Comedy horror has a great allure for young page turners, striking a delicate balance in children’s literature, blending playful scares with enough adventure and humour to keep young hearts pounding and faces grinning. For readers age 7+, this genre encourages courageous reading by making mild frights approachable, it stretches vocabulary through its vivid descriptions of monsters, mayhem and mishaps while helping foster resilience when the protagonists overcome bizarre challenges. The comedic elements of this genre: fun and silly dialogue, absurd situations and whimsical illustrations, soften the tension, ensuring that each scare lands more as a giggle than a scream. Buttercup Sunshine and the House on Hangman’s Hill, the second instalment in Colin Mulhern’s Buttercup Sunshine series, exemplifies how well-crafted comedy horror can captivate junior fiction fans while secretly teaching them about bravery, problem-solving and the joys of a spine-tingling tale.
House on Hangman’s Hill is the sequel to Zombies of Dooooom in the Buttercup Sunshine series. After fighting off zombies in the first book, Buttercup Sunshine now embarks on her latest mission: securing a cure for her Granny, who remains zombified after the meteor-induced undead uprising in Briar’s Cove. Her quest leads her to Hangman’s Hill, where she must deliver a mysterious package to a house that seemingly materialises out of thin air. But once in the house, she encounters the eccentric Dr Vincent Frankenstein and his lumbering monster creation. With the expectation of help, she instead stumbles into a bizarre plot to obliterate the world – an alarming revelation that makes her all the more determined to stop it.
Overall, Buttercup’s second outing doesn’t disappoint in this comedy horror series for children. Continuing in the same fun and scary vein as the first, it sees the delightful Buttercup encounter a weird new adventure in a clever and thrilling way. With a great use of language it will not overwhelm its young readers and give them fun and gentle scares.
With its short chapters featuring brains in jars and mad scientists, readers will zip through barn-bumping chases, near-miss escapes in the Misty Marshes of Misery, My Gawd We’re All Going To Die Swamp and a showdown on Hangman’s Hill itself. The brisk pacing keeps reluctant readers wholly engaged, while cliffhanger chapter endings practically demand, “Just one more!”
Scattered throughout the story are playful black-and-white drawings that depict sticky-fingered zombies, Dr Frankenstein’s laboratory contraptions and the House on Hangman’s Hill crooked silhouette. These illustrations serve more than decorative purposes: they break up text blocks to aid younger eyes and make reading easier to manage while providing visual humour that complements the narrative.
Young readers will love the brave and resourceful character of Buttercup Sunshine, with her quick quips, even when facing jarred brains and carrot-juice phobia, she is the perfect heroine with her confidence and vulnerability, reminding readers that bravery doesn’t mean never feeling fear – it means acting despite it.
As for Granny Sunshine, she is still endearingly eccentric, although now she has a zombie twist that adds both humour and more emotional appeal.
The dialogue crackles with witty banter, ensuring that fear never outstays its welcome. Every line reads as if the characters are winking at the audience, inviting them in on a deliciously mischievous secret.
Beyond its gentle scares, the book weaves in themes of loyalty, ingenuity and ethical science. Buttercup’s relentless drive to help save her Granny from the zombie curse demonstrates the devotion and the lengths she will go to for her family. With her creative problem-solving abilities, such as repurposing lab equipment or outsmarting a monster, she demonstrates the ability to think fast and inventive. And the carrot juice experiment introduces young readers to the concept of trial and error in a fun and subtle way.
Buttercup Sunshine and the House on Hangman’s Hill delivers a monster helping of fun, laughs and gentle scares that are tailored perfectly for junior fiction and comedy horror fans. It has a fast pace, engaging characters and playful illustrations that ensures every twist and turn feels fresh and exciting. But Young Page Turners beware, be prepared to keep the bedside lamp on and the carrot juice out of reach.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £6.99 (Paperback)
Available to buy from Amazon here.
