Teacher's Pest

Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #3

by Charles Gilman

“Two-headed monsters, giant tentacles, angry demons—Lovecraft Middle School is great creepy fun!”
—Ransom Riggs, author of  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
 
DON'T BE FOOLED by his friendly smile, his perfect manners, or his shiny red apple. Student council president Howard Mergler is actually a sinister bug-monster in disguise—and he's summoning swarms of roaches, wasps, fleas, and head lice into the corridors of Lovecraft Middle School!  Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur is the only student who can stop him--but he'll need help from his best the school bully, the school ghost, and an extremely courageous two-headed rat.
 
This third novel in the Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where  Professor Gargoyle  and  The Slither Sisters  ended—with more action, more adventure, and more outrageous monsters!

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fiction, Paranormal, Humor

170 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Charles Gilman is a pseudonym of author and publisher Jason Rekulak.

Reviews

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Info: Genre: MG Fantasy
Reading Level: Middle Grade (12 and up)
Recommended for: Fans of Middle Grade fantasy, Lovecraftian fiction, the series
Book Available: May 7, 2013 in hardcover or Kindle format
Trigger Warnings: Insects. Lots and lots of insects.

My Thoughts: I really like this series; it's just so much fun! Karina, Glenn and Robert never know what will go wrong next or who will be lost next to the sinister forces of Crawford Tillinghast.

These books are fast and fun reads for the adult reader (it took me just a bit over an hour to read my copy), but are entertaining, and I think readers young and old will enjoy these stories. I'm definitely keeping my eyes open for the next, scheduled for release this fall!

Series Information: Teacher's Pest is the third book in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series of fantasies.
Book 1: Professor Gargoyle , reviewed October, 2012, linked here where formatting allowed
Book 2: The Slither Sisters , reviewed January, 2013, linked here where formatting allowed
Book 4: Substitute Creature, scheduled for release in September, 2013.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: DON'T BE FOOLED by his friendly smile, his perfect manners, or his shiny red apple. Student council president Howard Mergler is actually a sinister bug-monster in disguise—and he's summoning swarms of roaches, wasps, fleas, and head lice into the corridors of Lovecraft Middle School!  Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur is the only student who can stop him—but he'll need help from his best friends: the school bully, the school ghost, and an extremely courageous two-headed rat.

[Etienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un autre excellent livre dans cette belle série jeunesse. Toujours un parfait mélange d’humour, d’aventure et «d’horreur». Très divertissant. Une série qui mérite plus d’attention!

[Blue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twice is a coincidence, thrice is a pattern. The series is begining to fall into its formulaic pattern, but so far the books have been fairly distinct and although I can see where a publisher request for more books could push off the end indefinitely I can also feel in the books some progression toward an ending still. I really hope these books will choose to end, or really working toward the ending (I could see that as being several books, as with Series of Unfortunate Events) before they get boring. The main characters defeat some of the imposters, they pass through gates, they get dirty, they learn more about each other, . . .

I am starting to wonder about the taken students/adults. If the 'vessals' are taken, then does destrying the body mean there is nothing for the person-in-an-urn to go back to, or are those just thin masks and the real body is shrunk into the urn and out of the way so people do not notice spares walking around? I wonder how missing a year of school (or 2 or however long it takes) will affect them and how it would be explained away.

THE MOM! I should have seen that coming but it is definitely exciting. I really hope they end up telling her in the next book instead of constantly trying to shield and protect her for books and books. She seems pretty cool, and it would be funny to see her freaking out (after knowing, because before it is just expected) while her son is all 'eh, whatever' and Glen is all 'yeah, we told you'. It would be great fun, and her challenges with not being able to tell without being called crazy would up the stakes. She could also try to cover for the trio but run into issues of almost getting found out, and make an odd friendship with the librarian full of mischief too.

[Cee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School, Teacher's Pest features alternate dimensions, portals, a ghostly friend and a two-headed pet, and a ton of creepy crawlies on top.

The school seems to be overridden with bugs lately. The teachers say it's because the janitors are on a strike - but Robert knows there is more to the pest than meets the eye. Together with his friends he sets out to stop a crazy scientist from overthrowing humanity.

The Tales from Lovecraft Middle School are extremely fast reads. It takes me about an hour, maybe two to finish one of them. The writing style is very clear and easy to follow, and I think these books would be great for kids that have difficulty reading. They have a nice clear-cut science-fiction/horror kind of plot. All of the books follow a self-contained story, but now the series is starting to span more books the over-arcing plot line is starting to show too. I love following the progress of both the plot and the characters throughout the books. Things are getting more and more interesting, and I'm quite looking forward to the next instalment, Substitute Creature.

A fair warning: Teacher's Pest is not for the squeamish or insect-o-fobes. Remember the scene in Fellowship of the Ring where the hobbits hide under a tree and the insects are crawling all over them? Well, there is a lot of that. I personally hate everything with more than four legs, so I shuddered quite a lot during Teacher's Pest.

[Darrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay I am finished this book. I think this one is the best one so far out of the series. Now I can read the last few pages of the fourth book.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Titkok a Lovecraft suliból harmadik része sem okozott csalódást, minnél beljebb kerül az olvasó a történetben, annál jobban megszereti ennek a különleges sulinak és a tanulóinak fordulatos és izgalmakkal teli mindennapi életét.
Mindig tud ez sorozat újat mutatni és egyre jobb csavarok vannak benne.
Remek olvasnivaló!

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

11 - 2024

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So predictable but I'm really liking these books.. Gotta share a funny/ embarrassing story though..

This story has LOTS of bugs. It has had me scratching my head and neck and arms just listening to this book (yeah, audiobook). I went out for my walk listening to it and stopped at the mailbox where I jumped back because a spider had taken up residence and had webbing across the front of the inside. I'd never seen one like it so I was looking it up on my iPhone as I walked (though I had already shooed it out along with its webbing with a stick). So the hair on my neck is making me twitch cuz I've got bugs on the brain.. And I'm staring at pics of spiders on my phone.. Then something small falls from a tree I was walking under right onto my iPhone. I don't even know what it was! I screamed, throwing my phone across the street and running away a few steps like a little girl. It's hilarious now that I'm not being eaten by a giant spider. I'm kinda glad I've finished this book!

[Ben Alderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

sooooo goooooooooood

[Hayley (Strange & Unusual Book Club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaden's favorite book of the series so far.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

My name is Robert, and I'm worried about my best friend Glenn. He was bitten on the neck by a funky-looking bug, and he started feeling strange. Now, he says he doesn't want to see me anymore, and I can really use a friend. There's a head lice epidemic, and bugs are all over the school building. The janitors are on strike, and it seems like the exterminators are making the problem worse. Pip and Squeak, my two-headed rat, are still with me along with Karina, a ghostly girl confined to the school grounds. No one knows the student council president is actually a giant insect monster in disguise, and I'll bet he's helping Crawford Tillinghast, the demented physicist. He wants to overthrow the human race with his monsters and creatures, but I'll do everything I can to stop him.

I hadn't read the previous two books in the series, but I didn't feel like it affected my understanding. The book reminded me a little bit of My Teacher is an Alien. Robert didn't know which adults could be trusted and which ones were being controlled by Tillinghast. This created an ongoing tension, as did the loss of Glenn. The main conflict was stopping the insect invasion, but then a rescue mission broke out. Robert was determined to save someone, not Glenn, but it was clear the bugs would be exterminated in the process. The whole plot moved along very quickly, as it took only 103 pages to develop and resolve. The quick pace kept things hopping, but it resulted in shallow characters too. The story followed Robert, so his thoughts and feelings were pretty clear. However, all the other characters made appearances as needed without any depth to their descriptions. Overall, the book told a short, amusing story of bugs trying to overthrow humans, but it will probably appeal to a select audience. If the description above interests you, give it a shot. I plan to read the second book in the series to see if it's any different.

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

If creepy crawlies aren’t your thing, this is not the book for you. With a cast of over a hundred thousand, they’re absolutely everywhere.

There’s stinging. There’s buzzing. There’s itching. You’re probably going to be compelled to check your hair for lice, just in case.

Best friends Robert, Glenn and Karina are used to going up against the shenanigans of their school’s growing army of baddies by now, but they’re gonna need a bigger can of bug spray for this one.

“This is the most disgusting thing that’s ever happened to us.”

Speaking of bug spray, if there are men in hazmat suits at your school, you probably don’t want to be there that day. Even if the pesticide smells like pancakes.

Howard, who we met in the second book, has a larger role in this one. That’s him on the front cover. Yes, this former model student has developed some diabolical tendencies recently.



We spend some more time in Tillinghast Mansion, which apparently is a Tardis, and we finally get to see Glenn’s home. I learned I’d get along well with Robert’s hometown teacher, Miss Lynch, who enjoys fun facts as much as I do.

Fun fact: “Flies taste with their feet.”

Eugene Smith’s illustrations are still bringing the humans and not so humans to life.

A lot still needs to be resolved with only one book left in the series. By this time tomorrow I hope to have all of my questions answered.

Until then, remember to keep your mouth closed and always carry some emergency chocolate.

“It’s been a really weird week.”

Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com

[Valen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encantaba esa saga cuando era pequeña, fue en teoría mi primera saga que tuve aunque solo logré tener en físico los primeros dos libros, ya que por algún motivo se esfumaron, dijeron que simplemente dejaron de llegar. Eso es triste porque me gustaría coleccionarlos.

Es un libro que puedes leer en menos de una tarde, hasta te resulta corto pero es simplemente tan entretenido de imaginar, además me terminaron dando ganas de tener una rata bicefala justo como chis y chas.

[Monica Hocking · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! Can't wait to get the 4th book in this series!

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be the only one in the series that actually gave me goosebumps. The descriptions of the bigs, albeit far fetched, was enough to make me itch like there were bugs crawling all over me

[Konni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute third installation of the Lovecraft series. When bugs invade Lovecraft Middle School, it is just another odd occurrence for Robert and Glenn to solve.

[Tejus]

it is a good book but it is kinda creepy

[Ch J Loveall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Searching for rest of series.

[Istiak Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as interesting as the first one. But I enjoyed it

[Christine Ditzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

[Oni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun in creepy way

[Jason Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit formulaic, but still, a solid middle school horror book. I am hopeful that the final book in the series (I am assuming that it is the last, as the last book came out a decade ago) ends well.

[Greygirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

~5 stars~ Read with my Dad.

[Tim Lewis]

Premise: Robert Arthur has defeated Professor Gargoyle and The Slither Sisters in Crawford Tillinghast’s plot to take over the world: by bringing his strange monsters from the supposedly destroyed Tillinghast Mansion into the grounds of Lovecraft Middle School. With help from his friends Karina Ortiz, Glenn Torkells, and the two-headed rat named Pip and Squeak, Robert was able to defeat the Price sisters by winning the election for student council president. But Robert never wanted to be student council president, so he withdrew his bid and gave the position to the friendly Howard Mergler. The problem is that Howard is really a giant bug creature in disguise with the ability to control insects to do his bidding.

Howard’s new plot is to infest the school with massive swarms of insects all over Lovecraft Middle School. What a bad time for the janitorial staff to go on strike. As student council president, Howard is trusted by the adoring faculty and staff. There are few who know what he really is, and it is up to Robert, Karina, Glenn, and their pet rat to save the day yet again. Can they defeat a massive insect army led by a giant insect general intent on taking over the world?

Themes: The strength of friendship is put to the test in Teacher’s Pest. Pip and Squeak go missing and Robert will do whatever it takes to get them back. Glenn also grows distant after he is stung by a giant wasp, so Robert attempts to connect with his bully friend. But the reasons for Glenn putting off his friends might be the one thing that Robert can relate to, if only they could be forthcoming with each other. These friends are willing to put themselves in danger for each other.

Appearances are not a good way to judge people. On the outside, Howard Mergler is a well-dressed, polite, wonderful student. On the inside, he is a cruel bug-monster plotting to take over the world. On the flip-side, Robert is a loner with almost no friends, but after his previous fights and the bravery he displays in battling dark forces, he shows that great things can come from unexpected places.

Pros: Teacher’s Pest is full of action and a sense of real danger, more so even than the previous two books. There is some interpersonal conflict not found in the previous books that isn’t necessarily germane to the plot but adds a much deeper character development for the three main characters. Even with the intense action, I thought Teacher’s Pest was more appropriate for younger children than the other books, with less of a scary horror element and more of a gross out factor. Kids will love the bugs, rats, and eyeball monsters. As with the previous two books, the shapeshifting cover is awesome.

Cons: The main characters make some odd decisions that were out of character, excepting for the disjointed thought processes of middle school students. Both Robert and Glenn treat friends terribly at some point: Robert out of fear and Glenn out of embarrassment. The behavior is built up over a considerable time, especially in the case of Glenn, and then the explanation is almost too simplistic. There were also almost no references to the work of H.P. Lovecraft apart from an instance of chanting in another language, which is kind of a disappointment for Lovecraft fans seeking elements of homage to the horror great.

Recommendations: Make sure you read the first two books in the Lovecraft Middle School series to get a lot of setup information, some of which will be necessary to understand the plot, but most of which will just make the entire experience much better. This series has very high quality writing that is easy to read. It has horror elements that might be too intense for readers on the younger end of the middle grade spectrum, though Teacher’s Pest is more appropriate for younger middle grade than the first two books. It is packed full of bugs that are sure to gross kids out, in a good way. Robert and his friends show us that kids can do great things, especially when there are teachers and mentors who support them in their efforts.

[Tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, everyone needs to appreciate how awesome the covers in this series are! I didn’t actually realise how much I’d missed reading this series until I sat down and started reading Teacher’s Pest. I just love everything about this series and I think that this particular book is my favourite so far! I sat down one evening and just kept reading until I finished it, I just couldn’t put it down! Whilst reading Teacher’s Pest, my skin was crawling and I kept shuddering at the thought of all those nasty bugs – god forbid if anything like that actually happened in real life! The illustrations throughout the book are beautifully done and help set the scene really well – they add that extra bit of creepiness to the book that I just love.

The character development was even greater in this book than the last, and I felt like Charles Gilman was really pushing himself and became more daring with his writing. Throughout the first two books, nothing is really mentioned about Glenn’s family life, and I loved how we learn a little more about his background in Teacher’s Pest. Robert himself is so much more confident and daring in this book, and I’ve loved seeing him develop from a shy boy, to someone who’ll go jumping into the action to save his friends. With all the things Robert and his friends Glenn and Karina have gone through – I’m sure they’ll all be friends for life.

I also loved how it’s was a little more difficult to get away from the bad guys in this book. When they thought they’d gotten past one obstacle, they found another! Sometimes, especially in children’s books, the main protagonist gets away so easily that it’s not believable – but in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series, it’s always a little more complex – which is really great. I found myself on the edge of the seat because I honestly had no idea what would happen next – my verbal commentary were words along the lines of ‘What?’, ‘Yuck! Gross!’ and ‘RUN!’ that I kept muttering and yelling to myself.

Charles Gilman’s writing is funny, quirky, unique and so much fun to read. His characters are interesting to read about and relatable in so many different ways that you just can’t help but love them! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m really enjoying this series as a whole – I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next book! I definitely recommend this book and series to anyone, even if you’re an adult and don’t think you’ll enjoy them, I really believe a lot of adults will really enjoy them as well – I know I am.

[Alexa (Alexa Loves Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

(This is more of a general review of Book 2/3. It was also posted on the blog.)

Sometimes, I like to read middle grade books just for fun! They’re often light-hearted and funny, filled with quirky characters and easy-to-follow stories. One series that I’m really enjoying is Tales from Lovecraft Middle School, as it offers a magical story filled with paranormal creatures and set in a peculiar little school. These books are really quick reads for me, but I really enjoy them. Plus, it’s a major bonus that they have illustrations and those cool covers!

The Slither Sisters and Teacher’s Pest are the second and third novels in the series. To let you guys in on just what’s happening in either novel might spoil the series, but suffice it to say that Robert and his friends Glenn and Karina are faced with a whole new host of creepy paranormal creatures to deal with. The creatures and the magical world they are from are highly imaginative, and this creativity is a strength that this series possesses. I particularly like the fact that we keep learning more about the supernatural stuff!

The other reason that I enjoy this series is because Gilman manages to incorporate “normal” things into the unusual story. There are things like running for class president or going to dances or dealing with girls and friendship woes, and I loved that. It balances out the craziness of the paranormal stuff quite nicely, and I think that was smart thing to do.

I really enjoy reading the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School, mostly because the books make me laugh, keep me entertained and are also quick reads. I’d highly recommend this series for younger readers, especially readers who like crazy, zany stories and all sorts of creatures. I’m looking forward to the next novel in the series, and seeing what happens next to Robert, Karina and Glenn.

[Brad Sells · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is entirely spoiler free, even if you haven't started this series.

Teacher's Pest is a haunting, chilling and fun read! Gilman has created another middle grade masterpiece and knocked it out of the ballpark with Teacher's Pest! Definitely the best book of the series!

If you're looking for a fun and fresh series, look no further - the Lovecraft Middle School series is the perfect choice. Yes, they're creepy, and yes, they're eerie, but they are so. much. fun! I believe that this series will be the next Series of Unfortunate Events - it's sure to be a hit! The entire school of Lovecraft is so weird and different, but Gilman does a fantastic job at bringing the school to life for the reader.

Teacher's Pest definitely has the most unique plot. Bugs are everywhere, and the wonderful illustrations made these freaky creatures even more vivid in my mind! While I'm not scared of bugs, I'm not a fan of them, and I actually got scared at one scene towards the end of the book! Two words: Bug. Pile.

The character development is just as great. Robert becomes stronger and more daring in this third book, and I really appreciated that. The author himself is actually more daring! I didn't expect quite a lot of things to occur in Teacher's Pest, and my jaw was open for the majority of the book! Which is why this book is my favorite of the series thus far - I love it when a book has me in suspense and not having a clue what will happen next. Teacher's Pest is mind-boggling!

Overall, this series is a must-read for fans of middle grade. Creepy, eerie and a bucket of fun, Teacher's Pest was awesome!

[Louise {Perpetual Romance} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovecraft Middle School is a state of the art school, filled with awesome technology! They’ve got HD video screens, electronic lockers and loads of computers, the school is full of awesome and I wish I could go there, minus the freaky monsters! These books are written in a way that you could easily read them out of order, the author has a clever way of recapping the sinister goings on without being repetitive.

I loved the way The Slither Sisters ended, so I couldn’t wait to read Teachers Pest. In Roberts latest adventure, the school is heaving with bugs, bugs are everywhere! They aren’t just ordinary bugs either, these bugs are super big and they’re taking over the school. Kids are shaving their heads as super lice take over! Eww! Howard Mergler, president of the school council isn’t trying to fix the bug problem, what is he up to? Why is the school nurse acting weird?... she isn’t the only one acting strange, why has Glenn stopped coming for tea and why doesn’t he want to be friends with Robert anymore? And does this have anything to do with the weird looking wasp that stung Glenn days before?

Pip and Squeak are back, and this time they have their own mission to go on, which goes horribly wrong, leaving Pip and Squeak trapped in a burrow of gruesome insects and worst still, a Shaggai! What’s a Shaggai you ask?.. Grab this book and find out!

I love this series! Teacher’s Pest is packed with action, adventure, mystery and thrills! I loved the ending, it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, more a sense of dread lol!

I can’t wait to get my hand on Substitute Creature! I just KNOW it’s going to be awesome!

[Avanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review based on ARC.

The best part about reading a good series is when the books get better as they progress. This one does not disappoint.

Teacher's Pest is the best yet in the series of the Tales From Lovecraft Middle School. The book begins with Robert and Glenn beginning a day like any other day in the life of a middle schooler. Unlike the first two books in the series, however, a sudden twist in the beginning of the story leaves you questioning the allegiances of even the most faithful of Robert's friends.

Glenn is bitten by an unusual looking, purple-bellied wasp, and his behavior suddenly and dramatically changes. Not only is Robert left wondering if his friend is ok and what it will take to bring him back around, but he is also left largely alone to deal with the new plot of Tillinghast to take over the school and the world.

At the end of Book 2 (Slither Sisters), Howard Mergler has been named Student Council President as a result of Robert's gracious actions. As we learn at the end of Book 2, however, Howard is yet another demon-in-disguise and part of Tillinghast's plan. In addition to the purple wasp that Glenn was subject to, the entire school is overrun with creepy crawlers of all varieties. Howard Mergler promises the school that the creepy crawlers will all be gone by the end of the day, but in Robert's investigations, a more sinister plot is discovered.

Teacher's Pest is not only an entertaining story and a quick read, but it also contains morals and friend-lessons and is, overall, promising to be an excellent series.

I highly recommend for 8+ readers with a penchant for the unusual!

[Gmr · Rating 5 out of 5]

We're back and Lovecraft Middle School is under attack once again as Crawford Tillinghast tries to take over the school with his army of creatures, features, devious diversions and the like.Howard Mergler is a tricky one and has positioned himself just so within the school's class system to potentially get everything he and the evil Tillinghast desire.By the time this installment is up, we'll have faced clouds of maggots, more than our fair share of lice, and just might be looking at an eternity with our soul in a slightly larger than average urn and our body being used to cause who knows what kinds of havoc in the real world, but hey...at least we'll be doing it together with our friends Glenn, Karina, and Pip and Squeak. Right? Right?!? *-*

I love how the books all build off of each other never leaving you to wonder what happened during the days/months/years in between installments. I love how though all installments are a part of the whole, they can in fact be read individually and still enjoyed. I also love how the author keeps the main crew in the spotlight but allows even the smallest of creatures to have additional page time in often unique ways.

In conclusion, a definite MUST READ for the MG fan in your life, whether they be tall or small, young or old, from this realm or not (*-*); there is "fun" to be had in the pages of any Lovecraft Middle School story from cover to cover.


**review copy was received in exchange for my honest review - full post can be viewed on my site**