When it comes to the telling of imaginative stories, children’s literature has always flourished. The children’s horror genre, with its ghostly whispers in creaky old houses to the secret corridors hidden away in school libraries, are tales of the paranormal that spark curiosity and supply a healthy dose of heart-pumping adrenaline. Young readers have always enjoyed a scare and relished a brush with the supernatural, albeit in the safe environment through the pages of a book, as every page turn could reveal the excitement of ethereal figures, eerie hidden doorways or lurking unknown creatures ready to pounce from the most unexpected of places. The suspense is gentle and not only builds the tension but invites its young readers to explore themes of courage, friendship and resilience amid otherworldly surprises. One engaging haunted school, with shape-shifting creatures and mysterious teachers, is Lovecraft Middle School and the inaugural entry into the series is Professor Gargoyle.
Professor Gargoyle, written by Charles Gilman, is the first book in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series. This series of books for children, aged 9-12, is a collection of fantasy horror stories set in a school. The series has been inspired by the tales of H. P. Lovecraft, an author of weird tales and scary stories – adult readers may recognise some of the inspiration as the school is set in Dunwich, Massachusetts, part of the Lovecraft Country (the Miskatonic region) found in Lovecraft’s stories. And the school has a new transfer student, 12-year-old Robert Arthur.
Welcome to Lovecraft Middle School (LMS), a brand-new state-of-the-art school made from recycled materials (although some materials may have been obtained from a very strange and haunted house), packed with the best facilities and technology. After the neighbourhood was redistricted Robert Arthur is forced to change school, becoming part on the new intake into LMS.
Robert Arthur starts at his new school under a cloud of anxiety. All his friends have gone to a different school so he doesn’t know anyone to share the burden with. Immediately he is met with unsettling oddities: a rat infestation lurking beneath the bleachers, the rekindled taunts of his old bully Glenn and an unsettling complement of high-tech facilities that feel just a bit too perfect. The true strangeness begins when the science teacher, Professor Gargoyle, enters the scene. And then there’s Robert’s chance encounter with Karina, a classmate who’s more mysterious than she first appears, who leads him to a hidden door in the school’s library. Together, they embark on a quest to uncover Lovecraft Middle School’s deepest secrets before the next catastrophe strikes.
Overall, I thought that Professor Gargoyle was a fantastic children’s horror. It features everything children’s horror should have: ghosts, demons, 2-headed rats, disappearing children, alternate dimensions and tentacle attacks all set in place where children spend a lot of their time – school! I thought that it was a very enjoyable read, one that children will be able to sink their teeth into and not want to stop reading.
Professor Gargoyle is an excellent starting point into children’s paranormal fiction, for young readers aged 9+. It superbly balances creepy light horror with lively humour, great characters with clever plot twists and atmospheric dread with hopeful resolutions. Young readers will relish the adventure, trying to work out the clues to anticipate the next eerie reveal.
While it has themes of horror and paranormal activities, it is very age-appropriate with toned down horror and no gore, preferring more atmospheric tension. It is easy to read and would be a great book for reluctant readers who like scary books.
With a large cast of characters, the main protagonists are excellent. Robert’s wide-eyed perspective that is tinged with trepidation and determination, something that children starting a new school will be able to relate to. Karina has a fearless curiosity and her past is woven like fabric into the school’s supernatural anomalies. As for Professor Gargoyle, well he is an enigma who blends teacherly guidance with eerie menace. And finally, Glenn, the school bully, transcends when he is confronted with the school’s living horrors.
While the story is fantastic, it also features some great illustrations, by Eugene Smith, that really bring the story to life. And then there is the “morphing cover” – a novelty hologram that shifts from a mild facade to a demon-like visage when viewed at an angle – this adds an immersive, tactile thrill that entices reluctant readers to pick up the book.
Professor Gargoyle is an easy to read children’s paranormal horror that not only has a great story but has an eye-catching quality cover.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £12.99 (Hardback)
Available to buy from Amazon here.