NONFICTION

Nightmare Jones: poems

by Shannon Bramer (text) & illus. by Cindy Derby
Groundwood. Oct. 2025. 56p. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9781773069463. Gr 5 Up
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Gr 5 Up–An eerie, yet magical world, similar to Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. The poems feel as if Schwartz teamed up with Shel Silverstein. Some, like “Dollhouse Spiders” and “The Truth about Worms,” may help ease the fear of spiders and bring a new appreciation to the typically unloved worms. The creative “Welcome to Persephone’s” is similar in feeling to Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, but more child-appropriate. Abstract watercolor art seamlessly accompanies each poem, especially with “Four Seasons in a Witch’s Garden.” The book starts with more upbeat poems; then, towards the back, more melancholic poems and those incorporating themes of grief appear.
VERDICT A great book for readers who like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, fans of Mary Downing Hahn, and anyone looking to darken their reads a little bit.
Reviewed by Autumn West , Jun 30, 2025

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