Kearsten says: Though this was a quick and creepy (at times) read, I felt it was....simplistic. About teen girl, Courtney, whose family moves into a house that's next door to a Puritan-era cemetery, _Creepers_ seemed to skip details. It's a lot sparser than it seems at first (231 pages, but with wide spacing, a generous amount of white space, and quite a few pages given up to images or short newspaper quotes), and there were a few times that I went back between pages, thinking I'd missed a segue somewhere, but no, we just skipped ahead in the action.

I would recommend this to young teens (maybe even tweens) who like tame ghost stories, as this one relies mostly on atmospheric creepies and has a rather benign...haunting. Older teens, or those who like serious creep-out might be bored by this one. ( )

Creepers tells the story of thirteen year-old Courtney who has just moved into a three hundred year old house sidled by a graveyard and covered in English ivy. She soon befriends an odd man, Mr. Geyer, and his teen daughter Margaret. They are historical researchers probing a mystery in the cemetery next to Courtney’s house. The mystery involves a witch, a bereaved father and magical ivy.
The makings of a decent mystery are present, but the execution is a bit muddled. The prose is strained and the foreshadowing a bit heavy handed, merely leading to an ambiguous ending. That being said, I do believe that the younger mystery enthusiast (9-12) could find something of interest in the story.

Also Reviewed on The Wild Rumpus Starts Children's Literature Website
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What first drew my attention to this book was the striking cover. In several shades of green, it's covered in embossed ivy leaves and the statue of young woman. The inside of the book is just as attractive with the pages edged in soft green and each chapter beginning with an interesting article or letter from the past. Courtney tells how she and her parents move to a new home one summer in Murmur, Massachusetts. The first thing they noticed when they saw their large stone house built in the 1700's was the English ivy that clung to it. A bit creepy since it was also next to a very old Puritan cemetery. Courtney soon meets a man and his daughter who give historical tours in the cemetery. They supply many details about the surrounding area and the history behind the traditions and the carvings of the tombstones. The duo is also able to tell her about her house and how it was built on the foundation of the original which burned during a tragic fire. Now the house is suppose to be haunted with a family that needs to be reunited. Although she finds the story hard to believe she is constantly finding more indications that there may be some truth to it all and she knows the ivy is connected. Somehow. The man and his daughter have become her friends and they are on a quest to right the wrongs of the past. But that's no easy feat and what should be done? Although this is written for young adults it is an interesting story for any age. The mysteries involved are not as detailed or as resolved as many adults may like though. It does have a simple flavor as more traditional ghost stories often do. ( )

This ghost story has all the right elements. A spooky house with a lot of history, a cemetery right next door, odd neighbors and the creeping ivy that has a mind of its own. I have been super busy this week so my time with this novel has been limited to late nights on the couch, all by myself. Let me tell you, I was spooked quite a few times and kept seeing things out of the corner of my eye.

As far as the story goes, I enjoyed the main character. Courtney is a girl I could get to know. That said, some of the other characters could have been a bit more developed. Their mysteriousness added to the story, but I wanted just a little bit more in the way of character development. Additionally, the story really centered around just a few people. While reading I felt completely isolated. Perhaps a bit more information about the town itself would have helped draw me into their world.

I will say that the book itself is stunning. Many of the pages are outlined in green ivy and included in the book are several newspaper clippings, maps, letters, etc. Since the story is centered around a journal, the reader gets to view some of these journal entries as the story unfolds. I really enjoyed the journal entries.

Going way back in time here, but if I were a young girl of ten or twelve or even a boy of that age I would find this book to be a real page turner. It has enough creepiness to hold your attention but absolutely no graphic or disturbing images. As a mom, I appreciate that. ( )

Though this was a quick and creepy (at times) read, I felt it was....simplistic. About teen girl, Courtney, whose family moves into a house that's next door to a Puritan-era cemetery, _Creepers_ seemed to skip details. It's a lot sparser than it seems at first (231 pages, but with wide spacing, a generous amount of white space, and quite a few pages given up to images or short newspaper quotes), and there were a few times that I went back between pages, thinking I'd missed a segue somewhere, but no, we just skipped ahead in the action.

I would recommend this to young teens (maybe even tweens) who like tame ghost stories, as this one relies mostly on atmospheric creepies and has a rather benign...haunting. Older teens, or those who like serious creep-out might be bored by this one. ( )