for you.
That sounds pretty cool creepy as well!
Reblogged this on 4writersandreaders and commented:
A GREAT new read for middle-graders! Bette
Thank you for the re-blog. Do you think I can use that as a publishing credit?
Sounds like a GREAT Read for our middle-graders! Will definitely share, Bette
Quirk Books doesn’t publish tons of books a year, but the ones they do fit their moniker: Quirky. The last I read was last year’s Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, which I believe, was written by the same author as Tales from Lovecraft Middle School (uses pen names).
Coooool… I like the plot…
What? You don’t like the cover? You always like the cover. The plot is weird, quirky, oddball, interesting, keeps you guessing, and kid-friendly. But the cover!
I like this school already—like somewhere I would like to go. Sounds like a wonderfully ghoulish adventure.
Diane, what is stopping you? They are enrolling now, taking students and I bet maybe an art teacher. Go enroll. The link is above or, if too tired to scroll from all that editing, go to http://LovecraftMiddleSchool.com and enroll. I’m taking a wild guess that the school will need teachers–at least substitute teachers.
Ha! It sounds fun. I knew in Middle School that those popular girls weren’t as perfect as they appeared!
I found that out during a ten year high school reunion. They hadn’t lasted fifteen years before going flabby. But not one had snake hair–that I know of. Perfect faded fast while the rest of us blossomed. Am I right, Cupcake?