I really loved how unsettling and creepy this book was bc I think kids need actual creepy horror stories too! I had fun with this story although I felt it rambled a bit and it made me lose focus of the story. But I still enjoyed it

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperStacks for an ARC of this novel. I did not realize this was a YA book going into it, but I don't think it necessarily reads as YA. The story is creepy, but it isn't too creepy for the young crowd. However, it was entertaining. I was able to figure out what was going on pretty quickly, but I liked the integration of fungus being part of the story with the popularity of things like The Last of Us. Paul did a great job of capturing the emotions of our main character and making the parents off. If I had realized that it was YA, I probably would have been more receptive to it. I was bored for a good bit of the time, but I can understand that since I wasn't the target audience. I teach younger students, and I do think this would be popular with the right group. If I could give partial stars, I'd rate this a 2.5.

I'm a big fan of Paul Tremblay and I knew I had to read this, even if it is labeled as middle grade. Casey is our main character and he's been having a tough time in school. An embarrassing incident has caused all his friends and classmates to shun him. Then, a mysterious man shows up with a friend for Casey, in the loose form of a boy his age. Saying anything more than an ominous the boy isn't all he appears to be would give away too much! I'd recommend if you're a fan and to the intended audience that likes a good creepy book.

I wish I could send this back to my middle school self. Tremblay has been a favorite of mine for a while, and he adapts to middle grade fiction perfectly. The story is smoothly written and gripping, creepy yet reassuring in a way. He hones in on some of the base fears one feels throughout adolescence: loss of identity, isolation, shame, embarrassment, you name it. Casey's development throughout the story is executed well, and Morel's arc is cutting and sympathetic.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. If I was twelve, this would without a doubt be my favorite book of all time. I was not a child during the height of the pandemic, but this book made me really understand the small, day-to-day things children must have been going through during that time and the worries of a child with some anxieties. Casey is the beating heart of this story, and I just want to pick him up and squeeze him into a tight hug and never let him go. It was a perfectly paced, small novel that I never wanted to put down. And I can't forget to mention how disturbing it is. Tremblay mastered the idea that children can accept things that will break the minds of adults, and he utilized that idea masterfully. If Morel showed up at my door today, my initial instinct would be to destroy him, but as a child who is still learning about the ways of the world, Morel is just another thing Casey accepted. It is a terrifying novel without being brutal in the slightest. It is a subtle dread that builds from the moment Morel walks in the door, and the reader identifies that there is something different about him. And Tremblay also makes you feel for Morel and his situation, especially as the novel goes on. Middle grade is not an age range I read frequently, but every time I do I am reminded that the stories of this age range can have a profound impact on not only children, but adults too. This is a fantastic read, especially if your child shows any interest in strange stories, or it is something great to read around spooky season.

As a Goosebumps and Fear Street enthusiast, I felt right at home reading this book.

It was creepy, and just scary enough for the Middle Reader /YA. I mean I knew what was going to happen, but I Still gobbled this book up like it was the last piece of cake.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an engaging novel, the character development stands out as its strongest element. I particularly enjoyed the well-crafted character Morel. The mystery that is woven within the plot really works well to propel the story forward. I would recommend this book for those that ;like a subtle mystery.

I feel bad, I wasn’t aware this was a middle grade book when I requested it. Overall, I didn’t think this was a bad story, I can see how this would creep a kid out. It definitely is slower paced to build the suspense. It gave Goosebumps vibes, especially with the whole mannequin aspect. I really enjoyed the creepiness of Morel, and the whole idea of him slowly becoming Casey. For the audience this is geared towards, I think it will be a hit.

Move over, Stine. There’s a new juv fic creepmaster in town. For a first foray into scary kids books, this one really rocks. A lonely kid makes a creepy new friend. It’s scary in a Goosebumps way. Has the classic trope: gaslit by parents who can’t see what’s happening. Just a rock solid story. Perfect for fans of sporror (spore horror).

I didn’t realize this was a mid grade book when I received the ARC. I have to say that this was a really creepy story!

We have the MC, Casey, a pre teen, just at the end of the COVID shutdown. Casey is struggling with some issues with a nervous tic and class bullying.

An old rotary phone is brought home and that’s when things take off! Strange “Dad” calls for a “friend” of Casey’s named Morel to come spend a few days. What unfolds is truly terrifying! Don’t read this one alone in the dark!

The writing is superb, the characters frightening, with a great open ending! Your kids will love it…as will the parents! If you’re a fan of Goosebumps and The Twilight Zone you’ll love this!

*Warning may be too scary for the younger bunch!

Thanks NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

For what this was, which was a middle grade horror book I think this was a solid 3.75–4 star read. I definitely felt that it was giving R. L. Stein vibes and I loved or else Stein when I was younger so I think it’s safe to say that this will hit the mark for middle grade readers as it has a perfect mixture of camping horror mixed in with creepy going on that are the sort of things that younger kids still find creepy. I don’t read a lot of middle grade so for me this was a unique reading experience and there is not a lot that I can compare it to in terms of books that I have read recently so it being a deviation from my normal reading material worked in the books favor because it felt as if I were having a unique reading experience which is always a positive thing for .

Hi actually have read a lot of Paul Tre blaze adult book so I was excited to see him tackle something different and I think he managed to pull it off quite well. I did not get the sense that the writing was too advanced for middle graders yet a writing was not dumped down either and was still very good technical writing so it’s not easy to write a book that works for middle graders and can still appeal to older people and Paul Tremblay managed to pull that off quite well so fan of Paul Tremblay that have children will love this as it a book that can be read with your children and still enjoyed as an adult without feeling through adolescence. A solid four star reading experience, again I remind you that I rate my books based on my enjoyment for their individual genre

With Another, Tremblay succeeds at bringing his creepy, spooky writing style to a younger audience. What's always great about this stories is that you never really know what's going to happen - but you know it's going to scare the pants off you. It will also make you think a bit about family, identity and who we think we are.

Paul Tremblay's middle grade debut may easily be one of his best works. Sublimely creepy and relentlessly heartbreaking, Another is a fast read that’s hard to put down.

Casey's parents inform him he has a new friend coming for a sleepover - but Morel is unlike other kids. His skin resembles clay, and he doesn't speak or eat. But his parents seem enamored of Morel and begin to drift from their relationship with Casey. He senses something is seriously wrong, and the sleepover feels like it's turning into a nightmare... with no end in sight.

Another feels like an elevated homage to Goosebumps and other horror anthology series for kids, particularly those from the 1990s. I highly recommend this one to readers of all ages, particularly if you're a fan of Tremblay.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Paul Tremblay delivers another haunting, atmospheric story with Another. His ability to blur the line between reality and nightmare is on full display, creating a sense of quiet dread that lingers. As a reader, I definitely felt it.

The characters feel real, and the emotional ambiguity adds depth, though at times the subtlety borders on frustrating vagueness. Still, it’s a compelling, thought-provoking read that showcases Tremblay’s skill with psychological horror.

Highly recommended for fans of slow-burn, unsettling fiction.

After an unfortunate incident at school Casey is having a hard time. A strange man shows up as Casey’s house to drop off his friend Morel. Morel is odd to say the least. He looks like he’s made out of clay. Casey is unfamiliar with this “friend,” but he goes along with it because his parents seem unfazed. The strange man leaves, but not before impressing on Casey and his parents two rules for Morel: No food. No bed. What can go wrong?

A creepy story about family, friendship, and forgiving yourself. Middle grade readers will definitely be interested in this story, especially as Morel starts to look more and more like Casey each day that passes. I hope this isn’t Paul Tremblay’s only middle grade book!

Delightfully different and Creepy in so many ways. Casey knows something seems very wrong with the kid his parents have invited over for a sleepover. Morel seems distinctly…not normal, who appears to be made of clay and not speak. But since when do parents ever listen when a kid says “ this seems weird” ? Especially when your child has been secluded during a pandemic and it a little bit of an outcast. The writing is clever and engaging and the story is spine tingling enough to draw in most adults but will surely entertain middle graders getting into horror.

Release: July 22, 2025
Author: Paul Tremblay
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books

Rating: 3.5 ★ 

Casey Wilson doesn’t understand when his parents tell him a friend is coming for a sleepover — he hasn’t had friends since the embarrassing “Zoom Incident,” and his tics have only gotten worse. When Morel shows up, he’s nothing like any friend Casey’s ever known: he barely speaks, his skin looks unnatural, and yet Casey’s parents are completely taken with him. As they grow more distant from Casey and focus all their attention on Morel, Casey feels more isolated than ever. Exhausted and uneasy, Casey starts to notice that, especially in the dark, Morel doesn’t even seem human.

Paul Tremblay’s Another is an unsettling, deeply atmospheric middle-grade horror story that sticks with you long after you finish it. Even though it’s written for a younger audience, it never talks down to the reader. Tremblay brings his signature weirdness and psychological tension, balancing complex ideas like identity, loneliness, and the uncomfortable realization that even the adults in our lives can sometimes fail us.

From the very first page, there’s a slow-building sense that something is off, and that uneasy feeling only grows as the story progresses. I loved how Tremblay made it genuinely creepy without being overwhelming for young readers — it’s eerie enough to thrill but not so realistic that it would cause nightmares.

Casey, the protagonist, really made the story for me. He’s brave, relatable, and his experiences of isolation and trying to find his place in the world felt honest and raw. His friendship with Morel is strange and haunting, and the pandemic backdrop added an extra layer of isolation that felt very true to what kids were going through, even if pandemic settings are still a little tough for me to read about.

Tremblay’s writing is smart, giving younger readers enough credit to handle big ideas while making sure they’re never lost in the complexity. And while the structure is a bit simpler than his adult novels, the emotional impact is just as strong. Another captures that classic horror vibe that feels like getting stuck in quicksand — tense, a little surreal, and impossible to shake.

Whether you’re a younger reader looking for a good scare or an adult fan of Tremblay’s work (like me), Another is well worth picking up. It’s a quick read, but one that lingers in the best way.


Favorite Quote:
"the most terrifying part of the world is not the monsters, but the lies we tell ourselves to make sense of it."

I read Paul Tremblay's, Horror Movie last year and it was very scary, so I was interested to see how he would write a middle grade horror book.

This was SO CREEPY, in the best way of course! I liked that the scary element was unique and not just another ghost story (which I still love, I just enjoyed that this was different.) I also think he did a good job of balancing character development through the elements of horror.

If you like scary stories, even if you are an adult you'll like this one! Great for R.L. Stine fans young and old!

A creepy read at any age! Paul Tremblay’s first middle-grade novel has everything we didn’t have as Gen X horror loving children who graduated from a doctor (Seuss) to a King (Stephen) with almost nothing in between. (Yes, R.L. Stone is great - but came a little later than middle school for me).
Another deals with themes that tweens and young teens deal with - bullying, loneliness, fear of disappointing adults, even self-identity. And it is scary, filled with creepy imagery, but, most importantly, Tremblay isn’t condescending to his young reader - he uses complex language, and when he uses words or phrases that may be new to the reader - like mycelium or uncanny valley - he is careful to provide context and definition that seems natural within the work. Another is a perfect read for any budding horror lover.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book was so uncomfortable- in a good way! There's a nagging feeling that something isn't right from page one that only grows as the story progresses. So tense!

I love a fellow weeb featured in books, and felt this was accurate as to what younger kids were up to during the pandemic.

I didn't realize this was middle grade when I requested it off of NetGalley, but I'm glad I stuck with it!