The Nest

Gr 5–8—Steve has a lot to worry about—the dark, the new baby that is struggling to survive, his parents, his sister, and the wasps that seem to be everywhere. His dreams are troubled, and he always sleeps buried in his blanket with just a breathing hole because it feels safer. But then, the "angels" appear in his dreams promising to make the baby better—to make the baby perfect—and all Steve has to do is say yes. However, Steve has no idea at what price the promised miracle comes. Soon, his peaceful dreams of kind angels begin to darken, and reality presents itself in terrifying twisted turns. Narrator Gibson Frazier's pacing is so smooth that readers will forget themselves as they are caught up in this increasingly horrifying tale. Frazier's vocal changes for each character are subtle but convincing and well in keeping with the haunting events of the story.