Scritch Scratch
Ratings7
Average rating3.4
15
Ratings7
Average rating3.4
Claire has absolutely no interest in the paranormal. She's a scientist, which is why she can't think of anything worse than having to help out her dad on one of his ghost-themed Chicago bus tours. She thinks she's made it through when she sees a boy with a sad face and dark eyes at the back of the bus. There's something off about his presence, especially because when she checks at the end of the tour...he's gone.
Claire tries to brush it off, she must be imagining things, letting her dad's ghost stories get the best of her. But then the scratching starts. Voices whisper to her in the dark. The number 396 appears everywhere she turns. And the boy with the dark eyes starts following her.
Claire is being haunted. The boy from the bus wants something...and Claire needs to find out what before it's too late.
Reviews with the most likes.
This book took me almost two months to read because I could only manage it a few pages at a time.
I was excited for a spooky ghost story and it did not deliver. Sure, there were moments that were spooky, but they were overshadowed by painful dialogue, terrible investigative work (“He must have died in the fire!” as the ghost appears soaking wet and all the hauntings involve water), and unbelievable children.
It took me until about halfway through the book to realize one of the things bothering me was that the characters do not act their age. Claire and her friends are supposed to be 12-year-old 7th graders, and her brother Sam 15. How they all act and talk fits more if they were all 3 - 5 years younger than their actual ages.
I did appreciate the history of Chicago woven into the story, and it spurred a few Wikipedia binges, but other than that I have nothing positive to say about Scritch Scratch and won't be recommending it to my patrons.
I loved being there beside Claire as she struggled with friends and parents while also being haunted. Claire does not have an easy time growing through this, but she doesn't give up. I loved all the characters and I thought the history lesson was well done as well.
Cute middle grade! I liked the writing. Story had lots of good lessons. Read it in a few hours. Good to pick up during spooky season!
