Mothman's Curse

When Josie and her brothers uncover a haunted camera, the Mothman legend becomes a terrifying reality that threatens their entire town in this spooky and action-filled novel. Josie may live in the most haunted town in America, but the only strange thing she ever sees is the parade of oddball customers that comes through her family's auction house each week. But when she and her brothers discover a Polaroid camera that prints pictures of the ghost of local recluse John Goodrich, they are drawn into a mystery dating back over a hundred years. A desperate spirit, cursed jewelry, natural disasters, and the horrible specter of Mothman all weave in and out of the puzzle that Josie must solve to break the curse and save her own life.

From School Library Journal

Gr 4–6—Josie Fletcher and her brothers, Fox and Mason, have grown up helping out at their family's auction house. They know which trinkets are actually worth money and which ones are straight-up junk. The siblings aren't allowed to buy stuff once it's on the auction floor, but sometimes they borrow objects to play with and return them before the auction. That's what happens with Mr. Goodrich's old Polaroid camera. Josie snaps a picture, and when it prints out, there is a strange man in the shot: a man who wasn't there when she took the picture. The haunted camera is just the beginning of an adventure that will take the Fletchers into the history of local disasters and lead to a confrontation with the red-eyed Mothman. The fantasy elements (which are based on local legends) and the realistic portions of the plot are strongly crafted, resulting in a balanced blend of genre and literary elements. Hayes's characters are appealing but flawed, and their relationships will ring true for middle grade readers. Over time, the Fletcher children begin to come to terms with their mother's death by learning that they can always rely on one another. VERDICT Scary enough to appeal to readers who are growing out of R.L. Stine titles, this may also tempt fans of realistic fiction.—Gesse Stark-Smith, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Kirkus, starred review

“An ectoplasmic extravaganza...tailor-made for reading beneath the bedcovers.”

School Library Journal

“Scary enough to appeal to readers who are growing out of R.L. Stine titles, this may also tempt fans of realistic fiction.”

Publishers Weekly

“Debut author Hayes deftly balances the thriller elements of her story with resonant coming-of-age moments, and Hindle's eerie b&w cartoons tweak the suspense further.”

About the Author

Christine Hayes grew up loving stories about the creatures that curl your toes, and the legends that send a shiver down your spine. Now she loves writing about them, too. She lives in Utah with her family, her dog Chewie, and a collection of vintage finds that hopefully are not cursed.James K. Hindle illustrated Mothman’s Curse by Christine Hayes, and has also done illustrations for The New York Times, The Boston Globe, NYU Press and other publishers. He lives in western Massachusetts with his wife and three sons.

Reviews

News