Children's Writer, Book Reviewer, Teacher, Artist
'The Ghouls of Howlfair' is enormous fun! Funny, scary and surprisingly tender, this is a children's book perfectly made for Halloween - and for the rest of the year too! You will laugh, you will grip the page with sweat and you will punch the air in delight for the marvellous Molly Thompson.
Howlfair is notorious for its creepy legends and it's scary tourism activities. But inquisitive and clumsy Molly Thompson thinks that under the town's facade the legends are true and more sinister than anyone could imagine. Known for being slightly too nosy, Molly is banned from investigating by her mother - yet that won't stop Molly and her best friends, the cat Gabriel and her school friend Lowry, from seeking the truth. What they uncover will threaten everyone's lives...
Nick Tomlinson is a superb writer. He can pull you in with laughs, frighten you with images that perturb, then soften you with genuine heart. His descriptions of Howlfair are monstrously alive and great fun; personification is used in fantastic abundance - everything groans, moans, squints and churns. Molly is a wonderful character: vulnerable, awkward, curious, with a a heart of gold underneath her frowning exterior. As the spooky truth of Howlfair is unveiled so is the truth of Molly. She has to come to terms with herself and her past, as well as with the town. This is ultimately what gives the story it's emotional beat. On top of that, Tomlinson writes dialogue like a man possessed. I love that characters say words like 'crud' and 'biscuits!' This grounds the story in a sense of reality which makes the horror (and there are moments that are quite intense) even more suspenseful.
Atmospheric, funny and with characters to adore, this is a spooky treat for everyone! Grab a copy now... if you dare...
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-ghouls-of-howlfair/nick-tomlinson/kim-geyer/9781406386684