Koehler, Susan. Cursed Sinkhole Series. Lerner/Darby Creek. 01/2023. 102pp. Fiction. GRADES 6 – 12. ADDITIONAL. PLB $29.32. 978-1-7284-7550-9. Paper $9.99. 978-1-7284-7797-8.
SERIES REVIEW:
This high interest, low reading level series from Darby Creek features spooky, paranormal tales revolving around fictional Foggy Creek High School students and some mysterious sinkholes in Wick County, Texas. Out of six series titles, this reviewer read three, each progressively spookier than the previous. Cursed features lucky, and unlucky, things happening to Eli after he finds an old watch which mysteriously glows at night and instigates dreams of a century-old train robbery. Infestation is the creepiest, with school bus-sized spiders emerging from the sinkholes as a couple of high school girls try to get the authorities to believe them and stop the spiders. Innocent Blood has people vanishing, apparently in order to appease old injustices. Each title contains short chapters, easy to understand concepts, and enough hints about paranormal/spooky events to keep readers going. While the characters (some white, some non-white) are lightly developed, the topics will appeal to high schoolers and the third grade reading level makes these a great choice for struggling readers.
Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library