Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #4: Substitute Creature

By Charles Gilman

It's Valentine's Day and a monstrous blizzard has descended upon Lovecraft Middle School, trapping twelve-year-old Robert Arthur inside the building! He and his companions have no choice but to spend the night—while snacking on cafeteria food, sleeping on the gymnasium floor, facing off against a sinister substitute teacher, and thwarting an army of abominable beasts.

This fourth novel in the Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Teacher's Pest ended—with more action, more adventure, and more outrageous monsters!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Quirk Books
• Release date: Sep 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781594746598

Book preview

Just five more m-m-minutes, Robert Arthur said.

In five minutes we’ll be dead, Glenn Torkells said. "We have to go now."

The outdoor temperature was barely twenty degrees. The boys were dressed in jeans and chorus robes but little else: no jackets, no hats, no gloves, no sneakers, no socks.

And they were trapped on a narrow ledge outside Lovecraft Middle School, four stories above the ground.

A freezing wind pinned them against the stone wall. Robert’s right hand had found a crack in the mortar, the smallest of handholds, and he wedged his fingers inside.

We can’t just stand here, Glenn said.

Someone will s-s-see us, Robert insisted. We have to be pa-pa-patient.

Glenn looked down—all the way down—but didn’t see a single person. The boys were perched on the back wall of the school, high above the empty athletic fields. All of their classmates were indoors, attending a special Valentine’s Day concert in the auditorium.

This is our last chance, Glenn said. If we wait any longer, we’ll be too numb to move.

Robert worried the moment had already passed. His fingers and toes were tingling, as if all of his hands and feet had fallen asleep. Was it frostbite? Or hypothermia? Which was worse?

Let’s try yelling again, he suggested.

It’s no use, Glenn insisted.

The boys had already screamed themselves hoarse, but Robert hadn’t given up. J-j-just a few more tries, he said. It’ll warm us up.

So together they shouted Help! and Please! and Somebody! and Can anyone down there hear us?!? but it was hopeless. No one could hear them. Their cries were lost beneath the blustery winds.

We have to get to the balcony, Glenn said. It’s our only way out of this.

He was referring to the small railed patio on the side of the building. To reach it, the boys would need to follow the ledge around the corner of the school.

What about the roof? Robert suggested. The top of the building was maddeningly close, just inches beyond their fingertips. What if you gave me a boost?

Glenn shook his head. I’ve seen you climb the ropes in gym class, he said. You’re not strong enough. Reaching the balcony is our only option.

I won’t make it, Robert said. I’ll fall.

"You might fall. But if you stay here—if you do nothing—you’ll definitely fall. So what’s it gonna be?"

Robert looked around for alternatives. At four stories high, the world seemed like it had turned to black and white; there wasn’t a trace of color anywhere in the sky. Just layers and layers of murky gray. The sun had vanished.

All right, he decided. Here goes nothing.

He eased his fingers from the crevasse and pressed both palms flat against the stones. Almost instantly, a fresh blast of wind whipped beneath his robe, blowing it up and over his head. Unable to see, Robert panicked. He reached out for Glenn, grabbing his shoulder, clinging to him until the wind settled down.

Take it easy, Glenn said.

I can’t handle this, Robert told him.

Yes, you can.

No, I can’t. I was okay when Professor Goyle turned into a winged demon. When Sarah and Sylvia Price turned into snake-women. When Howard Mergler turned into a giant fly-faced bug monster. All that crazy stuff, I could handle. Heck, I even fought back. But this ledge? At this height? With this wind? This is too much. Robert shook his head. This is the worst.

For a few moments, neither boy said anything.

And then a fluffy white speck twirled out of the sky and landed on the tip of Glenn’s nose.

A snowflake.

All around them, all at once, it was snowing.

Things could always be worse, Glenn said.

Some kids might have trouble understanding how two boys could find themselves trapped on a narrow ledge outside their school and forty feet off the ground.

Of course, these same kids have probably never been trapped in their lockers by giant tentacled beasts. Or trapped in their bedrooms with boa constrictors. Or trapped underground with thousands of chirping and chattering insects.

But for Robert Arthur and Glenn Torkells, these kinds of near-death experiences were all just a regular part of seventh grade.

A few months earlier, the boys had discovered that Lovecraft Middle School was constructed from the recycled remains of Tillinghast Mansion—a crumbling estate that was once home to the mad physicist Crawford Tillinghast. Because of a botched experiment, the mansion still existed in a parallel dimension; Robert and Glenn could pass from the school to the mansion and back again through hidden portals called gates.

The boys soon learned that Tillinghast was capturing teachers and students, placing their souls in ceramic urns, and then using their flesh and hair as disguises for an army of bizarre monsters. The school was slowly being infiltrated by demons, snake-people, giant insects, and other ancient creatures summoned from distant dimensions.

Armed with this knowledge, Robert and Glenn went to school every day determined to stop Tillinghast and always expecting the worst. Yet nothing could have prepared them for the strange events of February fourteenth.

The day began with an announcement from the principal inviting all students to a surprise Valentine’s Day concert by the music department. As Robert followed his classmates into the auditorium, teachers gave out programs listing all the songs.

Glenn read the titles aloud in disbelief.  ‘Love Me Tender’? ‘Eternal Flame’? ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’? He crumpled the program into a ball. This is going to be torture!

Well, don’t spoil it for the rest of us, said Karina Ortiz. Robert and I are looking forward to it.

Are you kidding me? Glenn said, laughing. Robert hates Valentine’s Day even more than I do!

Robert just shrugged. A year ago, he would have agreed with Glenn that Valentine’s Day was a dumb holiday designed to sell overpriced chocolates. But since arriving in seventh grade—and meeting Karina—his feelings had changed. Karina loved Valentine’s Day and she was one of the coolest people Robert had ever met, so how bad could it really be?

The kids found seats at the back of the auditorium, far from their classmates.

Well, I don’t care if you like it or not, Karina continued. I got you both presents, anyway. She whistled for Robert’s pets, a two-headed rat named Pip and Squeak. They wriggled out of his backpack carrying two chocolate hearts wrapped in red foil. One for each of you.

The rats crawled onto the armrest, passing out the gifts and happily chattering their teeth.

Thanks, Robert said. How did you get these?

Second-floor vending machine, she said. Pip and Squeak fished them out for me.

Glenn studied his candy and discovered the rats had already taken a huge bite from it. He unwrapped the foil and ate the rest of

Reviews for Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #4

[catya77 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Robert, Glen, and Karina are back to fight the forces of the evil Crawford Tillinghast. As an unexpected and bizarre nor'easter dumps feet of snow on the school rapidly, a state of emergency is declared. An evacuation of Lovecraft Middle is called for, yet not all of the students get out.Aside from some issues with paragraph and page spacing causing occasional distractions, the remaining format with the pictures and sketches interspersed cause wonder and add to the intrigue of some of the various characters.The narrative is vivid and imaginative throughout the tale. There is much action which flows easily and quickly.Dialogue between characters is authentic and adds to character development.Overall, a delightful read!

[twehking · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Robert and Glenn are students at the mysterious Lovecraft Middle School where nothing is normal. A snowstorm comes from out of nowhere stranding them in the school with unthinkable creatures and a choice to make. Made me want to read the first three books.

[kathywoodall · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I truly enjoyed reading this. I have not read any of the other books in this series but this book was easy enough to follow if you haven't read any of the other books in this series. A freak blizzard traps 4 people, a ghost and a smelly teacher inside Lovecraft Middle School. The story reminds me of the Goosebumps series. Its fast paced and very interesting. I think middle school kids will love this series.

[jackiewark · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Best friends Robert Arthur and Glenn Torkells know, and have seen first-hand, the creepy side of Lovecraft Middle School. It has entry gates into evil dimensions and is home to The Old Ones and their leader, Crawford Tillinghast. Only these two boys, and their ghostly good friend, Karina know about the dastardly intents of this evil monster...or, so they think.When a record-breaking nor'easter hits their town, they sense that the Substitute Creature, Miss Carcasse has something to do with it. Miss Carcasse has plotted to trap the boys, Karina, Mrs. Arthur (Robert's mom), and Mac, the janitor in the building overnight. But, why? Oh...the evilness of it all! The Old Ones haven't eaten anything in a very long time and these lovely human specimens are just the tastiest morsel going. Full of creepy humor, Substitute Creature finds these young heroes with plenty of dilemmas, yet, it's their quick thinking and plotting that gets them all out alive...but, for how long? What will the Tillinhast monsters think up next? Perfect for a not-too-scary story during October, or any time a reader wants to curl up under the covers and conjure up a monstrously creepy read! Thank you to LibraryThing, Charles Gilman, and Quirk Books for this ARC copy!

[hdzookeeper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting story of monsters and mystery at Lovecraft Middle School. Buddies Robert and Glenn face danger in their new school built on the site of the old Tillinghast Mansion. They are friends with a ghost named Karina. A freak snowstorm puts everyone in danger. Almost everyone survives and the story ends with a cliffhanger. Enjoyable.

[amanda_m._lowe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The cover was one of those holographic deals and was super cool. It is a fun read. I would highly recommend getting this book for your kid, especially if they are into the whole "monsters" thing.

[katyas_26 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book Info: Genre: FantasyReading Level: Middle GradeRecommended for: fans of the series, fans of Lovecraft, middle grade on up.Book Available: September 24, 2013 in hardcover and Kindle editionsTrigger Warnings:My Thoughts: This is the first book in this series in which I have noticed any typos or mistakes. There were only maybe two typos, but it is said repeatedly that Glenn and Robert were on a fourth-story ledge, but all the pictures of the school in this book show only three stories.I was really amused by this conversation: Glenn turned to Robert. “What's more important?” he asked. “A stupid Valentine's Day concert of saving the world from an army of ancient monsters?”When Glenn put the question that way, Robert felt as though he had no choice. “I guess saving the world.”“I'll save your seats,” Karina offered. “Have fun.”What amused me about that? Robert's extreme enthusiasm about saving the world... “I guess...”It wouldn't be a Lovecraftian series without the mention of Miskatonic University and/or Old Ones, and to my delight we have both here. Of course, these Old Ones are a bit different than the reptilian forms we normally see, being more tiny little fluffy things, but that's okay. I'm sure there will be reptiles at some point, and we have already had the snake sisters in the second book anyway.At any rate, I am enjoying these stories immensely. There are some major changes by the end of this book, and things are really starting to hit the fan, so I'm very excited to see there things will go from here. Unfortunately, there is no word about what comes next, what the next book will be, or what is going to happen. The Lovecraft Middle School website only has information about the first two books. So, I guess it'll be a game of wait and see. Still, I heartily recommend these books for middle grade on up. They're a lot of fun.Series Information: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School .Book 1: Professor Gargoyle , reviewed October, 2012, linked here where formatting allowedBook 2: The Slither Sisters , reviewed January, 2013, linked here where formatting allowedBook 3: Teacher's Pest, reviewed March, 2013, linked here where formatting allowed.Book 4: Substitute Creature , scheduled for release in September 24, 2013.Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.Synopsis: When a giant nor’easter dumps a blanket of snow on the village of Dunwich, Massachussetts, Robert Arthur and his friends find themselves marooned inside Lovecraft Middle School. The kids have no choice but to spend the night—while snacking on cafeteria food, sleeping on classroom floors, and facing off against a mysterious substitute teacher who may have a sinister secret.

[naiadfae-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book I read from this series and will have to read the other ones. I think it is a great read for younger readers in elementary school. I'm not sure if it was ment to be for middle school students as others had commented, maybe just interpreted by the series name, but my middle school age children are beyond this level reading. Still, they enjoyed it as a short read as well.

[68papyrus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was excited to win a copy of the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #4: Substitute Creature through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program. This was a wonderfully creepy novel with great pacing and plenty of thrills and chills. I hadn't read the previous books in the series but was able to pick up on the back story because the author had brief summations of the preceding volumes sprinkled throughout this latest installment. In this book Robert is stranded at Lovecraft Middle School with his mom, the school custodian and the creepy new substitute, Ms. Carcasse during a blizzard. While the group is at the school they notice that there is something not quite right about Ms. Carcasse. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to definitely recommend it to others. Can't wait to go back and read the other books in the series!

[sebastianhagelstein · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Miss Carcasse is a substitute teacher at Lovecraft Middle School and acts really weird. Her "perfume" smells like roses and burning hair, and worms randomly drop from her body. She's the best villain yet in this series. Robert and his companions are snowed into the school with her during a giant blizzard, and deal with odd things, such as vicious fur balls and a power outage they cause.The plot is good and the ending is made interesting by some twists and surprises.

[sean191 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the third of the Lovecraft Middle School books I've read (I missed the third). I suppose it's a decent read for the target audience. But again, I'm seeing it as a poor Harry Potter replacement. Rowling seemed to demand more from her audience, whereas Gilman's short books don't pack much into them, or give the characters much chance of development. In this book, I really started to get annoyed at how little the main characters seemed to care that a character who had helped them before had disappeared (there's no further mention of her after noting her replacement). That just seems ridiculous in light of what goes on at that school. Further, when they figure out that there's something wrong with one of the new characters and pretty much have agreed that the new "person" is another agent of the "ancient ones" they don't bother to do anything about it to protect themselves from her or him (alright - who am I kidding? It's a her - look at the cover and title - Gilman makes no effort to hide the villain from book to book - another negative I'd say). Again, this shows the characters aren't growing. I can accept the dumb luck of the first book because they had to come to grips with what was going on, but to continue depending on dumb luck throughout just seems more unbelievable than the army of creatures trying to take over the world by moving through portals popping up in a middle school. If it weren't for the fact that the books take just an hour or two to read, I'd have abandoned them. As-is, I won't go through great lengths to track down the book I missed, but if I come across it, I'll probably pick it up just to complete the story as it is so far.

[singerji · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

From my nine-year-old son: "This book was not as scary as the other three. The only bad thing about it is that I thought Tillinghast was supposed to be scary and taking over the school. He didn't seem as much of a scary monster in this one. The plot was more about moving the "Old Ones" to the mansion rather than trying to damage the school, replace people there, etc. I think it would have been better if it had something to do with the students."I read the book, and I enjoyed it better than the previous few. It was a bit more on the psychological horror rather than the gross-out horror, and I liked the character of Katrina, and Robert's thoughts about what was the best thing to do.Enjoyable, with good illustrations, and I will keep reading the series. I think it's aimed more at grades 4-6 rather than 6-8, but perhaps I just have an advanced reader.

[ljldml · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fabulous book for middle grade students. If your child, or yourself for that matter, like strange, spooky stories you will love this series. The fourth installment is the strangest by far. The substitute creature is a quick read. It doesn't have the 'yuck' factor of the previous book, no bugs!! In this installment we are finally introduced to the old man himself. Kids will enjoy the morphing book covers. The language of these books is easy to read, not too challenging, but not too simple. Easy enough for a 12-14 year old to keep reading without difficulty. Of the four books so far, I enjoyed this one the best. We see a growing friendship between Robert, Glenn and Karina. I look forward to the continuing adventures of these three in their quest to defeat the evil intentions of Crawford Tillinghast.

[lms8esmith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This mysterious, fast paced story is perfect for young middle schoolers. Since I had not read any of the other Lovecraft books, I wasn't sure what to expect. Thankfully, there was enough back story to support situations I was unsure of and students will definitely like this technique. The mystery of this book is very appealing and it's quick pace will have students asking for the next book in the series. :)

[jalenv_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As with The Slither Sisters and Teacher's Pest, I was very happy to win a copy of a Tales From Lovecraft Middle School book. What disappointment I feel over my advanced reading copy lacking the series' most enjoyable lenticular covers is lessened by two things: a. there is a color photo of the normal version on the back cover, and b. not having to wait until September to read the next entry! (Regarding the cover, I like the way the open eye that's a feature of the series' titles looks as if this time it's part of the woman's bun.)Our book opens with the student team of Robert Arthur (brains) and Glenn Torkell (muscle) in deadly peril -- as in one wrong move and you're very messily dead peril. It's not as if the boys intended for that to happen. Glenn got what he thought was a good idea for infiltrating villain central, the Tillinghast Mansion. It's not his fault that they didn't know as much as they thought they did. Worse, the rest of the team, ghost girl Karina Ortiz and Robert's two-headed rat, Pip and Squeak, can't help because they're busy enjoying the school's Valentine's Day assembly. I won't spoil how they survive. It's not as if they're going to stay saved. Book three took place after Halloween and before December first, when Robert's mother became the school nurse, so it's been about two-and-a-half months since the last monster attack. With that, and the fact that they were almost killed, I think we can forgive Robert and Glenn for only being suspicious that something is up. Sure, Miss Carcasse is a substitute teacher they've never seen before. Yes, she's taken the place of the librarian who knows what's really going on. She smells strange. There is that odd remark she made about the principal (mere malapropism or Freudian slip?). Those are no reasons to conclude she's one of Tillinghast's monsters in disguise, are they?Of course they are, but there's a different crisis to occupy our heroes' minds: a huge freak blizzard has hit their home village of Dunwich. They should have 40 to 50 inches (101.6 to 127 centimeters) of snow by morning. The school is evacuated. Luckily for clueless rich brat, Lionel Quimby, Mrs. Arthur is foolish enough to try to drive herself and Robert home in their car even though they stayed to see all the students leave. (Lionel doesn't like buses. He's sure his father will send someone to get him.) It isn't long before the Arthurs, Miss Carcasse, janitor 'Maniac Mac', and Leonard find themselves stranded at the deserted school. Mrs. Arthur spotted Karina looking out of a window, so the ghost girl finds herself having to come up with excuses for why she's still there, why she can't eat, etc.The school's generator isn't working. The temperature is dropping. Lionel is complaining. Miss Carcasse's behavior is weird. Pip and Squeak lead Robert and Karina to yet another Lovecraft Middle School secret where they meet another of the real-life Lovecraft's characters. They also meet the reason the generator couldn't be allowed to work. Later, Robert meets Crawford Tillinghast himself.The master villain doesn't look as one might expect an evil mad scientist to look, but not all monsters look scary. Search for a photo of Peter Kürten, the Düsseldorf Ripper, also known as the Vampire of Düsseldorf. Doesn't he look as if he wouldn't say 'boo' to a goose, as the old saying goes? No wonder his own wife didn't suspect he was the serial killer terrorizing the city. Tillinghast has a proposition for Robert. If Robert does something for him, he'll do something Robert would like very much. Tillinghast asks where's the injustice in what he wants. Robert isn't so sure. Will he do it? Will everyone be rescued?I really like this series. They may have just gotten lucky in the first book, but the kids have since figured out ways to deal with monsters who are more powerful than they are. I know little Latin, but I think the school motto: 'Honoris Causa Audeamus,' could be translated as, 'May we dare/risk/venture (or be eager for battle) for the sake of honor'. It's a good motto for our heroes. If you're a parent or teacher, these books help young readers think about real-life problems while delivering monster adventures. Mr. Gilman doesn't dumb down the vocabulary, something else I like. These books are even fun for adults, if you want to discuss them with your children/students. The extra credit and teacher's lounge sections at the Lovecraft Middle School website have discussion guides for the first two books to get you started. I'm looking forward to book five!

[kimpiddington · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second Lovecraft Middle School series book I've read. It was fast paced and creative. I enjoyed the two new characters and the ending, which I won't give away here!

[teow_25 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My copy of this book was received as part of Library Thing's Early Reviewers program.Substitute Creature is the fourth book in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series. Even though I had not read any of the previous entries, I had a very easy time jumping in. The author made sure to briefly introduce or explain characters and concepts that a new reader might not recognize.This is the sort of book I would have relished in Middle School. Unlike the many "Goosebumps" books I read back then, this book seems to have some respect for its young audience. It does not rely on cheap end-of-chapter cliffhangers or cheesy fake-outs. I was surprised and pleased that the characters were asked to make difficult moral decisions. The book also had some kind things to say about treating people with empathy and consideration. The atmosphere is delightfully spooky, with small references to Lovecraft's work spread throughout. Several wonderful illustrations add to the overall effect as well. Overall, a good read for your little monsters.

[mariahpolen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This series is a fun way to get middle school aged children interested in reading paranormal fantasy/science fiction. In this episode the kids are caught in a gigantic snow storm and have to take shelter at Lovecraft Middle School which wouldn't be so bad, but one of their substitute teachers is caught there as well and her actions are pretty scary, not to mention the army of creatures that's coming up the stairs. Fans of the Goosebumps series will enjoy this one too.

[reesa111 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

These books are awesome - The whole family enjoys them... Recommended as a great fantasy series for anyone's bookshelf.

[spoerk_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

AHH! I thought I wrote a review for this already! Ooops!Hands down this is one of the best children's series ever. Yup. I said it. And the best part is, you can pick up any book and start from there. You don't need to have read the previous books to enjoy it. I did email the author recently, asking where the 5th one was because this one ended on such a cliffhanger. He said hopefully later this year. I am so waiting for it. When I eventually have children, I can't wait to read this to them.

[mccin68 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A snowstorm traps students of Lovecraft Middle School through the night. Robert and Glenn fight against the evil Mr Tillinghast and his monsters with the help of a ghost and 2 headed rat.I haven't read the others in the series and not sure if this would have increased the likeability for me.

[rayneofdarkness · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Out of the four books - I think I enjoyed this one the most. It started out with some good thrills and just kept moving along with them till the end with a great shocker! I'm excited for the next one and so is my nephew. This line of books is really keeping him interested and being short/action packed enough to keep his attention the whole book.

[avanders_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review based on ARC.Yes, best yet. I know I said that about the last one, but *fortunately* they keep getting better! I'm ever impressed with Gilman's ability to creep in so few pages. This is, as with the others in the series, a book aimed at a 7/8-12 year old audience. And definitely kids with a stronger stomach and a penchant for the creepy. This one is creepiest yet. Robert and Glenn continue their adventures with the Tillinghast mansion and the Lovecraft middle school which they both attend. They find a new portal to the mansion that... lands them in a difficult situation. Caught by the janitor after their near escape, Robert and Glenn find themselves making up stories to avoid having to explain the truth, which adults clearly never believe in these stories. The janitor, however, tells Robert he will tell his mother (now the nurse at the school), and Robert sees problems on the horizon. Before Maniac Mac has a chance to tell Robert's mother, however, there is declared a weather emergency as a blizzard finds itself centered over Lovecraft and the school is sent home.Robert and his mother are, of course, last to leave since she is seeing to the well-being of the kids, and they ultimately find themselves caught in a place they'd rather not be, joined by Karina, Miss Carcasse (heh heh) the substitute librarian, Maniac Mac, and other creatures from ... other places. And that is saying enough! The story is creepy enough, Miss Carcasse is creepy enough, and we meet an individual who has heretofore been only discussed in the 3rd person! I like that Gilman continues his overall plot with each book.My only complaint is really that the book is REALLY aimed at a younger audience. It's a simple book with a simple plot and simple prose. Although the story is something that could be made into a young adult or adult novel with some real bite, Gilman is writing for the younger audience. Yeah, that's not really a criticism of the book, just a complaint in my favor. ;) I have sent, given, and recommended this book to many kids in my life. FOUR AND A HALF out of five stars.This and other reviews can be found at AllBookReviewer.blogspot.com

[noranydrop2read · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the fourth book in the TALES FROM LOVECRAFT MIDDLE SCHOOL series, and as I expected, it delights. The series begins with PROFESSOR GARGOYLE. Each hardcover features a lenticular image that shifts a normal teacher or student into his/her/their demonic alter egos, an image that foreshadows the story within. The premise: Robert Arthur is moved to Lovecraft Middle School, a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility built over the old Tillinghast Mansion site. Oops. Naturally, a connection to the old mansion (which mysteriously disappeared with its inhabitants) still exists, and even more naturally, Robert is the one to find it. In this installment, it is nearly Valentine's Day and Lovecraft Middle School, among other more supernatural occurrences, also has to deal with a blizzard. It's Robert to the rescue, along with his best friend (and former bully), his two-headed rat, and a ghost. There are plenty of otherworldly creatures and mild scares, making this an excellent readaloud for a Lovecraft-fan parent to his/her horror-loving child. If you've read Lovecraft, the references will tickle you, but you won't be lost if you haven't.Highly recommended for reluctant readers who need a page-turner, anyone who enjoys horror, and boys who only like books with boy protagonists.Source disclosure: I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher.

[lisamp_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lovely middle school tale in the tradition of R.L. Stine. Any self-respecting middle school student would love this book. I enjoyed it myself.

[jcmontgomery · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For young readers, especially those who like Goosebumps and Fear Street, should take a look at the TALES FROM LOVECRAFT MIDDLE SCHOOL young adult series. However, although it says "young adult series", I feel this is better suited to those on the younger end or whose reading level is not advanced. For that, I would agree with other reviewers that Gaiman and Harry Potter books are more their speed.This is an entertaining and short read that along with a stack of similar reads, will be great for traveling, camping, or taking along when having to spend time in a waiting room.

[ibnalnaqba · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story was a fun read, the horror element was not overplayed in a manner that one might expect for it to induce nightmares among its intended audience, and so long as one doesn't worry overmuch about what moral lessons a child might perceive about hiding lessons from adults as one perhaps overcautious reviewer suggested, this seems like a good series for any young reader with an interest in horror/fantasy. While I haven't read the first three volumes in the series, I would likely rather enjoy doing so, and probably would enjoy reading the series through to its conclusion. The story was paced fairly well, the personalities of the characters seemed sufficiently developed in the brief span of the book, and it seems like a story that young readers could enjoy without feeling overly challenged by, which I think is important in cultivating an actual enjoyment of reading in children. Not everything has to have moral lessons or advanced vocabulary, sometimes you want them to just sit down and enjoy a good read, and I think this may be just the sort of book for that purpose.

[shazzerwise_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An unexpected blizzard has left members of Lovecraft Middle School snowbound. Robert, his mother, "Maniac" Mac the janitor, Karina (a ghost who is trapped in LMS, regardless of weather) and the extra creepy Miss Carcasse are trapped for the night in the powerless building that also happens to double as a portal into the hell dimension of Tillinghast Mansion. Safe and sound, right? Who are we kidding, these people are doomed.Mr. Gilman continues his streak of creeptastic middle grade horror that would make any "Goosebumps" fan jump out of their seat. I've enjoyed the trajectory of the series so far, and I'm looking forward to what will come next.A note: That cover is terrifying. I was fine with a demon teacher, snake-headed twins and Bug Boy, but Wide-Awake-Cadaver-Teacher is too much for me. Every time I put the book down, I had to put it face down. Don't want to accidentally get a gander at that. Of course, all of this practically ensures that my kids are going to love it.

[tiffanyhickox · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another success in the Lovecraft Middle School series! As a librarian, I am pleased to see this series becoming more and more popular with the Juvenile Fiction set, mainly those in high levels of grade school. It is unique enough not to be considered a "rip off" of other series, and the stories will appeal to both girls and boys. Recommended for any middle level reader!

[wrighty_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is just the kind of spooky series I enjoyed as a kid (and still enjoy now!). I must admit, this was the first book I have read so far from the series and I really hate when I can't start at the beginning. Although I was able to follow the storyline I'm sure there were details I missed. I definitely plan to go back to books 1-3. This was a quick, fun read with a catchy black and white drawing in each chapter. The action starts on the first page with students from Lovecraft Middle School stranded on a snowy building ledge. A blizzard has trapped them along with some mysterious creatures. The characters are clever and brave exciting adventures. This ends with a good set up for another book. Great covers too! Thank you to LibraryThing for an arc in exchange for my honest review.