This totally reminded me of the Goosebump's stories I read as a kid! Love this! ( )

Summary
Clare has no interest in ghosts or paranormal activity unlike her father. All Clare wants to do is be a scientist, but this summer her dad needs her help on his Chicago ghost bus tours. While helping her dad, she sees a young boy with a sad face in the back of the bus. Then the scratches start. The ghost stories are getting to her, voices are whispering, and the number 396 keeps appearing. Will she be able to figure out what is happening?

Review
This was a scarier and more literary version of Goosebumps! When I first read it, I was not sure if it would be too scary for my students. With the integration of ghosts and historical connections it made it a little more realistic of a book. But to my pleasant surprise they are LOVING it. They enjoy the number connections and the historical context and the ship. They also like the connection of numbers.

The banter between the children was fun in the story as well. It really showed the characters personalities. At points I thought it was a little much and not necessary, but it did add a nice banter and personality. It reminds me of common sibling and friend banters I hear between my students. ( )

Full of warmth and charm — and a few spooky moments for middle-graders — Scritch Scratch is a wonderful example of a children’s book done right. Author Lindsay Currie is mindful of the age of her audience, and captures the awkwardness of it to perfection. As much a light tale of friendship and change and the importance of family as it is a ghost tale which evolves into a mystery, the further into the story the reader gets, the more fun it becomes.

Claire’s father runs a ghost tour business in Chicago, and the city’s colorful history — especially as it relates to ghosts and hauntings — plays an interesting part in Scritch Scratch. Claire has to fill in as her father’s helper on a bus tour, and sees a strange boy on the bus who shouldn’t be there. And then he’s not there, which causes the scientific-minded Claire to question her skepticism and embarrassment about her father’s passion for ghost lore. She also become a little spooked that ghosts might actually exist.

When the little boy attaches itself to Claire and follows her home, trying desperately — and a bit spookily — to enlist her help in some way she can’t quite grasp, things begin to spiral out of control. She doesn’t want to tell her father, or her warm and kind mother, for fear her dad will use it in a book, and be quite happy about the situation. She also can’t tell her BFF Casley, because Casley has a new friend, Emily, who likes makeup and other girly things. Claire is feeling pushed out, and her resentment of Emily finally boils over.

Her brother Sam is the only one she can turn to for help with the little boy at first, and though their relationship has it’s typical brother/sister dynamic, he proves himself to not only be of help in finding out more about the little boy, but also gives her good advice about her friendship with Casley, and the new girl Emily. There are some sweet and charming watershed moments for Claire regarding her friends, and her mother’s “teaching moments” that ring true for this age group. And speaking of water…well, I won’t go there.

Soon Casley and Emily are on board with Claire and Sam — who seems to like Emily more than a little — in solving the mystery of the boy’s identity, and discovering what it is he wants. We get some frights, some warm and charming moments between the four, and some deftly related Chicago history that never feels like an info dump. Scritch Scratch is a very fun read for adults who once in a while dip into middle-school or young adult books for nostalgia or lighter reading fare — or even just to check out what your kids or grandkids are reading. For middle-school-age children, I can imagine Scritch Scratch being even more fun, because of the — to most adults — mildly spooky thrills.

Overall this book feels warm and charming, despite the scary-sounding story-line. Rather than a horror story for kids, Lindsay Currie has written a book for kids that just so happens to have at its heart a spooky little mystery to solve. When I first began reading this, as an adult I wondered for a while if there would be anything to distinguish it from others of its ilk. The further I read, however, the more warm and charming Scritch Scratch became. Claire’s story, which includes a smile-inducing middle-school romance, is filled with subtle little life lessons and humor. Much more importantly, Scritch Scratch is a story with heart. Despite the spooky premise, I have no qualms about recommending Scritch Scratch quite highly. Great fun for adults who occasionally dip into these waters, but a wonderful book for middle-schoolers. Great stuff. ( )

An enthralling middle grade horror book. I loved all the Chicago history that was packed in. I really want to visit the Chicago History Museum now since I've never been there. This book was creepy, but not overly scary. I recommend it to anyone who wants a creepy ghost story that will hit you in the feels. ( )

Age appropriate ghost story ( )