Module 8: Nightmares!

Summary:

Charlie Laird has been having nightmares each night that have been increasingly more realistic and frightening. One night, the witch in Charlie's nightmare threatens to come into the waking world and drag him into the realm of nightmare land. She does just that and it's up to Charlie and his friends to face their fears - no matter how terrifying - in order to find their way back home!

Reference:

Segel, J. & Miller, K. (2014). Nightmares! New York, NY: Random House.

Impressions:

This book had a little bit of everything: scares, laughs, mystery, and even tears! I absolutely loved the humor that this book provided and the touching moments near the end. I had the opportunity to enjoy this in audiobook format and was so pleased with my choice. The narration brought the characters to life and gave them their own personalities that really gave me the opportunity to connect with the main characters. I think this is a wonderful choice for readers who want a book with twists and turns and a splash of humor and heart. 

Professional Review:

Charlie Laird’s nightmares become a reality when he discovers a portal to the Netherworld.

Charlie’s widowed father has recently remarried, and Charlie hates it. He hates his stepmom. He hates that his young brother, Jack, is taken in by her. But most of all he hates the new house his family has moved into, as well as the never-ending stream of nightmares he experiences there every night. An evil witch haunts Charlie’s sleep, threatening to eat him and his brother up. When the witch appears in the real world and snatches Jack away, Charlie follows her into the Netherworld and, with the aid of a gorgon and a few slumbering friends, sets out to save not just his brother, but the Land of Nightmares itself. As a first book in a proposed trilogy, there’s a lot of promise here. The authors set up the supernatural rules of this world with ease, not getting bogged down with exceptions or contradictions. The book succeeds at scaring and amusing in equal measure, with the Nightmares as varied as they are humorous. At the heart of the endeavor is a story of personal growth, one that fits nicely with the spooky doings surrounding it. Best of all, this is a contained story. There’s no cliffhanger, no shoddy lingering threats. Upon completion, readers could set it down and never return to the Netherworld, but this world is so enjoyable and interesting, it’s hard to not anticipate future trips.

Sweet, charming and imaginative: a promising launch. 

[Review of the book Nightmares!]. (July 2014). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jason-segel/nightmares/

Library Uses: 

This book is available in audiobook format and is narrated by Jason Segel himself! The narration was excellent and I believe this would be a great opportunity to introduce students to our ebook and audiobook collection.