Freeze; Chris Priestley

Chris Priestley is a master when it comes to delivering spooky, spine-tingling stories and his latest collaboration with Barrington Stoke packs all of the chills and thrills that I have come to expect.

Maya had a feeling something bad was going to happen today and she was right. When supply teacher Mr. Kumar asks the children to write creepy, winter-themed stories, the children have lots of deliciously dark and ‘cool’ ideas. Eerie tales of sinister snowmen, ice-skating ghosts, rising floodwaters, frozen bodies and a bewitched Jack Frost fill the room.

As the stories are shared, Maya finds herself and her three friends starring in each one and they feel all too real. As the final story is shared by mysterious new girl Winter, skies darken, an icy chill descends in the library and children begin to freeze. Will Maya find a way to stop the nightmare and free the class from Winter’s terrifying grip…

I always thought that keeping scary books in the freezer meant that you were safe from the horrors that lurked within but after reading this I think I’ll be keeping them nice and warm to ensure that the likes of Jack Frost and Winter are kept firmly away.

Freeze is a creepy set of stories within a story, complete with ominous illustrations. Each story more chilling than the last, this will be devoured by those readers who like their stories with a more sinister edge and who rather enjoy the feeling of a cold shiver down the spine and don’t mind bone-chilling, teeth-chattering ghostly tales. 

From first page to last, the deliciously spooky plot kept me within its icy clutches and just like Maya, I found myself slipping into each of the stories and sharing the terrifying experiences with her. Desperate to find out what was going to happen next and keen to escape the chilling grip of the strange Winter, I had to read It all in one go and I’m sure other readers will do the same.

True to Barrington Stoke form, the book is produced using dyslexic friendly font and page tint ensuring a read that is accessible to every reader.

With huge thanks to the lovely peeps at Barrington Stoke for this spine-tingling book.

Recommended for 9+.