Scared Silly #1: Curses are the Worst

Goosebumps meets The Baily School Kids in this young middle-grade series about four unlikely friends who must band together to save their town from an evil curse!

Regan, Sofia, Bennet, and Darius are shocked when they end up in detention. Little do they know, the detention they're walking into is far from ordinary. Their science teacher, Ms. Stein, believes she'll be able to create an army of perfect students -- and she's planning on using Sofia's smart, Regan's heart, Bennett's likeability, and Darius's loyalty to do it.

When the clones of the kids start causing chaos around town, the real kids get in trouble. But nobody believes the “it was my evil clone!” excuse, and Ms. Stein only laughs off the accusations. Now, it's up to the kids to defeat Ms. Stein's clone monster army. Will they become victorious and save the town from danger . . . or are they cursed once and for all?

Scared Silly #1: Curses are the Worst is out now! Click here to find or order from an independent bookstore near you. Or you can order online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

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REVIEWS

"Frightfully funny. Scared Silly is so hilarious and creepy I nearly peed my pants--twice!"
—Max Brallier, author of the New York Times bestselling The Last Kids on Earth series

“…lively series kickoff…Nonstop wordplay and an anonymous, fourth-wall-breaking narrator make for a spirited adventure.”
—Publishers Weekly

“An elementary school Breakfast Club jumps into action when their science teacher starts cloning them….big on humor and heart.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“An enjoyable read just right for Goosebumps fans”
—Booklist

BEHIND THE STORY

I love creepy things. I grew up on horror movies, especially ones that are so bad they’re classic (Trolls 2, anyone?). I spent so much of my tween and teen years watching The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents and devouring Stephen King novels.

As anyone who has ever met me (or hopefully reads one of my books), I also like to be silly. So why not combine the two?

I actually know the exact date that I came up with the original concept for Scared Silly: October 12, 2020. I was on my thirteenth day of quarantine after moving from the US to London. I was watching the Netflix movie Vampires vs. the Bronx. In it, a group of young friends try to save the Bronx from vampires. They watch movies to figure out how to do it. It’s just delightful. And I thought, “hmmm, maybe I could do something where kids have to save their hometown from a series of monsters…” The more I thought about it, the more excited I got. I even tweeted about it!

Luckily, I was still excited about it once I was finally free! I started thinking of the town (Cauldron’s Cove), why there are monsters (a long-dormant witch’s curse), and who is going to save the town (can’t wait for you to meet Regan, Darius, Bennett, and Sofia). And, of course, the monsters!

The first book is very, very loosely inspired by Frankenstein. There will be at least two more books (coming every six months!) and I’ll save those monsters for later. But they’re good. For you to read about. Not for these poor kids. Oh, I put them through the ringer and you’re welcome, dear reader!