Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #2: The Slither Sisters

By Charles Gilman

“Two-headed monsters, giant tentacles, angry demons – Lovecraft Middle School is great creepy fun!”
–Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
 
This second novel in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle ended.  Seventh-grader Robert Arthur has discovered that two of his classmates are actually sinister snake-women in disguise. Even worse, his new middle school is full of “gates” to a terrifying alternate dimension – a haunted mansion full of strange spirits and monstrous beasts.  For Robert to protect his teachers and classmates, he'll need to return to this haunted dimension with his best friends Glenn and Karina.   Can they uncover the secrets of Lovecraft Middle School before it's too late?
 
The Slither Sisters features more bizarre beasts, more strange mysteries, and more adventure.  It's perfect for readers ages 10 and up. Best of all, the cover features a state-of-the-art “morphing” photo portrait – so you can personally witness the sisters transforming into their slithering alter egos.  You won't believe your eyes!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jan 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781594745942

Reviews for Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #2

[stormraven_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Disclosure: I received this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. Some people think this may bias a reviewer so I am making sure to put this information up front. I don't think it biases my reviews, but I'll let others be the judge of that.The Slither Sisters is the second book in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series by author Charles Gilman. The story is a Lovecraftian horror story aimed at middle-grade readers, which at first glance seems somewhat inherently self-contradictory. Gilman manages to keep the story is somewhat Lovecraftian, so that it retains the creepy and lethal nature of his works, but is also toned down just enough to be acceptable for its intended audience. In some ways, the series occupies the same territory as the various light horror series by authors such as Bruce Coville and John Bellairs, and happily, it holds up well to the comparison.Robert Adams and Glenn Torkells are students at Lovecraft Middle School, and they have troubles. In the first book they apparently learned that their school was built from the ruins of the physicist Crawford Tillinghast's mansion, and that it was apparently destroyed when Tillinghast delved too deeply into the secrets of the universe, opening a gate to an otherworldly dimension. Adams and Torkells stumbled across the truth: that the mansion still exists, but it was moved to another dimension. Having been built from this world's scraps of the mansion, Lovecraft Middle School is riddled with gates between the two places, and Tillinghast is using these links to try to stage an invasion of horrible Lovecraftian creatures so he can take over the world. Along the way, Adams and Torkells befriend a ghost named Karina who is tied to the school's location. Most of this background was laid in the first book, which is one of the weaknesses of this book. Gilman does a decent job of recapping this material in the early chapters of Slither Sisters, so reading the first book is not absolutely required, but I suspect it would make the story in this book much more enjoyable.The plot revolves around the Middle School student council elections and the titular sisters, two twins named Sarah and Sylvia Price. It turns out that Sarah Price is running for student council president, which is something of a problem because Adams and Torkell know that she and her sister are not human at all, but rather merely shells that used to be the Price sisters, but which are now occupied by horrible monsters from beyond. Not only that, Adams is dealing with being the teenage son of a single mother who is struggling to help her only son deal with adolescence. But this is just a secondary plot point at best, the meat of the story is Sarah Price's run for student council president, which is part of a plan by Tillinghast to take over the school's student body. This seems to be a fairly impractical plan, since it relies upon the idea that all of the middle school students would follow the student council president like lemmings, which seems somewhat implausible. The plan is supposedly bolstered by the Price sisters being very popular among the student population, but it seems odd to think that getting elected as student council president (which is more or less just a popularity contest anyway) would make their popularity so much greater than it was already that the allure of any plan they proposed would be irresistible.The implausibility of the plan aside, Adams and Torkell decide that Sarah Price's campaign must be derailed, but since her only announced opposition is the nerdy and disabled Howard Mergler, they have to come up with an alternate plan. After Adams and Torkell befriend the elderly Mrs. Lavinia, who turns out to be Tillinghast's resentful sister, she convinces them that Adams must run for student council president himself. Unfortunately, Adams is not a particularly popular boy, and so they have to figure out a way to make his public profile more visible to make his campaign viable. Mrs. Lavinia introduces the boys to her husband, and after he reveals that his own investigations have uncovered some disturbing events that have the potential to affect far more than just Lovecraft Middle School, he agrees to help with Adams' campaign.The story winds its way through the eventful campaign, with the sisters attempting to foil Adams, Torkells, and Karina, frequently even issuing lethal threats, and everything eventually comes to a head at the school's annual Halloween dance. The ending of the campaign starts off fairly predictably, but then Gilman pulls off a twist ending, and then does it yet again, which is a pretty difficult trick to pull off. Given that this is a series, it should come as no surprise that this book sets up the plot for the next installment, but it does it without making this story feel incomplete. The Slither Sisters is a very enjoyable book that captures the distinct mix of fantasy, science fiction, and horror that made Lovecraft's tales so intriguing, and manages to put everything into a package suitable for younger readers.

[jalenv_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've been fan of H. P. Lovecraft for 42 years, so 'Tales From Lovecraft Middle School' was enough to make me request The Slither Sisters from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. I was happy to learn I'd won it and happier still when my copy arrived. I still have a TV-shaped pencil sharpener with a lenticular 'screen' from my childhood, so this volume's lenticular cover was a happy surprise. The Price sisters change from pretty, normal-looking girls, to pretty girls with pale green, scaly skin, snake eyes, and cute snakes for hair. If you gently move the book back and forth, you can make the change a partial one.However pretty I find the Price sisters on the cover, within the pages they're scary enough. No, they don't have Medusa's powers, but they're deadly all the same. Our young hero, Robert Arthur, finds that out well before the climax. He copes much better than I would have when I was 12. I'd have been a gibbering wreck.There are plenty of references to delight the Lovecraft fan. Not only is Lovecraft Middle School located in Dunwich, Massachusetts, its indoor pool is known as the Wilbur Whateley Memorial Natatorium. The librarian's last name is Lavinia. Crawford Tillinghast is the behind-the-scenes villain. Several other characters have first or last names that come from Lovecraft. Gilman,' the author's pseudonym, was a family name in another of Lovecraft's fictional towns, Innsmouth. The illustration on page six shows a portrait of Howard Philiips Lovecraft on the wall behind the Mrs. Polyps, the school secretary's, desk. Love the school crest!I haven't read the first volume, but, as series usually do, enough information about What Has Gone On Before is given to help the new reader. The fate Tillinghast has planned for Lovecraft Middle School students is appalling, as are the implications of what Robert does to save himself and Glenn in chapter 18. The elderly librarian and her marine biologist husband are the only still-human adults who aren't clueless. What Warren Lavinia shows Robert and his friend, Glenn, in chapter 13 is bad enough. His news in the last chapter is worse. I like the ghost character, Karina, although her fate isn't a happy one. Rat fans will likely take to Robert's two-headed member of the species, Pip and Squeak. Robert is the kind of kid who is better than he thinks. His friend and former bully, Glenn, is an able second. The Halloween dance lobby decoration sounds cool. The escapes are narrow and the main plot strong enough for several books. I like the ad for the next one, Teacher's Pest, at the book's end. If I were a middle school student, I'd have given this book five stars. I was one of those unpopular, bullied kids back when I was in junior high, as my middle school was called. Robert's more mundane experiences bring back not-so-fond memories. I definitely recommend this book for horror fans.

[melydia_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The second installment of the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series. Robert and Glenn are still trying to figure out what to do about the beasts inhabiting their school. The Price twins are back from their mysterious disappearance with no memory of where they've been but no concern about it either. They're focusing their efforts on winning the student council presidential election. Robert and Glenn, however, can see that there is something decidedly wrong about the Price sisters, and must figure out how to keep them from taking over the school. As with the first one, I really enjoyed the story and characters - it was fun and kept the action going strong the whole time. The ending made me laugh and swear at the same time. I'm looking forward to the next book.

[xalaxie-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had not read the first book when I read this second book of the series. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the book and wanted to read the next as soon as I finished it.The Lovecraftian elements woven into the story were the icing the the cake for this fun and intriguing world constructed by this author.

[msbridgetreads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book in the "Tales from Lovecraft Middle School" series. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed the first book Professor Gargoyle ...so, when I got to this one, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about The Slither Sisters because when I am surprised by the first, I usually dislike the second book and don't go on in the series. But, with The Slither Sisters, I went into it with that mentality and didn't expect much, and I am glad I did. I didn't get my hopes up which made me enjoy The Slither Sisters.

It's some what predictable, but not exactly so much in some parts that you can tell exactly what was going to happen...Well, for me anyway. But I guess for a woman my age reading a middle grade book, I guess not too much should surprise me! lol....That's not a bad thing of course. Maybe someone my 11 year old's age, it may not be quite so "predictable"...But I may not let him get a hold of these books until at least next school year (his 6th grade year). It's not that the books are overly scary but at his age, it might give just enough spook factor. He's not really into scary stuff and for me, that's kind of good because at his age, it was Freddy Krueger!! and I loved it! So, I'm hoping he doesn't really get into anything beyond stuff like this series... Because I was always a little nervous after watch horror movies, especially Amity-ville & Exorcist type of movies...and I still don't like woods (Jason/Friday the 13th) lol

But, I digress....

So far, I am enjoying this little series, but I am not in a hurry to move on. I own the first two books, now I need to purchase the others. I normally try not to buy series until I read at least the first one (borrow it from the library)....I'm the same with stand alone books as well but I will buy those before a series.

I digress, again...

So, if you have middle graders and you don't mind them reading books like this, but don't want anything too overly creepy like R.L. Stine..Then this might be okay...But, I'd still rent it first and read through as least through the first one just to make sure its something you'd want your child to read.

[charlottejones952 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This second book in the series starts off soon after the first book ended, with an exciting start that throws the reader straight back into the action. I like how the events of the first book are recapped early on in the book so you could read these books separately, with time between them, and you would still know what was going on. I didn't enjoy the plot of this one quite as much as the first but it was still a fun enjoyable read that is a great sequel. The ending was especially exciting and makes you want to read the next book immediately.

[donetha · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Let me start by saying I have not read the first of this series, jumping in at #2. That said I don't think it is required to read the first one. Would be nice to have some of the back story, but the book explains itself well enough that you don't have to. I found the book very easy reading (read in about an hour) and passed it on to my 10 year old daughter. There is nothing objectionable in the story and it is engrossing. My daughters review:She enjoyed the book. Said she would like to read more of the series, which says a lot. She said it was a bit easy for her (read it in a couple of hours). She thought it was well written and interesting enough to hold her attention the entire time. In fact she went into a quieter room so she could concentrate on the book.

[avanders_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fun, fast, and great.Again, this series is aimed at a younger audience. Unsurprisingly, middle school would be the perfect age range -- although the writing may be too simple for many middle-schoolers, it will be perfect for others and it has the added benefit of having middle-school protagonists. But I would recommend as young as 7/8. Although the topic is monsters and beasts, it's a mildly presented form of monsters and beasts and (I don't think I'm spoiling anything here) the hero always wins.Robert, his best friend Glenn, and his best ghost friend Karina delve deeper into the mystery of the school and the Tillinghast Mansion in the crossover dimension.The characters encounter monsters, as expected, and must run from a fate-worse-than-death, as expected. But this second book offers more background into the story, the mansion, and various characters. Robert, Glenn, and Karina get to know each other and their classmates better, as well as seemingly minor characters who ultimately prove to have a much stronger roles to play.The Price twins have returned from being missing and, as revealed in the first book, have done so as monsters from Tillinghast, albeit in human form. The heroes never know who to trust - and they must resolve how to save the school despite the fact that any of its teachers, parents, or students could be involved in the Tillinghast plot. As expected, this book satisfying closes the "chapter," but leaves a solid cliff-hanger for the next book. (Eagerly awaiting!)An excellent new series and I highly recommend (particularly so to the appropriate age range).

[obridget1-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book in the "Tales from Lovecraft Middle School" series. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed the first book Professor Gargoyle ...so, when I got to this one, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about The Slither Sisters because when I am surprised by the first, I usually dislike the second book and don't go on in the series. But, with The Slither Sisters, I went into it with that mentality and didn't expect much, and I am glad I did. I didn't get my hopes up which made me enjoy The Slither Sisters.

It's some what predictable, but not exactly so much in some parts that you can tell exactly what was going to happen...Well, for me anyway. But I guess for a woman my age reading a middle grade book, I guess not too much should surprise me! lol....That's not a bad thing of course. Maybe someone my 11 year old's age, it may not be quite so "predictable"...But I may not let him get a hold of these books until at least next school year (his 6th grade year). It's not that the books are overly scary but at his age, it might give just enough spook factor. He's not really into scary stuff and for me, that's kind of good because at his age, it was Freddy Krueger!! and I loved it! So, I'm hoping he doesn't really get into anything beyond stuff like this series... Because I was always a little nervous after watch horror movies, especially Amity-ville & Exorcist type of movies...and I still don't like woods (Jason/Friday the 13th) lol

But, I digress....

So far, I am enjoying this little series, but I am not in a hurry to move on. I own the first two books, now I need to purchase the others. I normally try not to buy series until I read at least the first one (borrow it from the library)....I'm the same with stand alone books as well but I will buy those before a series.

I digress, again...

So, if you have middle graders and you don't mind them reading books like this, but don't want anything too overly creepy like R.L. Stine..Then this might be okay...But, I'd still rent it first and read through as least through the first one just to make sure its something you'd want your child to read.

[bridgetsbooknook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book in the "Tales from Lovecraft Middle School" series. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed the first book Professor Gargoyle ...so, when I got to this one, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about The Slither Sisters because when I am surprised by the first, I usually dislike the second book and don't go on in the series. But, with The Slither Sisters, I went into it with that mentality and didn't expect much, and I am glad I did. I didn't get my hopes up which made me enjoy The Slither Sisters.

It's some what predictable, but not exactly so much in some parts that you can tell exactly what was going to happen...Well, for me anyway. But I guess for a woman my age reading a middle grade book, I guess not too much should surprise me! lol....That's not a bad thing of course. Maybe someone my 11 year old's age, it may not be quite so "predictable"...But I may not let him get a hold of these books until at least next school year (his 6th grade year). It's not that the books are overly scary but at his age, it might give just enough spook factor. He's not really into scary stuff and for me, that's kind of good because at his age, it was Freddy Krueger!! and I loved it! So, I'm hoping he doesn't really get into anything beyond stuff like this series... Because I was always a little nervous after watch horror movies, especially Amity-ville & Exorcist type of movies...and I still don't like woods (Jason/Friday the 13th) lol

But, I digress....

So far, I am enjoying this little series, but I am not in a hurry to move on. I own the first two books, now I need to purchase the others. I normally try not to buy series until I read at least the first one (borrow it from the library)....I'm the same with stand alone books as well but I will buy those before a series.

I digress, again...

So, if you have middle graders and you don't mind them reading books like this, but don't want anything too overly creepy like R.L. Stine..Then this might be okay...But, I'd still rent it first and read through as least through the first one just to make sure its something you'd want your child to read.

[rayneofdarkness · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Why must all the action and suspense come right near the end! Great set up for the next book! I liked this one more than the first it seemed to flow a lot better but I guess that's just from not having to explain all the characters and their traits the first time. Interesting read for kids with lots of good knowledge of weird facts which on top of being integrated into the story - it gives the reader a little bit of knowledge on something outside of just a creepy story about two snake sisters.

[sebastianhagelstein · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The war against the monsters of Tillinghast Mansion continues in this second book of the Tales From Lovecraft Middle School Series. Robert and his friends get allies and make enemies. The Slither Sisters are monsters that use the human form of two Lovecraft Middle School kids to an attempt to trick more kids into giving up their bodies so demons can use them. One of the sisters runs for school President. Robert and his friends must stop her from winning the election.An entertaining story with a surprise at the ending. With detailed illustrations. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[tiffanyhickox · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Charles Gilman delivers again in the second installment of the Lovecraft Middle School series! Middle School friends Robert and Arthur, along with their ghost friend Karina, find themselves in a race to protect the Lovecraft student body from a popular set of twins who aren't what they appear to be. Along the way they make some unlikely allies in what is gearing up to be a memorable battle between the forces of good and evil. Think Goosebumps meets Harry Potter.The pacing of the story is good, and the cover as always will have the kids scrambling to the shelves. I couldn't help thinking to myself as I read that these books would translate well onto the screen, as well.

[ginerbia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book 2 in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series was just as fun as the first. Robert and his friends find out more behind the mystery and magic of Tillinghast Manor. One of the Slither Sisters is running for class president - will she lead all her classmates to their doom if she is elected? Will Robert and his friends find a way to stop her?I can't wait for book 3 to come out!

[ljldml · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a fun series! Book two is a fantastic continuation of the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School. A school being overtaken by monsters. The characters are fun and engaging. The storyline is wonderful. This is a series that will encourage middle grade students to read! It is a unique story. Kids, both boys and girls, will love the characters of Robert, Glen and Karina. Pip and Squeak are fun, too- even if they are rats! I'm anxiously awaiting the third installment in this series and I highly recommend it for anyone who likes different stories.

[meganangela · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Picking up where Professor Gargoyle left off, The Slither Sisters is the next installment in the ongoing saga at Lovecraft Middle School. At the end of the previous book, the Price twins, students at LMS have mysteriously gone missing. However, Robert Arthur and his friends, Glenn and Karina, have their suspicions that the girls were abducted away to the alternate dimension where Tillinghast Mansion resides to be turned into monsters. When the girls return, their suspicions are confirmed and they are thrown headfirst into a whole new plot to take over the student body, and then take over the world. With the help from the strange librarian and Robert's two-headed rat, the kids have to find a way to stop the Price sisters and the save the school!As with the last book which I also reviewed, I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Reminiscent of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps books, this is exactly the kind of book I would have read in elementary and middle school. There is humor, mystery, scares and even a little romance! And, of course, liberally applied references to the sci-fi master himself, H.P. Lovecraft! I find the characters to be believable and real, even in these very unreal circumstances. Charles Gilman pens the voices of these teens authentically and without dumbing them down for the intended audience. Also, the illustrations are fantastic with a touch of humor and whimsy.While I liked the first book slightly more, I would absolutely recommend this series to kids who enjoy authors like R.L Stine and Christopher Pike, who love science fiction, age appropriate horror, and are drawn to series they can dive into. Parents can rest assured that the book is good, clean fun that can provide a scare or two without keeping their kids up at night! I have no shame in saying that as an adult, even I'm excited for the next installment and can't wait to see where Gilman takes us in Robert's adventures! Three and a half stars!

[cissa_5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Everyone knows middle school is hell. This is especially true at Lovecraft Middle School, where the usual bullies, popular cliques, and daily humiliations have added extra monsters and gates to the netherworldsFor such a short book, the plot is nicely twisty, and the writing is light and humorous, albeit with some definite creepy moments. I must admit, the ending had a surprise for me! It's a good set-up for #3, but also allows this one to have a solid ending, not stop on a cliff-hanger.If you know a late tween or young teen who you know will love A. Lee Martinez when s/he's older- this looks like a great series for them! And you might want to read them yourself, first.Very enjoyable!

[xkrissio3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received book #2 as an ARC. (I also had the wonderful honor of reading book #1)I thought this book was just as good as the first. The book is written in a way that makes you continuously turn the pages and before you know it you are half way through the book! I liked how there was a little bit of a gap between books being published so Gilman kind of dropped hints of what happened in the previous book.Basically two twin sisters had been missing and five days later came back with no memory of what happened to them. Everyone loves them, they are so pretty, and popular but always missing at lunch time. Robert, Glenn and Karina finally find out that they are going to the school pool everyday which has a gateway to the mansion.Sarah(one of the twins) tries to run for student president so she can take over the school. The school librarian tries to help them stop the Sarah from winning the election, and Robert does something amazingly stupid.Overall the book has great drawings, its a quick read(I read it in less than 2 hours), it has a good plot, with new twists around each corner that you wouldn't expect! I can not wait for book number three to come out and I will def. be reading that one as well. This is a great series for people of all ages!

[sarahcameron · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great continuation to the "Tales from Lovecraft Middle School" series. There is a war brewing between humanity and Tillinghast's creatures, and the only ones who will be able to stop it are Robert Arthur and his friends. Now Robert Arthur and his friends must protect the school from the Price sisters who have been taken over by snake-like creatures.While the Price sisters are trying to convince the student body to vote for Sarah Price as student council president, Arthur must fight to save the school from being persuaded by the Price sisters. If the sisters were to gain control of the student body, they could easily use the students as Tillinghast's creatures' new disguises. As the amount of Tillinghast's creatures increase, Arthur and his friends prepare to fight for those in their school and their family. With the help of new friends, Arthur begins to face darker creatures than he has met before, and there is no telling what will come next through the portals.

[sean191 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Like I said in my review of the first in the series written in my opinion for the older elementary school (5th or 6th grade, rather than middle school) crowd, it's like a poor man's (or child's) Harry Potter. Yet, I still found myself enjoying the book none-the-less. The coloring or detail about the characters is a little weak and overall, there's not a lot that goes on, or more precisely, there's a bit that goes on, but not a lot of book. With large font and spaced out lines of text ringing in at just over 150 pages, there's just not a lot of room for heavy detail. It's a quick read though and I'd imagine it's fast-paced enough to hold the attention of its target audience.In this installment, the hero has to face not one, but two horrors - I'm counting the demon sisters as one horror . . . the other horror is that he has to run for president of the 7th grade class. I'm surprised to admit it, but I'd be interested to read the next in the series as well.

[innermurk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A quick fun read for children who like a bit of a gross mystery. I haven't read the first book in the series, but this second installment gave some background, so I didn't feel lost. The characters and plot are good and there are sufficient twists to keep the reader on their toes, along with a great cliffhanger ending to keep them wanting more. Boys will enjoy the gross moments when monsters are met and melted, and girls should be intrigued by the hints of romance between differing characters, but there is enough conflict in the story to engage everyone's imaginations and keep the book more of a gender neutral recommendation.I enjoyed the read, and am going to read number one now so I can catch up on how the series started.

[morwen04 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This installment from Lovecraft Middle School is... not as good as the first. The first had an atmosphere more traditionally Lovecraftian, this installment focused more on character development of the protagonist than the horror or suspense. I missed that. Still, overall it is a well-written romp. Things are settled a bit too easily, but at the same time a bigger fight is set up just around the corner. It's worth a read. Definitely written more for the 4-6 grader than any older, but that does not mean that adults cannot enjoy it. I know I'm looking forward to more.

[singerji · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was about two monstrous sisters from the Tillinghast mansion. One of them tries to run for class president. Robert run against Sarah by summoning a harpy to come to the school and break into the auditorium. He saves a teacher, Mr. Loomis, and becomes sort of a school hero.The book follows from book #1, and it helps to have read that first to have some familiarity with the characters. There were some very funny parts. I think it's more suitable to 3-6 graders than an actual middle school audience, but it's a fast and fun read.

[mountie9_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Good Stuff Fast paced - storyline would keep even the most reluctant reader engaged and not wanting to put book down Twisted and funny (Alot of Whedon type humour) Kids act like kids their age should (well except for the paranormal stuff) Many of the adult characters are realistic and not idiots (yes I know its a pet peeve) Really how many of us at one time didn't think their teachers were evil (I'm still pretty sure Mr Turcok was) Robert is a likeable character and many will understand his predicament - lots of changes when you go to a new school and don't know anyone. Also growing up is hard I'm sorry even if this series sucked I would pick them up for the cover alone -- my preschooler plays with them for hours In Slither Sisters (mentioned a little in Professor Gargoyle) there is a fantastic Librarian character. Ok they made her old and a tad frumpy, but she still is an awesome character Great morals/messages worked into the story without making it obvious - love an author who can do that effectively The library is awesome, I totally want to work there Will definitely be picking up the next book in the series & will be saving them for Jesse to read when he gets older (and hopefully Jake will eventually read them oo)The Not So Good Stuff The cover might freak out the less adventuresome reader (aka my son - won't even pick it up & he would love the story) Do you have any idea how many post it notes I used while reviewing and how hard it was to just pick only 6 quotes (since I am reviewing both at once)Favorite Quotes/Passages "He knew the only thing more embarrassing than sitting alone at his new middle school would be sitting with his mommy" from Professor Gargoyle"These can be filled with downloaded books and checked out from the library - as long as you are very careful with them of course. Personally I'm a little old fashioned. I still prefer the feel of a real book with real pages. The best feeling in the world if you ask me. But we have to embrace the future don't we children?" Professor Gargoyle"No one chooses to go to the principal's office," Glenn continued. "You avoid this place. You don't volunteer to come here and hang out." The Slither Sisters"But I can't win," Robert insisted. "I'm not a leader."Ms Lavinia shrugged. "Well, I'm afraid you need to become one." The Slither Sisters"If my brother learns I'm helping you, he'll rip my head off," she said. "And that's not what your language arts teachers call hyperbole.Who Should/Shouldn't Read Perfect for the reluctant reader This is one that would even appeal to the stronger middle school reader as it is just such a fun and wicked read Adults will even get a kick out of the series (I sure did -- but lets face it I'm not really an adult - even-though I am 42)4.75 Dewey'sI received The Slither Sisters from Random House in exchange for an honest review & I purchased Professor Gargoyle because no matter what I always have to read a series in order (but you don't have to read them in order)

[klarsenmd · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as part of the LT early reviewer program. In this second book of the Lovecraft Middle School series, Robert finds himself in a battle against the beautiful and popular Price twins, for the title of Student Council President. Of course all is not what it seems and Robert must rely on his friends Karina and Glen, along with an unlikely school librarian to ensure the demon dressed as Sarah Price does not win.I had the opportunity to review the first book in the series as well, but I don't feel it was necessary to have read book 1 first. The plot is a good stand alone story in it's own right. These books are a fun read for elementary school age kids. I enjoyed the monster descriptions and the introduction of not only several new characters, but also the cthulhu tie in. I found the plot to be interesting but would have liked a bit more development in both the plot and the characters. After having read and shared the first two books in this series with my children, I look forward to the coming books.

[katyas_26 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book Info: Genre: Urban FantasyReading Level: Middle Grade (10 on up)Recommended for: fans of MG adventure series with Lovecraftian overtones.Trigger Warnings: SnakesDisclosure: I bought this book for myself because I so enjoyed Professor Gargoyle, the first book in the series. All opinions are my own.Synopsis: Seventh-grader Robert Arthur has discovered that two of his classmates are actually sinister snake-women in disguise. Even worse, his new middle school is full of “gates” to a terrifying alternate dimension–a haunted mansion full of strange spirits and monstrous beasts. For Robert to protect his teachers and classmates, he'll need to return to this haunted dimension with his best friends Glenn and Karina. Can they uncover the secrets of Lovecraft Middle School before it's too late? My Thoughts: I just finished re-reading the first book in this fun series, Professor Gargoyle (review linked here where formatting allowed). These are very quick reads, since they’re illustrated and large print on small pages.Things are becoming weirder at Lovecraft Middle School. Robert is learning a few people he can trust, but there is always treachery lurking where it is least expected. Just brilliant and a lot of fun.I was a little annoyed by an illustration of a snake with rattles on its tail and fangs when the text was talking about a boa. Boas do not have fangs, and only rattlesnakes have rattles on their tails. That was just sloppy on the part of the illustrator, trying to make the snake look more menacing. Other than that the illustrations were fun; I especially liked the first one in the book, of the principal’s office, with a huge, worried portrait of H.P. Lovecraft himself behind the secretary’s desk. Mr. Loomis, however, looks like just a taller student rather than a teacher in the one toward the back where he is featured. At first I was confused and thought it was Howard Mergler.If you enjoy a fun adventure with Lovecraftian overtones, you can’t go wrong with this enjoyable middle-grade adventure series. I know I’m eager for the third book in the series, Teacher’s Pest, due out in May 2013! This time I’ll try to be patient to see if it comes out through Vine before I buy it for myself; if I had waited one week, I could have had this one free through Vine, but no, I had to be impatient and buy it myself...

[ed_gosney · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

If the intention of Charles Gilman is to interest young readers in H.P. Lovecraft, then I would venture to say that he’s really hit the mark with his Tales From Lovecraft Middle School series.Though I had not read the first entry in the series, book 2, The Slither Sisters, does a nice job of giving the reader a brief background on what happened in Professor Gargoyle. Robert Arthur, a seventh grade student, and his buddy (whom we learn used to lean on him for money), Glenn Torkells, follow two classmates, the Price sisters, into another dimension via a portal at the bottom of the school swimming pool. As it turns out, the boys had been here before (which readers of Professor Gargoyle would know) and find out that the school, the very town (Dunwich, Massachusetts), is in danger of being overrun by demons that take the place of the students, while their souls are trapped (and you will have to read it if you want to know more).Obviously Gilman has fun writing these and throwing in the Lovecraft mythos. I’m not well-versed in all things Cthulhu, but I do know enough to have enjoyed what he does with this fun book. While the series is aimed at the middle school crowd, I’m sure any Lovecraft enthusiast will enjoy reading The Slither Sisters.

[rabid6reader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was about two monstrous sisters from the Tillinghast mansion. One of them tries to run for class president. Robert run against Sarah by summoning a harpy to come to the school and break into the auditorium. He saves a teacher, Mr. Loomis, and becomes sort of a school hero.The book follows from book #1, and it helps to have read that first to have some familiarity with the characters. There were some very funny parts. I think it's more suitable to 3-6 graders than an actual middle school audience, but it's a fast and fun read.

[beorn_se_bacaire · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

NOTE: I am reviewing this book from the perspective of an adult (albeit one who enjoys Young Adult fiction), and have not read the first book in the series. This book was received as a LibraryThing early reviewers copy. In the second book of the Tale from Lovecraft Middle School series, the main character—Robert—finds it necessary to run for school president to save the souls of his classmates. The imagery was well done (it even had me going “eww” at times), the characters could be emphasized with, and there is even a twist ending I didn’t see coming. It kept me reading through (for the hour it took) and I did rather enjoy it overall. I would definitely recommend this book/series to a kid in the target bracket. My main complaint was that the language spoken by the monsters was not that of Lovecraft’s works—it threw me for a loop. However, this was a minor issue and possibly due to copyrighting (at least, that was my thought when I read it).In addition—at least in the advance reader copy I received—the book it’s self is of good quality, with a tight binding and good paper.And enjoyable read, fairly well written, but a bit too young for me—that, or I can’t empathize with the school setting. 3.5 to 4 stars.