4.5 stars* Wow Paul Tremblay did it again! Paul Tremblay is arguably my favorite author so when I found out that I got sent an e-arc of Another, I was over the mood excited. This was such a creepy and wild ride and I loved it so much.

This was feeling like a new all time favorite, possibly in the run for my favorite Tremblay novel until I hit the last 5th of the book and I think I was slightly disappointed in the direction it went but I still enjoyed it a lot!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Collin’s for sending me an e-arc copy of Another!

4 stars

I was very hesitant yet curious about this. As a big Tremblay fan, I wasn’t sure he could pull off young adult.
I’m eating those words now, lol
This was great. Just what I was hoping for and what I would love to share with my horror curious young ones. The story was excellent as usual, and the horror elements were age appropriate yet still good for us big kids to enjoy as well.

I’d love to see more youth books by Tremblay, as there isn’t a great selection for the younger generation these days.

very goosebumps in a good way. i really liked the vibe and i thought the horror was well pulled-off and would suit middle-grade and older. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

What do you do when you find out one of your favorite horror writers has written a middle-grade novel? You read it, of course!

Another is Paul Tremblay’s first foray into middle-grade fiction, and it should come as no surprise if you’re a fan of his work (and if you’re not, why the hell not?), he knocks it out of the park. With no explicit violence, no rough language, Tremblay has managed to craft a piece of work that’s deeply creepy and unsettling. I mean it, it’s, to be not-at-all-middle-schoolish about it, kinda sorta fucked up.

Casey suffers from facial tics and anxiety, heightened by an unfortunate Zoom event during Covid that made him a school laughing stock, plus his much-loved older sister has gone off to college, leaving him at home with his parents. Then a “friend” named Morel that Casey doesn’t actually know is dropped off for an extended sleepover by a mysterious man. Morel is truly strange and off-putting—he looks like a mannequin made of clay, and can’t speak—but Casey’s parents quickly take to him. Casey forms a tentative friendship with Morel, but eventually realizes that something is deeply wrong with him, something sinister. His parents may be oblivious to his growing unease at the grim reality, or unreality, enveloping their home, but Casey is terrified by the changes happening.

What follows is a masterclass in how to create horror and unease while still staying faithful to a middle-grade aesthetic. Tremblay is continually pushing the envelope when it comes to horror, and I’ll happily follow his work wherever he takes it.

Another will be released July 28, 2025, and is available for pre-order now.

Another by Paul Tremblay – 4 Stars

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of Another, and wow, what a chilling and atmospheric ride! Paul Tremblay delivers his signature horror touch while crafting a story that’s perfectly suited for middle-grade readers but still deeply unsettling.

The story follows Casey, a boy haunted by a mysterious Zoom Incident that has left him isolated, struggling with his tics, and feeling like a complete outsider. When his parents announce an unexpected sleepover guest, Morel arrives – and Morel is no ordinary kid. Tremblay does a fantastic job building tension as Casey’s parents become weirdly enamored with this clay-like, silent boy while growing distant from Casey. There’s something eerie and off-kilter about Morel, and watching Casey slowly unravel the truth is a deliciously creepy experience.

The horror here isn’t just jump scares or monsters in the dark. It’s psychological, slow-burning, and rooted in that terrifying feeling of not being believed by the people you trust most. Tremblay captures Casey’s frustration and fear so well that you can’t help but feel for him as he struggles to make sense of what’s happening. The sense of dread builds beautifully until the final reveal, which left me with chills.

While the pacing dips slightly in the middle, the payoff is worth it, and the story’s themes of loneliness, family dynamics, and friendship give it emotional weight. It’s not just a ghost story – it’s a story about being seen, being heard, and what happens when you aren’t.

Overall, Another is a spine-tingling middle-grade debut that’s perfect for young readers looking for a genuinely creepy tale, but it’s just as enjoyable for adults who love a slow-burn horror with a psychological twist. Tremblay knocks it out of the park with this one!

I am a big fan of his writing so when I got the opportunity to read this ARC from @netgalley I was PUMPED.
Paul Tremblay ventures into Middle Grade with Another, delivering an eerie and captivating tale.
Casey has been struggling ever since the Zoom Incident disrupted his school life. His best friends barely talk to him anymore, leaving him feeling isolated. Spring vacation at home brings some comfort, even though his sister Ally is away at college. But Casey’s plans for a quiet break take a bizarre turn when his parents announce that a “friend” is coming to visit—odd, considering Casey doesn’t have any friends right now.
When a strange man drops off a cloth sack containing a not-quite-human boy named Morel, things get even weirder. Morel insists he’s Casey’s friend—one who wants to be just like him. Maybe a little too much.
Tremblay skillfully balances creepiness with heartfelt moments, tackling themes of mental health, pandemic struggles, and the complexities of family relationships. Casey’s journey through loneliness and his attempts to navigate an unsettling friendship with Morel are both haunting and deeply relatable.
Perfectly blending very unsettling vibes with a meaningful message, another is a thoughtful exploration of what it truly means to be a friend. This is a must-read for both young readers and longtime Tremblay fans alike.

This was great middle school horror and reminded me so much of Goosebumps! This book hits all the right fears! I hope kids read this and fall in love with reading and the thought of being scared.
While I strongly disliked the first Paul Tremblay book I read, Horror Movie, this one was great!
Thank you to NetGalley!

I’m a fan of Tremblay’s adult books and was eager to read his first foray into middle grade. Unfortunately, the tone, voice, and pacing of this book still read like an adult book. While this book is obviously well-written, given the author, it will be too challenging for the intended audience’s attention span and vocabulary. Also, regarding the story, I found it to be shallow. Yes, it was a creepy story, but in the end it had nothing to say. There are plenty of seasoned middle grade authors who write spooky stories that are developmentally appropriate for children and also help them navigate deep issues through their stories. I recommend sticking with those authors instead of an adult author trying their hand at kidlit.

WOW! Paul Tremblay does it again! He is so good at mastering the art of suspense! Even though this was middle grade, I enjoyed it’

Thank you next gallery for this arc. So this book was really good. It felt a bit middle grade to me but still a good read. I like that it gave the creepy factor still.

A mysterious guy brings a mannequin-like boy to Casey’s home named Morel under the guise of having a new friend, and creepiness ensues. This was such a weird and creepy little novel and I loved every second of it. While books that include the pandemic are usually not what I look for, I’m willing to accept it in this one if only because it actually worked well in the story and didn’t seem forced. Overall, this was such a little treat and truly brought on all the creepiness I love about horror novels. Can’t wait for kids to get nightmares about this one.

Book: Another
Author: Paul Tremblay
Publisher: Harper Collins Children’s Books
Pub Date: July 22, 2025

This is a must read for next year. Funny story….this is a middle-grade children’s book. Hmmph. Who knew? Not me. It’s a very creepy story and my oldest is 20 and if he read this as a child he would have had nightmares. Tremblay knows how to make a connection to his characters. I felt so bad for Casey! If a child were reviewing this they would say this book will give you the heebie jeebies. Do kids read horror and turn out normal? Which this book isn’t going to turn you into a serial killer by no means but it will stay with you long after you lay it down. Think Goosebumps meets Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. It’s creepy and unsettling snd will make you a little suss of your parents. Pro tip: sleepovers are cancelled forever.

Thank you Harper Collins Children’s Books and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is July 22, 2025.

Another
Paul Tremblay

4.25 / 5

Casey is a young man with many anxieties.

The anxieties of middle school.
The anxieties of feeling alone.
The anxieties of feeling "different".
The anxieties of being a young over thinker.
The anxieties of carrying the worries of others.

From him feeling awkward in his own skin, to the physical tics and compulsive behaviors, to his being bullied ... My younger self identified so very closely with Casey.

I know my younger self would have loved this novel so much, but my 42 year old, seasoned horror reading self had a good enough time.

I appreciate how it approaches the character of Casey (and his internal monologue). I also appreciate its accurate depictions of anxiety, particularly in a young child.

I highly recommend this to all younger readers of horror, to all those who enjoy middle grade books in general, and to those who just appreciate a well told story, regardless of age.
I also think it would make a great intro to horror for any tentatively wanting to dabble in the genre.

4.25 / 5

I love middle grade horror. John Bellairs was my absolute gateway into horror books, and I still remember the frisson of delight from reading and rereading the hand of glory scene from A House With a Clock in its Walls. There’s something visceral and true about horror written from the child’s perspective, when–let’s be honest–everything is frightening, and when it’s done well, it can supply some of the spookiest moments from any horror literature.

Another thing I love is Paul Tremblay. Every one of his books is an instant-buy, and I often have the feeling that each of his books was written just for me, it’s secret, individual audience.

So, when I heard Tremblay was putting out a middle grade horror book, I was naturally excited. I also had questions. A large part of what makes Tremblay’s work so effective, and so unique, is its comfort with and manipulation of ambiguity. The reader is always deeply complicit in constructing the narrative, which may or may not be supernatural, may or may not be real. It’s one element that turns of some adult readers. So what might a Tremblay middle grade novel look like? I tend to think that young people are probably more comfortable with ambiguity than the adults in their lives, but how would he pull this off?

In the end, such concerns were beside the point. Another represents Tremblay’s most straightforward horror story to date. It’s a spooky trip into the uncanny valley, with a take on the body-snatcher trope that plays on preteen insecurities as well as marching us straight into the uncanny valley.

Casey is a middle school pariah, isolated after developing several awkward ticks during Covid lockdown. He’s a reluctant player on the baseball team his dad coaches. He misses his college age sister. He’s really an aged down version of The Pallbearers Club‘s Art Barbara: awkward and too much in his head. Casey has one outlet for his expression: drawing. He’s a killer artist who has wrapped up a great deal of his identity in that role. That identity is about to be challenged.

When a stranger appears to deliver a “friend” to stay with Casey for a few days, things get real weird real quick. Morel is a clay-faced automaton that doesn’t speak, eat, or sleep. He just shadows Casey around the house, watching him draw and play video games.

But as the nights pass, Mom and Dad seem to change (a key fear manifest pod person narratives at least as far back as Invaders From Mars). They seem to drift around in a haze, not recognizing the changes happening right beneath their noses.

It doesn’t take long for Morel to begin to grow rather familiar features, and now Casey is fighting to retain that same identity he so lamented in the story’s opening. It’s good stuff, with a great climax, even if I did sometimes question the plot’s pacing during the build up.

It’s worth mentioning that Another operates perfectly well on its own, but also works as a screed against AI “art” that “borrows” from real artists to create an uncanny, unsatisfying muck. Tremblay tells us that AI will fail, because what it can’t do is what Casey can: create in beautiful, flawed, and personal ways. I don’t know that any middle schooler will pick up on this allegory, but it’s there all the same.

Another is yet another great Paul Tremblay book certain to give readers young and old the solid creeps, and it just might be the gateway to a lifetime of spooky reading.

While this book is intended for and will do best with a younger audience, I still found it enjoyable (and even a little creepy) as an adult. This reminded me exactly of Goosebumps, which I loved as a kid! I will definitely recommend this at the library as well as on my socials. Thanks for the opportunity to read!

I have never read a Paul Tremblay book, but after seeing another review of this one it sounded like great fun for me.
Written for a middle grade audience, Another is written about an anxiety ridden young boy named Casey Wilson.

One day his family gets a call on his parents strange rotary dial landline phone saying one of Casey's friends will be coming to stay for a visit. Only, Casey doesn't really have any friends, and when Morel arrives, he is the strangest person Casey has ever met. In fact, he's not really like a PERSON at all.
As time passes during Morel's visit he begins to change. As Morel changes, so does Casey's parents, becoming more distant from Casey and becoming more involved with Morel.
Casey knows something is very wrong. It seems like Morel is never going to leave, and the longer he stays the more exhausted and foggy headed Casey becomes.
Will Casey be able to figure out the truth about Morel before his life is turned upside down forever.

While not terrifying, there are certain parts of this book that feel very creepy and chilling. I can see how it might be scary for readers of its intended age group. As a adult reader I enjoyed it very much, and will have to read more of Tremblay's work.

First off, huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was so much fun! I've read a few Paul Tremblay novels and he's a reliable source of books that keep you thinking after you turn the last page, so I was very curious how he would approach a middle grade story. He did not disappoint!

While this is a book for young readers, I never felt like I was being talked down to or that Paul was lessening his voice; "Another," is still very much a story by Tremblay.

To keep it as ambiguous as Tremblay would probably like, (ok, maybe not that ambiguous,) this is a story about a young boy, Casey, whose new friend, Morel, starts to borrow a little more from him than he'd like. That is an undersell and an over simplification, but rest assured, there's a lot of fun, tension and classic horror scares under the hood.

This will be great for young readers but also for people who are interested in getting started with the horror genre and want to ease their way in. I had a really good time with this one and will definitely be recommending it!

Parents are always so infuriatingly oblivious to the horror aren't they? This is middle grade but don't let that put you off this is horror that will resonate across all age groups, there is a constant atmosphere of unease and uncertainty which gave me the heebie jeebies, its spooky but not too scary but also kinda real fudgin creepy, the pre teen voice felt authentic and although the ending wasnt in his usual style (we dont want to traumatise the children) it was satisfying, the coming of age tropes will appeal to children and adults, we've all been lonely right? I'm excited for the kids, lucky ducks getting some Tremblay

Tremblay knocks it out of the park here. Often a genre author going into middle grade can feel watered down, but dare I say Tremblay was meant for it? His experience as a teacher leaves the young characters feeling realistic in a way I rarely see (and yeah even Stephen King stumbles here). I haven't felt a sense of dread like I did reading this book. It's a page turner that moves quickly.

This is a fun little middle-grade horror. It reminded me of a Goosebumps, especially in how the horror was happening in the home and the loving parents didn't seem to notice anything was wrong. Casey was having a hard time in school because of personal issues, and his older sister, who is usually a big support for him, has gone away to college. A mysterious clay kid comes to stay during a week-long school break, and things seem okay at first, but then the changes start in the odd clay kid... This was a quick, satisfying read, and when I thought I had everything figured out, I was pleasantly surprised again. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.