Scream: The Spider Army by Jack Heath

Scholastic, 2015. ISBN: 9781760152093
(Age 9 - 12)Recommended. Themes: Spiders - Fiction, Mysteries and Suspense Stories, School Stories. Scream: The Spider Army by Jack Heath delivers the same level of creepiness, shocks and scares that Scream: The Human Flytrap did without the scream noise when you opened the cover. The reader launches straight into the novel, no contents or publishing information, just the first chapter embellished with black borders, spiders and webs.
Something strange is happening in the fortress that is their school- Axe Falls High School. After the damaging earthquake the previous Friday night, a deadly spider army has been unleashed in their school. The lethal blue-black arachnids lurk in the corridors and classrooms, their venomous bites cause gross disfigurement, the victims's screams are unbearable and terrifying. Yvette is the central character, she loves to tinker in the garage inventing new machines. Her high powered pressure washer will come in handy - not just for Food Technology! Unfortunately, after a spider sighting she causes havoc and is given two weeks detention in the library after school. She has to help organise the books after the destruction of the earthquake. Where is the missing librarian? Why is she locked in the archive room with something noisy and hissing and what is creepy Mr. Mortimer involved in?
This action-packed junior novel with short chapters and a fast-paced story is just right for readers who have high interest levels and lower reading ages. The dark graphic descriptions make this a novel suited to 9+ readers. Everything from the black edged pages and borders, the spiders images all set the mood for the chilling narrative. Jack Heath's writing career began when he was thirteen. Now in his twenties, he continues to write fast-paced, thrilling adventures for his younger readers.
Recommended for readers 9-12
Rhyllis Bignell