The Horror

House on Cherry Street #2

by Rodman Philbrick, Lynn Harnett

The house on Cherry Street stood high on a hill, surrounded by shadows. It was a rambling old place, a decaying mansion - and it was watching us. Something was in the house, waiting. Something no longer alive...

Jason and Sally's parents have gone away and left them with a babysitter in the house on Cherry Street. Just one problem. The house doesn't like babysitters. Or children...

Genres: Horror, Middle Grade, Childrens, Paranormal, Ghosts, Mystery, Young Adult

142 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1995

About the author

Aka William R Dantz, Chris Jordan, W.R. Philbrick.

Rodman Philbrick grew up on the New England coast, where he worked as a longshoreman and boat builder. For many years he wrote mysteries and detective novels. The Private Eye Writers of America nominated two of his T.D.Stash series as best detective novel and then selected Philbrick's 'Brothers & Sinners' as Best Novel in 1993. Writing under the pen name 'William R. Dantz' he has explored the near-future worlds of genetic engineering and hi-tech brain control in books like 'Hunger', 'Pulse', 'The Seventh Sleeper'. And 'Nine Levels Down'.

Inspired by the life of a boy who lived a few blocks away, he wrote 'Freak The Mighty', the award-winning young-adult novel, which has been translated into numerous languages and is now read in schools throughout the world. The book was adapted to the screen in 1998 as 'The Mighty', starring Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson, James Gandolfini, Kieran Culkin, and Elden Henson.

Philbrick, a screenwriter as well as a novelist, is the author of a number of novels for young readers, including 'The Fire Pony', 'Max the Mighty', 'REM World', 'The Last Book In The Universe', 'The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds' and 'The Young Man And The Sea'. His recent novels for adults include 'Dark Matter', 'Coffins', and 'Taken'. He and his wife divide their time between Maine and the Florida Keys.

Reviews

[Mrs. Bolduc]

I teach middle school, and the students I have love scary books. I remember reading this series when I was younger, and I was terrified by them. I decided to order them for my classroom, and man, were they hard to find. I guess you cannot buy them new anymore. I managed to get a class copy through Abe Books, and since most of my class wanted to read them, they chose it as our class read aloud. The book often leaves you with cliffhangers, that turns out to be nothing exciting. My students have grown used to this, and while they enjoy this book, I feel like it is more appropriate for younger grades and not middle school. The book is an entertaining story, though there is no real depth to it, the students have enjoyed it as a read aloud.

[Hilary]

It was a bit confusing for me, but it was cool and I liked it.

[Amanda]

This is a good book, but it was hard for me to find.

In this book the house is still haunting them. Bobby or Billy (I am not sure of the name) But the ghost boy does not like the baby sitter that the children get. Katie (the sitter) gets torchered, and she blames it on the boy Jason. Even thought it was the old witch and Bobby.

At the end Katie goes to the emergancy room and Sally and Jason are left alone outside the house.

[Kayla Woodward]

i thought it was pretty scary

[Andréa Ortiz]

Loved it. Was creeped out and it was freaky but a good book!!!(:

[Shawna]

Really enjoyed this series as a youth. Good starter series for kids who can handle spooky books.

[Jeanine]

Quite good