The Clackity (Blight Harbor)

Let Evie Von Rathe take you on a perilous journey to dangerous magical places. You might just change as much as she does on the journey. The Clackity does not disappoint. Rather, it keeps on surprising you until you're certain there can't be another twist left, then there is. It is the richest fabric of horror and fairy tale any child could ever wish for, plot and character driven and masterfully written in vivid colour. There is so much packed in between the lines that I will be thinking about it for a long time to come. I can't wait to see what Lora Senf will write next. And if Tim Burton could make this into a film for me that would be great. You listening, Tim?

I came across this book through Goodreads, and I am so glad that I did. It is a weirdly strange, and creepy book for younger readers.The opening of the book perfectly gives you an idea of how this story is going to be:"There was no shortage of otherwordly concerns in Blight Harbor, mainly because it was the seventh most haunted town in America (per capita)."We are then introduced to Evie, a young girl who, following the disappearance of her parents, is now living with her Aunt Desdemona in the supernaturally afflicted town of Blight Harbor. Ghosts are not an unusual thing there, so Evie seems to be pretty nonchalant about their existence, and potentially sharing a space with them. But, generally, the ghosts that she has encountered are good and harmless. Following her aunt's disappearance, whilst investigating the old abbatoir in town, Evie meets The Clackity, and she discovers that not all supernatural things are benign.Senf has made a perfectly creepy book; the town of Bight Harbor seems to have its share of secrets, along with interesting characters. Everything about it makes you want to go there, just for a visit. I also like that there are strong female characters. Some of the people that Evie discovers are not necessarily all good, they may have their flaws. As she battles to find her aunt, she will have to learn to trust herself, and to figure out who can and cannot be trusted. The book features some illustrations by Alfredo Caceres; they brilliantly bring the world of Blight Harbor and Evie to life. There is something whimsical about them, but there is also a strange beauty to them. I would have loved more of these.Overall this is a fantastic book. I would definitely recommend it. The sequel is coming out in October this year, and I for one will definitely be reading it.

I loved THE CLACKITY! Such a fun middle grade horror read.If you’re into strong kid protagonists, scary monsters, and overcoming your fears, then this book is for you. I also loved the anxiety rep. As someone with panic attacks, it’s always nice to see it being talked about. That’s how we’ll end the stigma.Excited to read more books from this amazing author! 5/5!

The Clackity is the start of the new Blight Harbor series from Simon & Schuster (yay new kids series!) and is full of laughs and chills aplenty. I gave my almost middle school aged niece a copy and she'd finished the first half in a day. It's the kind of book that both adults and kids like (think Stranger Things), so parents feel free to borrow your kids copy after they've read it! Blight Harbor is the seventh most haunted town in America (per capita), and a place where it's normal to know the ghost who haunts your house or the local hardware store by name (and even be friends with them). So when things take a sinister turn, and a creature called The Clackity kidnaps the local paranormal expert from the abandoned abattoir at the edge of town, a little girl named Evie knows if she doesn't go after her, she'll lose everything. Because that expert is her Aunt and guardian Desdemona, Evie's only family left after the mysterious disappearance of her parents years earlier. But Evie has a problem, a big one, she sometimes has panic attacks and deals a lot with anxiety, so she'll not only have to face down real monsters, but battle the one inside her as well.So anxious but brave Evie faces her fears and makes a "good fair deal" with the creature to get her aunt back. She'll have to follow her aunt into a creepy otherworld and make a journey through seven mysterious houses, face witches, penny-eyed ghosts and even stranger creatures, even the ghost of a serial killer who haunted Blight Harbor a hundred years ago, to get her back. The end is explosive and opens the door for the next book! Just a note about the scariness level, the author does an excellent job of creating just the right blend of scary for her audience, and there's a light touch on the serial killer bit, so even that's not too much. It's also super hopeful, and you can't help falling in love with sweet, brave Evie and her unique sidekick (not a kid like most middle grade books, but you'll have to read to find out what!). The cover and interior illustrations are gorgeous, and I think The Clackity will be a top-pick for libraries and classrooms 4th - 8th this next fall, so teachers and librarians should really check this one out. The adventure is awesome all on its own, but some more astute readers will understand the underlying message that you can be scared but brave at the same time. Adored this book.

I bought this to read as a bedtime story with my daughter (9), and before you think it, she loves all thinks creepy, and isn’t afraid of anything going bump in the night. For context, she has a pennywise funko pop in her room and a demogorgan stuffed animal on her bed. We had been reading Goosebumps before bed for months and I wanted to switch things up a bit, but she wasn’t ready to let go of the scary stories, so I searched scary stories for kids… and here we are. The cover of the book is what drew me in, how could this possibly be a kids book because even I was spooked, then the description was like, okay I think I might enjoy this myself… so I bought it. We only read about a chapter a night, so it took almost a month to get through but OMG. Honestly I was hooked from the first chapter. It has the spook factor, a heartwarming story, a little sadness, adventure, and an excellent storyline… everything you want in a story. It was suspenseful, and I found myself rooting hard for the main character Evie. I don’t leave reviews on things ever, but I know there’s going to be a mom just like me out there looking for a creepy, but not nightmare inducing story for her little weirdo, and I’m here to say this is it. I got spooked, I was on the edge of my seat, I even got teary eyed. As for my 9 year old, she’s obsessed! She immediately told me to see if it was a series when I read the last line and was sad to know it’s not (yet?). She’s not a reader herself but she loves stories being read to her, so bedtime is our moment together to enter into a world unlike our own and play pretend for awhile. She was teary eyed more than once, but mostly kept saying how proud she was of Evie. At the end, a kind, grumpy witch named Grey was her favorite character. Her story was brief, but her impact was strong.All this just to say BUY THE BOOK.And please, if you’re the author, write more.

This book was perfect for my middle grade sons because they’re interested in scary stories but not ready for big scares yet. Big bonus for us is how the main character has and deals with anxiety is very accurate and relatable. Looking forward to more by this author

The Clackity by Lora Senf was a Bram Stoker nominee and definitely deserved it.Y'all, this is not only a haunted house book--it's a SEVEN haunted houses book--EIGHT if you count the slaughterhouse. There's something here to creep out everyone AND a fabulously written heroine. Evie is smart, savvy, driven, and also struggles with anxiety on her quest to save her Aunt Des. The villains are complex and horrifying. And this is the first book in a series so readers can look forward to more creepy adventures in the future.I have purchased it for my two junior high school libraries, and I can't wait to book talk it this week.Great selection for the budding horror fans in our lives. Give one to your favorite kid for Halloween 🎃