SCHOOL OF THE DEAD

Narrator Michael Crouch's boyish voice brings life to the dead in this middle-grade ghost story. Tony Gilbert has always been nervous around his Uncle Charlie, a weird old man who is fascinated by death. But when Uncle Charlie moves in with Tony's family, he and Charlie become close. After Charlie's death, Tony enrolls at Charlie's alma mater, Penda School. Then, Uncle Charlie comes back--and he's not the only ghost that Tony sees at his new school. The novel's conclusion and Crouch's delivery lack the urgency to make this a truly gripping listen. Nonetheless, Crouch brings a perfect dose of early adolescent angst to Tony's story and creates some creepiness with a croaking voice for Uncle Charlie. E.C. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2016]