The Haunted Serpent

Gr 4–6—Moving to a new town can be tough; add a 10-foot, man-eating boa constrictor, bodies being stolen from graves, and a mysterious factory and moving to the town of Thederoot is downright dangerous. After recording notes of these ominous happenings, Spaulding S. Meriweather realizes that moving to the strange town with his aunt is precarious; yet, following in the footsteps of his paranormal investigating parents, Spaulding is determined to find answers. After all, who could ignore finding human fingers in the spokes of his bike after a visit to the local pond? With help from his "ghostly" neighbor and three friends, Spaulding battles the undead, a powerful necromancer, and a "deadly" beauty to unlock the connected secrets of Thederoot. Mitchell's tale infuses mystery, horror, science fiction, and a tinge of humor to entice a wide variety of genre readers. The author's strong description of the main character's actions paired with comic-style illustrations, clipped from Spaulding's research journal, stimulate empathy as well as curiosity. Readers will feel as though they are investigators alongside Spaulding as nonstop hints and clues are sprinkled throughout. The ending, however, seems abrupt and unfinished, leaving crucial elements, such as Spaulding's relationship with his parents, dangling. The title of the book, common and unimaginative, fails to encompass the curious and original story.