Books › Don't Scream!
Don't Scream!
137 pages
A fast-paced, fun-scary descent into technological paranoia where everyday objects become instruments of unseen terror.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like riding a classic carnival ghost train—it is fast, full of sudden jolts, and ultimately a safe kind of scary. The atmosphere is steeped in a creeping, everyday paranoia, taking the familiar anxieties of middle school and amplifying them through a supernatural lens. The narrative moves at a brisk, breathless clip, propelled by punchy dialogue and those signature cliffhanger chapter endings that make it impossible not to read just one more page. It balances a slightly campy, playful tone with genuine moments of eerie suspense, making it a perfect fit for younger readers who want to dip their toes into horror. It delights anyone looking for a quick, twisty thrill ride that does not take itself too seriously.
- Mood
- paranoid
- eerie
- fun-scary
- Tone
- urgent
- playful
- suspenseful
- slightly campy
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- technological paranoia · peer pressure · unseen threats · loss of control
- The writing
- The sentences are punchy, accessible, and heavily reliant on cliffhanger chapter endings to keep the momentum high.
- The arc
- The journey moves from everyday middle-school anxiety into escalating, frantic paranoia before landing on a signature twist.
- Who it's for
- Middle-grade readers who crave a safe, fast-paced scare with a touch of dark humor.
Content notes
- bullying
- mild peril
- psychological manipulation
About the book
Better Screen Your Calls!
Jack Harmon can't think of anything worse than getting picked on by the bullies at school, until he discovers an even bigger threat. When he finds a cell phone on the bus home, Jack hears a strange voice on the other end. Whoever it is wants Jack to do things—bad things. Jack keeps trying to make his new "friend" happy. But everyone thinks Jack has lost his mind. How can he overcome something that he can't see but is everywhere?
Description from Open Library.
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