Hearing Things

K-Gr 2–Tim is eager to help out his sister Martha, who likes to make scary tunes, when she feels isolated and no longer wants to play music. In a search for unique sounds for Martha to sample and mix, Tim stumbles into the town’s haunted house. At first, he hears nothing but silence, but Tim’s cat is able to persuade two friendly ghosts to liven up the place and make as many spooky sounds as possible. As Tim explores each room, readers are treated with an appreciation of sounds, complete with onomatopoetic words with thick typeface. Sears’s accompanying chunky cartoon style makes the piece very gentle and fun, which pairs well with the softer tone. The simpler word choice also makes this perfect for young kiddos who want a “scary story,” but need something a little tamer before jumping into the deep end.