Very aptly described as a children's horror book, I am so happy to see Aaron Reynolds writing chapter books for older readers. My children love his shorter books, and they loved this one even more.

As a huge fan of Creepy Carrots, Creepy Underwear, and Creepy Crayon, I was beyond excited to receive an ARC of Troubling Tonsils! My PreK classes are obsessed with Jasper and his creepy adventures—we read them on repeat all year long.

In this latest installment, Jasper is all grown up and telling creepy stories of his own in an easy-to-read chapter book format. The illustrations are, as always, fantastic: detailed, moody, and full of character and zoom-ins. I kept hoping to spot a hidden creepy carrot, crayon, or pair of underwear in the backgrounds as a little Easter egg nod to fans, but no luck!

This story definitely has a Twilight Zone vibe, which I loved. The marmot characters were original, who doesn’t love giant rodent with anxiety and sleep issues. The book also does a great job touching on the anxiety kids may feel about surgery, explaining the process in a way that’s accessible and reassuring without losing the slightly spooky, funny tone.

I’d highly recommend Troubling Tonsils for early grade school readers, especially those who may be nervous about an upcoming surgery. And of course, fans of creepy-but-fun stories will eat this up. My boys would have loved this when they were younger and my former PreK students who loved the Creepy series will be obsessed!

As my 7 year old says, “such a spooky book!” Loved the idea of Jasper Rabbit returning to tell yet another spooky story and to warn us about… jars and the dangers they withhold! The cautionary tale of Charlie and how he gets spooked by his own body even though he thinks it’s cool at the same time is one for kiddos all over. Loved this short story and can’t wait for more!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! This was a different take to the beloved creepy tales. I have to admit, it was a little more puzzling than the others and not as laugh out loud funny, but I had fun and did not predict the ending. My daughter and I loved this story either way and I hope I never have to experience a tonsil infection.

The first in a series of cautionary tales told to us by Jasper Rabbit, Troubling Tonsils follows the story of young Charlie Marmot. Charlie has a cold and finds out that his tonsils need to be removed. However, when Charlie expresses his desire to keep his tonsils in a glass jar to bring to show-and-tell, things start getting creepy. He hears slurping noises late at night, his bedroom is rearranged by morning, and as he is getting prepped for surgery, Charlie’s doctor discovers that his tonsils are already gone! How could this be? Where did they go?

I am so excited to introduce this new series to my readers. They all love Jasper Rabbit picture books, and I’m sure they will adore more tales from his expanded universe. I especially loved how Jasper introduced the story ala The Twilight Zone. Highly recommended for all libraries serving elementary-aged students.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a classic Aaron Reynolds book with our family-favorite illustrator Peter Brown. it's great for both introducing children to chapter books and to horror without actually being scary. It was funny and we enjoyed it very much.

Troubling Tonsils gives you an idea of the things a child might be thinking when a concept presented. Add to that a dark room and plans that have been made have the potential to go a little further than was expected. Chuckles abound and enjoyment of the artwork included. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This noon is perfect for fans of Creepy Crayon, Creepy Underwear, and Creepy Carrots. I can wait for my older kids to get their hands on this book at the school I work at!

I have read Aaron Reynolds other "creepy books" to groups of students and they loved them! This book starts out a little creeper than the others allowing for the age I would read this to increase. I was not expecting that switch at the end and I made me giggle! I can't wait to see all the other "creepy" books he has planned! It allows students to get a peak into the mystery and horror genre without being too frightning.

This is very, very mild horror, to ease kids into the concept. As an early chapter book, the bad that is about to happen is creeping slowly up on the reader, and tricks them into thinking everything is normal. That this is just a story of being getting your tonsils taken out, and no more.

The story opens rather like the twilight zone, with a narrator, Jasper Rabbit, warning us that things are not what they seem.

But, strange things begin to happen, the closer to the operation, hinting that perhaps it is not as normal as it proposes to be.

This is probably a good book to start kids out with, if they have never read horror before, and especially since it is something they can read on their own, without too much trouble. And since kids seem to get into this sort of thing, this might be a good front door. This is part of a series, so if they like this, there will be more. Before this series there was the "Creepy Carrots" group of books.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published the 2nd of September 2025

This made me laugh so much! Cautionary tale indeed. Be careful what you decide you want to be put into jars… the illustrations are perfection. The vocabulary is super high. The plot twist is incredible. I can’t rave about the novel enough! You have to read it. Out loud. With kids. Trust me. It’s a winning read aloud.

Short chapter book for future Twilight Zone fans. Charlie Marmot’s plans to take his tonsils to show and tell take a very . . . unexpected turn. Cue suspenseful music. Might be a good distraction for a sick child . . . or maybe too intense. Proceed with caution. ;-)

I read this with my 7 year old son.we have read quite a few of Aaron Reynolds books. We thought this one was creepy and silly. It wasn't our all time favorite which is why it has only 3 stars. As a teacher I think kids would like it and think it was silly, wierd and creepy. Some may get creeped out especially if they have to get their tonsils out.

Great story with some dark humor for those 2nd and 3rd graders and even as a great read aloud. Great next step story for those that liked Jasper Rabbit Creepy Carrots when first published and now ready to pick up a quick chapter book to read. Kids are going to love!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and Netgalley for an early electronic copy. All opinions are my own,

I am a huge fan of Aaron Reynolds' Jasper Rabbit's books. I've bought them all. My grandkids love them. Now the older ones read to the younger ones. I was thrilled to get an early copy of Troubling Tonsils!

Jasper is old enough now that he can tell some creepy tales and his first outing is about a Marmot named Charlie. It is discovered that Charlie needs his tonsils removed, that is until the tonsils decide Charlie needs removing. It's appropriately creepy fun for chapter reader age. In fact, I plan on buying this book as soon as it becomes available as I have readers perfect for this book.

If I had any quibble it is I miss the color pages but such is life when starting to read chapters.

This review is partially based on my read and partially based on my kiddos’ feedback!

Jasper Rabbit is at it again! This quirky, spooky book was perfect for my little horror-loving 8- and 10-year-old kids. It’s just the right amount of creepy without being actually *scary*, so my 8-year-old enjoyed it and found it funny, and my 10-year-old could understand a little more of the subtext and more scientific information that Reynolds so expertly interweaves into the story. I loved that it was entertaining for me, too, making it a perfect bedtime read-aloud book that I’ll actually enjoy! I also appreciated the integration of facts and science while still making it goofy and captivating for kids. Such a hard balance to strike and Reynolds did it perfectly!

This would be a hit for elementary readers. Highly recommended as a read-aloud book for any kiddos who still allow their parents to read to them! We’re big fans of Jasper Rabbit and this will definitely be gifted for many a birthday this year.

Thank you thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc! We’re excited for pub day!

Oh my, this reads like a child's version of The Twilight Zone! Only it is humorous, not too scary, an excellent introduction to the horror genre for middle grades readers, age appropriate with just enough "grossness" to catch your attention, and would be well-liked by readers graduating to chapter books. This would also be an appropriate book for a read-aloud in the classroom or at home.

Silly, spooky, a little kooky, and just right for the six-to-ten year old set of readers. It's a perfect balance between silly and scary!

When Charlie Marmot’s throat begins to hurt one day, he expects to receive some medicine from the doctor and be on his way. Instead, the doctor says that Charlie needs to have his tonsils removed entirely, and surgery is scheduled for Friday. Charlie is enthusiastic about the idea of being able to keep his tonsils in a jar and bring them to school for show-and-tell. Unbeknownst to everyone, though, the tonsils have other plans, leading to a creepy and cautionary series of events. This clever and enjoyable story is designed in a film noir style similar to picture books by this creative duo but with a longer narrative that is well suited to early elementary school-aged readers. Utilizing large font, glossy pages, and frequent illustrations, the book itself is approachable in a variety of ways, enhancing a reader’s interest in the story whether the text is being read aloud or independently. Challenging vocabulary appears throughout the narrative, however, which may require assistance for children who are reading the book to themselves. An omniscient narrator tells the story, frequently breaking the fourth wall and offering ominous foreshadowing. Humor and creepiness are blended expertly into this short novel—which is comically described in the book’s introduction—to create a tale that leaves readers with a sense of pleasant unease. An excellent transition into longer books, this short novel is a fun and unusual selection that is best suited to fans of Creepy Carrots and other similar texts. The first in a collection, this book promises more fun to come in a similar style, and it is a standout addition to library collections for readers transitioning into middle grade literature.

This beginner chapter book is the first in a new series entitled, Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales. Troubling Tonsils is perfect for the 6-9 year old audience that is interested in creepy (but not too scary) stories. This book would be great for independent readers that are just venturing into reading chapter books, but it would also be great for caregivers or educators to share with children as a read aloud.

As an educator and parent, I’ve discovered that pretty much every child I’ve shared them with has loved the Creepy picture books by Aaron Reynolds, so I was thrilled when I learned that we were going to be getting beginner chapter books set in the same world! The first book follows Charlie Marmot as he discovers what tonsils are and then goes through an increasingly creepy experience with his. The chapters are short and each ends at a climatic point that will have young readers on the edge of their seat waiting to see what happens next. The illustrations by Peter Brown are placed strategically throughout each chapter and will assist at further engaging and intriguing readers. The illustrations matched perfectly with the details of the corresponding pages in the story and will have reader’s imaginations running wild.

Overall, I think that young readers that are interested in a thrilling, creepy story will absolutely love Troubling Tonsils and will be begging for the next book in the Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales series. This book will appeal to fans of the picture books, but I think that it will also find its own audience amongst young readers that are interested in scary stories, but aren’t quite ready for full-fledged horror.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to review an eARC of this title!

This book is exactly the kind of chapter book I would have wanted to read in elementary school. It was creepy and funny at the same time, but just the perfect balance. It has all the charm of the other Jasper Rabbit books, but for an audience that is maybe a few years older than the kids being read Creepy Carrots.