Scream: The human flytrap by Jack Heath

Scholastic Australia, 2015. ISBN 9781760152086
The rather loud screaming cover, covered in caution tape and decorative black edged pages sets the tone for the story.
The mysterious town of Axe Falls holds many spooky, terrifying and unusual secrets. Josh, a 12 year old inquisitive boy, has just moved into a spooky looking house with his family. A creepy looking old lady from next door instantly approaches and screams for him to 'get out'. Josh is a little spooked and things begin to get weird.
At school even the teachers sound a little strange and spooky. After Josh and his friends conduct a science experiment that goes horribly wrong, their adventure into the terrifying and unusual begins.
Very much a similar style to the eternally popular Goosebumps series, this new Scream series will surely engage those slightly reluctant readers that prefer their stories a little spooky and mysterious. This is the first book in the series and very nicely sets up questions about what would be next in the adventures of Josh and his friends. The characters are likeable and relatable for the target audience. The suspense builds in the story as small clues and questions are exposed and posed requiring readers to make predictions and engage in the plot.
Zana Thiele