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Scare School Diaries #1
Welcome to Scare School
A young ghost tries his best to fit in with the rest of the ghouls in this sweet and spooky chapter book by acclaimed author Jarrett Lerner.
Bash, a young ghost who’s never been good at “ghost stuff” is heading off to Scare School, the world’s leading institution for elementary scare instruction, and he’s not happy about it. In fact, he’s kind of scared! His older sister Bella, precocious in every way, was a star student there and he knows the classes are hard and the teachers are tough.
Even before his first day of school, Bash is worried about how he’s going to make it through the rigorous curriculum when he hasn’t been able to get the hang of basics like making himself invisible or passing through walls (without bonking his head!). Will the young ghost get boooo ted out of Scare School?
Bash, a young ghost who’s never been good at “ghost stuff” is heading off to Scare School, the world’s leading institution for elementary scare instruction, and he’s not happy about it. In fact, he’s kind of scared! His older sister Bella, precocious in every way, was a star student there and he knows the classes are hard and the teachers are tough.
Even before his first day of school, Bash is worried about how he’s going to make it through the rigorous curriculum when he hasn’t been able to get the hang of basics like making himself invisible or passing through walls (without bonking his head!). Will the young ghost get boooo ted out of Scare School?
144 pages, Paperback
Published July 16, 2024
16 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
March 7, 2024
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
Bash is worried about going off to boarding school. His older sister Bella was a big success, but Bash struggles with making friends and with "ghost stuff", and has trouble becoming invisible and passing through walls. He's also apprehensive about sharing a bedroom and living away from home. When he finally arrives at the school, he meets the staff, which includes Headmaster Dave, Mr. Crane, who is a ghost, Ms. Graves, a witch, and Ms. Scully, the librarian. They seem okay, but Bash has doubts about some of the students, like vampires Vlad and Vicky. He gets along well with Itsy, the spider, and is pleased to find that the two are roommates. Each school session is two weeks long, and after that students can go home, but before that, there are Creature Aptitude tests that must be passed or students will have to leave. As much as Bash has studied, he still doesn't feel good about his chances. His sister, who has an internship haunting a house, writes to encourage him, and Itsy does a lot of studying and helps Bash prepare. With his future at Scare School in the balance, will Bash be able to successfully pass two of his three tests?
Strengths: Lerner is a big proponent of art in schools, and connects with young readers and teachers alike with his distinctive style. Like his Hunger Heroes books, Scare School addresses realistic concerns that children might have about testing, school, and making friends. Bash struggles with many issues, but is able to make friends, study for his tests, and even be a force of good in his school. It will be interesting to see what future volumes will explore. This reminded me in the best way of Jane Thayer's classic 1962 Gus Was a Friendly Ghost.
Weaknesses: Bash's sister Bella not only finds a typewriter to use to write him letters, but types them on notebook paper. We will excuse Mr. Lerner, who is young enough that he may never have actually used a typewriter.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked Hegearty and Owen's Lumberjackula, Rivadeneira and Jones' (FrankinSchool), or the rebooted Dadey and Jones The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids.
Bash is worried about going off to boarding school. His older sister Bella was a big success, but Bash struggles with making friends and with "ghost stuff", and has trouble becoming invisible and passing through walls. He's also apprehensive about sharing a bedroom and living away from home. When he finally arrives at the school, he meets the staff, which includes Headmaster Dave, Mr. Crane, who is a ghost, Ms. Graves, a witch, and Ms. Scully, the librarian. They seem okay, but Bash has doubts about some of the students, like vampires Vlad and Vicky. He gets along well with Itsy, the spider, and is pleased to find that the two are roommates. Each school session is two weeks long, and after that students can go home, but before that, there are Creature Aptitude tests that must be passed or students will have to leave. As much as Bash has studied, he still doesn't feel good about his chances. His sister, who has an internship haunting a house, writes to encourage him, and Itsy does a lot of studying and helps Bash prepare. With his future at Scare School in the balance, will Bash be able to successfully pass two of his three tests?
Strengths: Lerner is a big proponent of art in schools, and connects with young readers and teachers alike with his distinctive style. Like his Hunger Heroes books, Scare School addresses realistic concerns that children might have about testing, school, and making friends. Bash struggles with many issues, but is able to make friends, study for his tests, and even be a force of good in his school. It will be interesting to see what future volumes will explore. This reminded me in the best way of Jane Thayer's classic 1962 Gus Was a Friendly Ghost.
Weaknesses: Bash's sister Bella not only finds a typewriter to use to write him letters, but types them on notebook paper. We will excuse Mr. Lerner, who is young enough that he may never have actually used a typewriter.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked Hegearty and Owen's Lumberjackula, Rivadeneira and Jones' (FrankinSchool), or the rebooted Dadey and Jones The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids.
July 30, 2024
This book is really cute and a lot of fun. It's about a ghost who goes to school to learn new skills so he can be a real ghost. The school is challenging and self doubt sets in. Will he be able to pass the test and become a real ghost, or will he be sent home, never to return again? The illustrations are cute and there’s plenty of humor throughout. Our son loved the story, too, especially the snot monster. Perfect for early readers, grades k-4.
March 11, 2025
Great series opener for younger elementary readers with a not-so-scary ghost as the main character and a terrific mixture of diary entries and traditional text plus tons of fun sketches that Jarrett Lerner is known for.
Bash is attending Scare School, lives a bit in his older sister’s shadow and worries that he is not measuring up and when he doesn’t pass the big test, will be asked to leave the school. There is humor mixed in with some very realistic fears (even if they are being demonstrated by a ghost) and readers are likely to relate to Bash with every page turn. Hopefully they, too, will realize that being nervous is something everyone feels at one time or another and some even feel it more often but there is hope and help if you just look for it.
Text is free of profanity, violence and sexual content. A “first choice” selection for librarians serving grades 1-3. Would make a terrific read aloud at the start of school or before any significant testing in order to open up some dialogue about anxiety, especially over taking tests and other school-related hot spots.
A 2025-2026 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee
Bash is attending Scare School, lives a bit in his older sister’s shadow and worries that he is not measuring up and when he doesn’t pass the big test, will be asked to leave the school. There is humor mixed in with some very realistic fears (even if they are being demonstrated by a ghost) and readers are likely to relate to Bash with every page turn. Hopefully they, too, will realize that being nervous is something everyone feels at one time or another and some even feel it more often but there is hope and help if you just look for it.
Text is free of profanity, violence and sexual content. A “first choice” selection for librarians serving grades 1-3. Would make a terrific read aloud at the start of school or before any significant testing in order to open up some dialogue about anxiety, especially over taking tests and other school-related hot spots.
A 2025-2026 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee
October 2, 2025
This was such a fun read aloud for October!
May 15, 2025
Super cute and does a wonderful job with children starting new school and new experiences!
April 22, 2024
I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.
Bash is going to scare school and he is already scared. What if a snot monster eats him? What if he doesn’t make any friends? And worse of all, what if he can’t cut it as a ghost? I really enjoyed this early chapter book. Bash had very real and common fears of going to school for the first time and being away from his parent for the first time. The illustrations were cute and enough to add detail and yet not so much that it is still an early chapter book and not a graphic novel. I also love that it’s a diary from a ghost that loves to draw and wants to make comic books, something relatable and yet explains the skill in the illustrations. Lastly, I love all the fears coming to light and Bash realizing that he assumed a lot of things about his classmates before he met them and found that no matter what type of monster you are, you can still be nice (unless you are a vampire of course).
Bash is going to scare school and he is already scared. What if a snot monster eats him? What if he doesn’t make any friends? And worse of all, what if he can’t cut it as a ghost? I really enjoyed this early chapter book. Bash had very real and common fears of going to school for the first time and being away from his parent for the first time. The illustrations were cute and enough to add detail and yet not so much that it is still an early chapter book and not a graphic novel. I also love that it’s a diary from a ghost that loves to draw and wants to make comic books, something relatable and yet explains the skill in the illustrations. Lastly, I love all the fears coming to light and Bash realizing that he assumed a lot of things about his classmates before he met them and found that no matter what type of monster you are, you can still be nice (unless you are a vampire of course).
October 18, 2024
I'm a 25 year educator and am always searching for books to recommend to young readers. When I taught primary grades, young readers always wanted to carry around thick books they very often couldn't read. That's ok, if they have someone to read it to them.
But what about the striving reader who wants a book they can read on their own? I think Jarrett Lerner's new series will get those early chapter book readers turning pages.
Bash tells his story through diary entries (which readers love!), and he also draws comics (which young readers and artists love!).
Bash is nervous, living in the shadow of his older sister, and so so real - except for being a ghost who might get kicked out of scare school if he can't pass "the test."
Teachers will love this as a read aloud right before standardized tests. We have to keep it light around test time, and this is the perfect read for helping learners realize their potential but recognizing their genuine fears.
If you like light, meaningful, and fun books, this is for you!
But what about the striving reader who wants a book they can read on their own? I think Jarrett Lerner's new series will get those early chapter book readers turning pages.
Bash tells his story through diary entries (which readers love!), and he also draws comics (which young readers and artists love!).
Bash is nervous, living in the shadow of his older sister, and so so real - except for being a ghost who might get kicked out of scare school if he can't pass "the test."
Teachers will love this as a read aloud right before standardized tests. We have to keep it light around test time, and this is the perfect read for helping learners realize their potential but recognizing their genuine fears.
If you like light, meaningful, and fun books, this is for you!
June 19, 2024
Cute story about being afraid but overcoming it. The setting is a boarding school where monsters go to learn to be monsters. Bash is a ghost who is not good at ghostly things, but is willing to try. Even though it's his first time away from home. The idea of trying, failing, and trying again, is not new, but the author just has fun with the idea. We have zombies, vampires, snot monsters, spiders, a pirate cafeteria chef, a librarian who is a skeleton, and a headmaster who can have class with his head on the desk and his body can take a bathroom break. This is all shown in a diary/journal format where we can see the lines of the book's pages, as Bash tells us of their misadventures. (Read via an online reader copy)
December 15, 2024
The sweet first book in Lerner's series about Bash, a ghost nervous about going away to scare school because he doesn't know how to be a good ghost or friend. Luckily things change when he gets there and befriends his roommate Itsy, a spider. Class don't seem super hard though some of his teachers are a little weird. And his first order of business is that he must pass a test and do two of three things that ghosts should do, well-- go invisible, fly, and pass through a wall. Will he be able to manage that? Maybe with a little help from his sister and friends.
It's delightful because Bash is writing to the reader in a diary. With added illustrations throughout, it moves quickly and has heart.
It's delightful because Bash is writing to the reader in a diary. With added illustrations throughout, it moves quickly and has heart.
March 17, 2024
Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC!
I absolutely loved this illustrated chapter book about Bash the ghost who is off to boarding school to learn more about being a ghost. He's fearful of so many things to come and not at all confident in his ghostly skills. What he finds along the way though is that there's a lot less to be afraid of than he thought and things may actually turn out OK. I look forward to more in this series and I KNOW this will be a hit at school!
And what a lovely dedication too!
I absolutely loved this illustrated chapter book about Bash the ghost who is off to boarding school to learn more about being a ghost. He's fearful of so many things to come and not at all confident in his ghostly skills. What he finds along the way though is that there's a lot less to be afraid of than he thought and things may actually turn out OK. I look forward to more in this series and I KNOW this will be a hit at school!
And what a lovely dedication too!
June 29, 2024
Loved every page, from the strong voice of the main character Bash to the font to the hilarious phrasing of words. This author knows what he’s doing and writes for KIDS - cause our students are going to pick this one up and immediately want more. Excellent and perfect for kids ages 7-10!
“Friends are THE BEST.”
PS - After thinking about it, I reallllllly want to get all of our students some notebooks to along with this book, so they can fill them up like Bash! What an awesome writing option to motivate kids!
“Friends are THE BEST.”
PS - After thinking about it, I reallllllly want to get all of our students some notebooks to along with this book, so they can fill them up like Bash! What an awesome writing option to motivate kids!
July 10, 2025
Bash is really nervous about starting Scare School because he's never been away from his dad (single parent?), isn't good at being a ghost, and is scared of meeting the other supernatural monster students. He has to pass 2 out of the 3 ghost skills (flying, invisibility, and passing through solid objects) on his Creature Aptitude Test or be kicked out of Scare School. It's told in an easier to read font to match the diary style and has quite a few black and white illustrations throughout. For fans of Haunted Library, Fitz & Cleo, Simon & Chester, and Lumberjackula.
July 19, 2024
Absolutely loved the first book in Jarrett Lerner’s new series! Bash is a ghost who’s headed away to school for the first time. He’s going to learn how to be a ghost and do things like fly, pass through objects, and turn invisible. The only problem? Bash is scared to go to Scare School! What if a snot monster eats him? Or if he doesn’t make friends?
Lots of fun characters and a sweet story about friendship and facing fears. Already plan to buy book 2 in the series!
Lots of fun characters and a sweet story about friendship and facing fears. Already plan to buy book 2 in the series!
November 23, 2024
This is an adorable look at confidence, fear, and friendship while a ghost learns ghost skills at Scare School. Classmate comparisons abound at first as self-doubt and comparisons to family members overwhelm. Teachers are fun and funny, but it is the students who hold the appeal for me and also for my students. Short chapters, darling illustrations, and just enough humor made this a great addition to my early chapter book reader collection!
February 18, 2025
Bash is a ghost who is not good at ghostly things and is nervous about the usual going-to-school things: making friends, classes, teachers, and testing.
Scare School Diaries by Jarrett Lerner is a cute book about facing and overcoming your fears, which doesn't necessarily have to be perfect.
I like the blend of journal format, graphic panels, and illustrations. All those make the book easy and fun to read.
Scare School Diaries by Jarrett Lerner is a cute book about facing and overcoming your fears, which doesn't necessarily have to be perfect.
I like the blend of journal format, graphic panels, and illustrations. All those make the book easy and fun to read.
May 10, 2025
This was a great transitional book for my seven year old - it’s a mix between a chapter book and a graphic novel. The story was cute and fun. The only thing taking a star off is the ridiculous amount of typos in the Kindle version we got from Libby. It seemed almost every page had multiple typos - “and” kept showing up as “a net,” there were random periods and apostrophes scattered throughout, and many other issues. Really strange!
September 9, 2025
This is a Sunshine State Young Reader Award, Jr. book this year which focuses on grades K-2. I read it with my youngest and we laughed the entire book. Big font and lots of pictures makes it very engaging for young readers. It’s a quick easy read and there were only a couple vocabulary words that may be challenging for that age. I definitely recommend this book and can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
November 6, 2024
Do you think scary things are automatically scary? No, they have to go to scare school! Bash isn’t sure about his ability to do scary ghost things and is nervous about the usual going to school things: making friends, classes, teachers, and The Test! Fun illustrated beginner chapter book. Perfect dedication to the fearless school librarians - thank you!
December 25, 2024
This one is definitely for your younger middle grade readers with large print, lots of white space, journal-like entries and would be considered an illustrated novel like Dork Diaries or Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The story was cute and kids experiencing change and challenges will connect with the story. Book 2 is great as well!
January 18, 2025
This is so cute. It really is written as a diary and that makes it easy and fun to read. Bash is adorable and so are his new friends. I love Itsy the spider. She and Bash become great friends. I laughed so hard about Mr Snek and students are left wondering if they're supposed to be able to speak snake! Can't wait for the next book.
August 28, 2025
*3.5 stars*
This is a 2025-2026 K-2 Sunshine State book. I read the 6-8 Sunshine State book by Jarrett Lerner last year, and I liked it more than this book. I really liked the illustrations in this book, but the dialogue confused me in some parts because I couldn't tell if the book had typos, or if it was intentionally saying things. Some parts just didn't make sense.
This is a 2025-2026 K-2 Sunshine State book. I read the 6-8 Sunshine State book by Jarrett Lerner last year, and I liked it more than this book. I really liked the illustrations in this book, but the dialogue confused me in some parts because I couldn't tell if the book had typos, or if it was intentionally saying things. Some parts just didn't make sense.
December 4, 2025
I am NOT the intended audience for this goofy, slightly gross monster/ghost book about making friends and working hard to get better at something. The large font and frequent B&W simple drawings make this accessible for readers who have just graduated to chapter books. Fans of Dog Man or Diary of a Wimpy Kid will like it.
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May 21, 2024Being dead doesn't keep you from being afraid of anything else in this book from Jarrett Lerner. A young ghost shows us how to live and deal with our fears and anxieties, while staying absolutely adorable.
July 16, 2024
This is a fun start to a series that kids will absolutely LOVE! As a teacher librarian I am so excited to share this series with kids. It blends humor and illustration with themes of friendship and overcoming anxiety that is perfect for our crowd. Well done, Jarrett!
September 11, 2024
This was so much fun to read! I really liked Bash and his friends and the fact that they’re all at Scare School together. I can’t wait to read more from this series; it’s especially cute for spooky season!
September 20, 2024
Jarrett Lerner is such an underrated author. This story is simple and basic, but he makes it into something extra special. The illustrations add just the right touch. The text is humorous and relatable. I'm excited for this intermediate series!
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October 24, 2024Read this to my second grade class for our October school book club. The kids did a great job of waiting for the illustrations and they seemed to really enjoy it. They are anxiously awaiting the release of Book 2 on 11/5!
October 31, 2024
Read Bash’s journal as he attends his first week at Scare School. How will Bash overcome his fears? The school is full of memorable haunting characters you don’t want to miss. The illustrations are fantastic as always in Jarrett’s books.
November 1, 2024
all the "yes"-es for this one! A funny and engaging beginner chapter book. These are so hard to find. It's really not scary, but the scary characters will be recognizable to readers. This will be an exciting series to have available for readers.
November 18, 2024
I’m not sure if the Libby version had technical issues or if the original book had so many typo errors? Distracting. I liked the hand written type text. The simple comics were fun. A cute book about facing our fears and overcoming, which doesn’t necessarily have to be perfect.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews