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A Jar of Eyeballs
Kevin is tired of being ignored. No one in school ever seems to notice him, so he decides to win the school science fair prize--no matter what it takes. But Kevin soon finds himself up to his eyeballs in trouble. Readers won't be able to look away from the eye-popping conclusion of this tale from Professor Igor! This series of hi-lo books is sure to keep reluctant readers wide-eyed until the final page. Each book includes discussion and writing questions, a glossary, and educational back matter.
40 pages, Library Binding
First published August 1, 2015
9 people want to read
About the author
Michael Dahl
568 books156 followersMichael Dahl is the author of over 200 books for children and young adults, including the acclaimed Finnegan Zwake mystery series and The Library of Doom. His works have earned Edgar and Anthony Award nominations and national design honors. As Editorial Director at Stone Arch Books, he champions engaging, award-winning stories that inspire young readers everywhere.
He also writes under aliases Chris Carey, Rick Thomas, and Mark Ziegler.
He also writes under aliases Chris Carey, Rick Thomas, and Mark Ziegler.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 5, 2025
Raja Tun Uda Library
This was the last book my nieces borrowed from the library, and they were especially eager for me to read it. They’d been saving this one for last. The moment I looked at the cover, my anxiety spiked LOL!
This book was so simple, so amateur—and yet, I found myself throwing the book at my nieces and screaming while frantically scratching at my scalp and arms. I could feel my skin crawling. There was no way I could finish this book in one sitting.
HAHA okay, let me explain!
I have trypophobia, and the illustrations in this book were really hard for me to get through—especially as the eyeball drawings kept multiplying with each page. I already hate anything involving clusters of eyes or repeated patterns, and by the time there were pages full of eyeballs, I had to cover the illustrations with my hand just to keep reading.
My nieces started freaking out because they could feel my anxiety rising. My sister, who was quietly reading her own book across the room, had to stop and look over at us. Then came Kevin’s nightmare—and I screamed and threw the book at my niece. She screamed too, and the younger one ran straight to her mother. My sister was laughing her head off... until I threw the book at her. She looked at the illustrations and went, “Oooohhhh.”
I didn’t even need to finish the sentence—I knew what Kevin’s nightmare was going to be. I had to calm myself down and keep the page half-covered just to get through the rest of the story. My nieces had no idea why the illustrations were making me lose it, but they were delighted. They kept looking at the pictures, trying to “feel” what I was freaking out about!
Anyway, like I mentioned earlier—the story is simple, but it definitely has a creepy element.
Even as I’m writing this review, I can still feel something crawling under my skin LOL.
This was the last book my nieces borrowed from the library, and they were especially eager for me to read it. They’d been saving this one for last. The moment I looked at the cover, my anxiety spiked LOL!
This book was so simple, so amateur—and yet, I found myself throwing the book at my nieces and screaming while frantically scratching at my scalp and arms. I could feel my skin crawling. There was no way I could finish this book in one sitting.
HAHA okay, let me explain!
I have trypophobia, and the illustrations in this book were really hard for me to get through—especially as the eyeball drawings kept multiplying with each page. I already hate anything involving clusters of eyes or repeated patterns, and by the time there were pages full of eyeballs, I had to cover the illustrations with my hand just to keep reading.
My nieces started freaking out because they could feel my anxiety rising. My sister, who was quietly reading her own book across the room, had to stop and look over at us. Then came Kevin’s nightmare—and I screamed and threw the book at my niece. She screamed too, and the younger one ran straight to her mother. My sister was laughing her head off... until I threw the book at her. She looked at the illustrations and went, “Oooohhhh.”
I didn’t even need to finish the sentence—I knew what Kevin’s nightmare was going to be. I had to calm myself down and keep the page half-covered just to get through the rest of the story. My nieces had no idea why the illustrations were making me lose it, but they were delighted. They kept looking at the pictures, trying to “feel” what I was freaking out about!
Anyway, like I mentioned earlier—the story is simple, but it definitely has a creepy element.
Even as I’m writing this review, I can still feel something crawling under my skin LOL.
August 1, 2022
Brief, unique, and interesting, this book reaches middle school-aged kids on their level and strives to both entertain (in the gross-out genre) and teach them. The lesson in "A Jar of Eyeballs" is honesty, although the ending feels a bit unresolved. However, I don't think "busting" the main character for his dishonesty would improve the book...I think leaving it hanging a bit is perfect for the type of book it is. I really enjoyed the brief listing of science facts in the back. All in all, a quick, amusing read which fits well into its intended place in the literary world.
December 16, 2022
Creative text features and illustrations serve as useful supports for readers in this creepy little text. Useful backmatter is included such as a glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts. The size, Lexile, and genre will make this book appealing to MS/HS readers in need of a more accessible text.
October 25, 2019
A creepy short chapter book for those early readers who want a scare.
October 6, 2015
Desperate for some sort of notice from his classmates and teachers, Kevin decides that winning the science fair will bring him the attention he seeks. His eyeball-based project is popular, and wins a prize. But when he goes home that night, he realizes that his wish to have "all eyes on him" (p. 34) has come true in an entirely-unexpected way. This book is wonderfully creepy with appropriately scary illustrations as well. Readers will fly through the book and then want to turn right around and reread it.
October 29, 2015
Brief, unique, and interesting, this book reaches middle school-aged kids on their level and strives to both entertain (in the gross-out genre) and teach them. The lesson in "A Jar of Eyeballs" is honesty, although the ending feels a bit unresolved. However, I don't think "busting" the main character for his dishonesty would improve the book...I think leaving it hanging a bit is perfect for the type of book it is. I really enjoyed the brief listing of science facts in the back. All in all, a quick, amusing read which fits well into its intended place in the literary world.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews