The fear zone

Eighth-graders April and Andres, their ex-friend Caroline, and ninth-graders Deshaun and Kyle are invited to the graveyard on Halloween night via an anonymous note. Thinking it might be a prank or an invite to a party, they attend and are surprised to discover a defaced gravestone telling them to dig. Caroline unearths a mysterious tin box but not much else happens . . . until later. Suddenly, the group is stuck in a Nightmare of Elm Street–style mess where, every time they attempt sleep, they have nightmares of their greatest fears, including clowns, sharks, being buried alive, ghosts, and snakes. It soon becomes clear that they aren't just dreaming when April's clown begins stalking and taunting them during waking hours—he needs their fear and will consume it until they are dead. Is there anything the friends can do to stop him? While the plot brings nothing new to the table, there is a positive undertone of acceptance and the power of friendship to solve problems. A quick read for graduates of Goosebumps. Grades 4-7. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

Eighth-graders April and Andres, their ex-friend Caroline, and ninth-graders Deshaun and Kyle are invited to the graveyard on Halloween night via an anonymous note. Thinking it might be a prank or an invite to a party, they attend and are surprised to discover a defaced gravestone telling them to dig. Caroline unearths a mysterious tin box but not much else happens . . . until later. Suddenly, the group is stuck in a Nightmare of Elm Street–style mess where, every time they attempt sleep, they have nightmares of their greatest fears, including clowns, sharks, being buried alive, ghosts, and snakes. It soon becomes clear that they aren't just dreaming when April's clown begins stalking and taunting them during waking hours—he needs their fear and will consume it until they are dead. Is there anything the friends can do to stop him? While the plot brings nothing new to the table, there is a positive undertone of acceptance and the power of friendship to solve problems. A quick read for graduates of Goosebumps. Grades 4-7. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

Gr 4–8—When five young teens are summoned to the cemetery at midnight on Halloween, they think it's a prank, but curiosity gets the best of them. Once they arrive, there's no prank to be found, but there is an eerie gravestone bearing the grisly omen "your nightmares begin," which seems to appear by magic. As the days go by, all five are haunted by their worst nightmares, which are controlled by an evil clown who is stalking the friends and luring them to his lair. The friends must work together and face their fears in order to get out alive, or risk becoming prey to the terrifying clown. The story is told from varying points of view, which keeps the plot moving swiftly as each of the teens experiences their worst nightmares come to life. Each of the characters is given an "issue" (body image, struggles with sexuality, difficult home life, death of a parent), but none of these topics are fully fleshed out, nor do they contribute to the main plot; they could have easily been omitted. The dynamics among the five characters also feel underdeveloped. VERDICT Those who love plot-driven, edge-of-your-seat horror will enjoy the frequent scares. Recommended for collections with a solid group of horror fans.—Ellen Conlin, Naperville Public Library, IL Copyright 2019 School Library Journal.

"When five kids are invited to a cemetery at midnight, they think it's just a prank. When they find a gravestone that instructs them to dig up a grave, they think it's just a joke. It's no joke. An evil force is unleashed - a force that takes the shapeof their worst fears. Once these fears are released, they won't go away. Not without a fight--"--

After five friends go along with what they think is a prank to go to a cemetery at midnight and dig up a grave, they discover they have unleashed a force that makes their worst fears come true and that the only way to destroy those fears is to face them.

If you don't stand up to your fears,they will destroy you.When five kids are invited to a cemetery at midnight, they think it's just a prank. When they find a gravestone that instructs them to dig up a grave, they think it's just a joke.It's no joke.An evil force is unleashed - a force that takes the shape of their worst fears.A shark in the water.A ghost in the walls.A nightmare of being buried alive.A snake about to strike.A sinister clown waiting in the woods.Once these fears are released, they won't go away. Not without a fight. . . .