This funny illustrated short chapter book is about Charlie Marmot who wakes up one morning with a sore throat and finds out he's going to need to have his tonsils removed. Much like some of Reynold's other work, this is filled with mystery, suspense and most especially a surprise ending that kids are going to think is hilarious. An excellent choice for young readers looking for something scary that isn't TOO scary.

I really adored the author's previous books, Creepy Carrots, Creepy Crayon and Creepy Pair of Underwear. Unfortunately, this book just was not as enjoyable for me. I would still recommend this to children who enjoyed the author's previous works, but as an adult, this book lacked the charm of his previous picture books.

Love it! A great progression from the Creepy Pair of Underwear series. As kids are getting older and more interested in scary stories, this will be perfect for them.

The first book in the new “Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales” series quickly brings to mind Rod Sterling’s narration from the Twilight Zone. In this particular episode story, Charlie Marmot discovers that he must have his tonsils out. Everything is seemingly normal, until he decides he wants to keep the tonsils, in a jar for show and tell. Then things start to get strange…and when he goes in for surgery? Something weird is going on. You’ll have to read it yourself to find out how it ends, but it was an ending worthy of what I would call a kid-friendly Twilight Zone type series. Not scary, just slightly creepy? And at only 88 pages with plenty of illustrations, it’s great for the early chapter book crowd. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advance copy. (Read for review in Kindle format.)

Scary Story for Ages 6 to 9 Years

Set up like the old Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone, this reminded me of the episode called “People are Alike All Over”.

This is my first book from this series, but if I was a child, I believe I’d find this book terrifying. Maybe this series is meant to be scary? I did attempt to read this to my grandchildren and the story managed to hold the attention of one child, briefly.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster @simonkids, @NetGalley, and Aaron Reynolds @aaronreynoldsbooks for the opportunity to preview the eBook Jasper Rabbit: Creepy Tales – Troubling Tonsils! This delightful story is available today, September 2. All opinions shared below are my own.

In this hilarious tale, Charles—a marmot—becomes his own cautionary tale when he has to get his tonsils out. He’s nervous about the surgery, but he's also thrilled at the idea of bringing his tonsils to school in a jar for show and tell.
Do you know someone who’s had their tonsils removed? My grandson has, and I think he’s going to love Troubling Tonsils! The story is full of humor, and Peter Brown’s @peterbrownstudio illustrations are wonderfully expressive. I know my grandson will find Charles and his dad especially funny.

It actually reminds me of when my own son was five—my dad (unbeknownst to me!) convinced him to bring a deer’s foot they found in the woods to school for show and tell. Don’t worry—they cleaned it and wrapped it in a cloth. 😅
What’s the strangest thing you ever brought (or saw someone bring) for show and tell?

Holy crap, this book is Gateway Horror PERFECTION. I swear, the kid wanted to hide under his blanket the further we got into it.

Adults will understand what's happening immediately upon opening the book and seeing a black and white photo of a rabbit in a black suit, opening our tale with a brief introduction about tonsils.

Fleshy little wads. Glands. Innocent little things that occasionally go bad and must be removed.

But sometimes. Sometimes. When they go bad? They go all the way.

Seriously, I was freaking myself out with how dramatically I was reading this. Sometimes I needed to pause because I was so into the vibe that I wasn't even paying attention to what I was saying out loud.

If you're a horror fan, I 100% recommend this for your kiddo. They'll be primed for the hard stuff later on.

(Jeremiah gave it a 4/5. I can't take away that star, though)

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, and Netgalley for the digital arc.
Charlie Marmot needs to have his tonsils removed, and he has all the fears and anxieties anyone would have, but he has one very important question: Can he keep them, put them in a jar, and bring them to school? First in a new series of easy chapter books for 6-9 year olds, this is a fun, fast paced title, with has just the right amount of “scary” for the audience.

I found this book intriguing as I had my tonsils out as a 16-year-old and I wanted my tonsils back in a jar only to see the things that derailed my whole summer.
Charlie marmot needs his tonsils out because they keep getting infected too. Charlie Also wanted to get his tonsils back but for show and tell, and that is when Charlie’s problems start. At first is wasn’t much something in his room was moved during the night. The night before his surgery Charlie is kept awake by strange slurping noises. But the biggest surprise was what the doctor told him before his surgery was to begin.
Let me tell you dear reader that I would have been ways more scared if this all happened before my surgery as well. I really liked this book it is so well told and Charlie has some of the same feeling I had. The pictures are so awesome. I loved the characters, the story and the suspense. This is a cute book.

Fans of Aaron Reynold's other books are going to love this one! Also, kids that have to get their tonsils out will be able to connect to the main character's fears and worries. The added humor makes it so much fun to read!

TROUBLING TONSILS! is the first Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales chapter book, and it doesn’t disappoint. Jasper Rabbit introduces readers to Charlie Marmot, who is facing having his tonsils removed. He decides that he wants to keep his tonsils after they’re removed so he can take them to school in a jar for show and tell, but by the end of the story, he may find he regrets this idea. With Peter Brown’s black and white illustrations and age-appropriate scares, the book is the perfect balance of humor and horror for young readers who are ready to reach beyond picture books.

Having 2 boys 5 and 8 I thought we would love this book. We have read the Creepy Carrots and The Creepy Pair of Underwear. We were not able to get past the first page. This read more like a chapter book instead of a picture book.

Will definitely purchase the entire series as soon as they’re released for my elementary library! Perfect way for students to grow as readers after falling in love with Jasper in his picture books.

Kids who love Creepy Carrots and the others will be ready to devour this this beginner chapter book. The new character, Charlie Marmot, immediately dives into the plot with several unexpected outcomes. Most kids will love the random, bizarre humor! I especially think 3rd graders will enjoy it.

Troubling Tonsils! is an entertainingly creepy and funny chapter book for kids in which Jasper Rabbit tells a cautionary tale about a young marmot named Charlie who needs his tonsils removed. This is my first experience with author Aaron Reynolds. Illustrations by Peter Brown are cute and animated. I loved what I interpreted as visual and textual nods to Rod Serling and the original The Twilight Zone television series (1959–1964—before both author and I were born). References like this in children's media make multigenerational sharing great fun!

While my personal littles (grands) aren't yet ready for chapter books, I'll keep this series in mind for them, and I heartily recommend it for kids who are ready now.

Aaron Reynolds takes his trademark mix of humor and creepiness in a new direction with Troubling Tonsils!, this time in chapter book form. While different from his well-loved picture book format, the story still captures the quirky, spooky fun that readers expect from his work. The longer format allows for more character development and extended moments of suspense, while keeping the writing accessible and entertaining for young readers. Fans of his Creepy series will be glad to see his unique style translate so well, and this fresh take is sure to find a welcome spot on library shelves.

Thank you Simon Kids for my #gifted copy of Troubling Tonsils! #SimonKidsCrew #TroublingTonsils #SimonKids #JasperRabbitsCreepyTales #AaronReynolds #PeterBrown

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬! 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐬!
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬
𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝟱★

My seven year old twin boys have been huge fans of the Jasper Rabbit picture book series for years, which includes Creepy Carrots, Creepy Pair of Underwear, and Creepy Crayon. When I heard there was going to be a spin-off chapter book series, I knew it would be a huge hit in our house, and I was right! This was such a funny story, perfect for ages 6 and up. It has short chapters with great illustrations and is engaging in a way that keeps the readers attention.

Jasper Rabbit is telling cautionary tales, and this time, he is telling the story or of Charlie Marmot who has been told his tonsils need to come out, which sounds like no big deal, right? But as soon as Charlie decides that he wants to keep his tonsils in a jar to take into school for show in tell, strange things start to happen. Could the tonsils be out for revenge?

This was such a fun read and my twins and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! There were lots of giggles while reading this one and it will be one that is read over and over again in our house!

Posted on Goodreads on August 28, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around August 28, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on September 2, 2025
**-will post on designated date

So much fun!! I can’t wait to get this in my students’ hands! Fans of Jasper Rabbit (Creepy Carrots, etc) will be thrilled to see this chapter book expansion of the creepy universe! The “twilight zone” vibes make it a blast for adults to read as well. This would make a great book for families that are just about at the ready-to-read-by-myself stage, and this would be a perfect fit for a classroom or school library. Can’t wait to see the rest of this series!

This fun, lighthearted book takes a subject that could be scary, having your tonsils removed, and makes it humorous. I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story, and think children would be able to predict outcomes to the story. I am a fan of open-ended stories, letting the students decide what is really happening in the book. Although the subject of the book could be somewhat scary for younger kids, I feel that a student at the reading level of the book would be mature enough to get the humor and irony of the story. I feel this would probably be for readers at the late 3rd grade and after level. The book does have some more challenging words, but I feel these readers would be able to read it with understanding. Another great, inviting read in the line of books.

Thank you for allowing my nine year old to review this. He shared he really liked the story line. He said he liked the pictures too. He said there were some “big” words that he had to look up.