Nightmares!

Nightmares! #1

by Jason Segel, Kirsten Miller, Karl Kwasny (Illustrations)

" Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller."— Publishers Weekly

The hilariously frightening, middle-grade novel Nightmares! is a Texas Bluebonnet nominee and the first book in a trilogy about a boy named Charlie and a group of kids who must face their fears to save their town.

Sleeping has never been so scary. And now waking up is even worse!
 
Charlie Laird has several problems.
 
1. His dad married a woman he is sure moonlights as a witch.
2. He had to move into her purple mansion, which is NOT a place you want to find yourself after dark.
3.He can’t remember the last time sleeping wasn’t a nightmarish prospect. Like even a nap.
 
What Charlie doesn’t know is that his problems are about to get a whole lot more real. Nightmares can ruin a good night’s sleep, but when they start slipping out of your dreams and into the waking world—that’s a line that should never be crossed.
 
And when your worst nightmares start to come true . . . well, that’s something only Charlie can face. And he’s going to need all the help he can get, or it might just be lights-out for Charlie Laird. For good.

Praise for Nightmares!

Book one is a New York Times bestseller and Texas Bluebonnet nominee !

"Charlie Laird, who learns fear will eat you alive if you feed it, makes an impression, and... readers will want to accompany him again."— The New York Times Book Review

" A touching comical saga ...about facing things that go bump in the night."— US Weekly

"“[ Nightmares! ] succeeds at scaring and amusing in equal measure…[It's] sweet, charming, and imaginative. "— Kirkus Reviews

"Segel...and Miller build an entertaining, cartoony world full of scary (but not too scary) monsters, silly jokes, plucky kid heroes...with a promise of adventures to come."— Booklist

" An engaging and creative story ...woven with a generous amount [of] humor."— VOYA

"There's humor and a fairly high ick-factor. "— School Library Journal

" Cleverly crafted ...This novel presents just the right mix of 'scary and humorous.'"— ILA Literacy Daily

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Horror, Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Audiobook

368 pages, Library Binding

First published September 9, 2014

About the author

New York Times bestselling author Jason Segel used to have nightmares just like Charlie, and just like Charlie, he's learned that the things we're most afraid of are the things that can make us strong...if we're brave enough to face them. Jason likes acting, writing, making music, and hanging out with his friends. Sometimes he writes movies. Sometimes he writes songs for movies. Sometimes he stars in those movies and sings those songs. You might know him from The Muppets and Despicable Me. Your parents might know him from other stuff. Nightmares! is his first novel.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

~ Interview with my 9 almost 10 year old ~

Describe Nightmares in five words: Fun. Exciting. Adventures. Funny. Awesome.

Did you the like the audiobook? Yeah. The guy who wrote it did a good job reading it too. You should tell him. (Um, I don't know Jason Segel personally, but I'll let the publicist who gave us the audiobook know.)

What I Liked: The fact that Charlie and Jack are brothers. And the purple mansion they live in.

Was it scary? Only if you're Charlie. Regular kids who read it shouldn't be scared.

What are some of the nightmares in the story? Clowns, cockroaches, the dark, grubs, man-eating rabbits, zombies, fitness exams (like, if you're not athletic at all), and failing regular tests.

Favorite character: Jack. He's Charlie's brother who always wears a Captain America costume. Their mom made for Charlie but then she died and he outgrew it so he gave it to Jack.

Did you learning anything? Not everything is as bad as we think.

On a scale of 1-5, how many stars would give Nightmares? I would give it 7 stars and I'm excited for the next one!

[Mohammed Arabey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because It's a Hot Windless Summer Night..!
And reading light Horror always a welcome breath.

And the author of this is a familiar face..

Because in Hot Windless Summer Night..you either sleepless..

..or having Nightmares!

And this brilliant story is about Nightmares, Loss, Darkness, Fear...and even Believe..

So drop everything and face your worst fears with Charlie Laird in his stepmonster stepmother's Purple House..

And in this Hot Windless Summer Night... let's know more of Nightmares.. Monsters..Witches..Portals to Darkness Lands.. And of course, Adventures!


--------------------
The Story
--------

Charlie moved with his father and brother to this creepy over 200 years old house, that belongs to Charlotte's family.. the mysterious woman his father married after Charlie's mother passed.

Charlie can't get over his stepmother's creepy house, creepy herbal work.. her creepier illustrations.. even her resemble to the Witch he dreams of every night since he moved to this creepy house with its strange tower.

Charlie can't help feeling how he lost his mother, and now his father and brother moved on... he won't...he mustn't...

He can't sleep at night for the fear of the witch..which now want to kidnap his little brither..
Then..

A portal in the house to the Nightmares land... Kidnapping... rescue...facing inner fears...
The meaning of Nightmares... that they are the Human Worst Fear in disguise..

And there's a reason we have it... we must face it..
And then what's after?
After fulfilling our life and purposes...

God I couldn't believe this small fun read would turn into a story metaphorically make you believe in Heaven..
(Nightmares may go to Dreams!)

And also deal with the fears, and how we can be selfish sometimes or self central... how we can be the Nightmare of those around us without knowing..

And it also deal with loss and letting go... I even get teary eyes before the ending.

(Somehow it reminded me with A Monster Calls)

All that with a very cute characters, even great illustration that will make the reading as if you're watching a nice animation.

I loved Charlie so much...with his grumpiness. .. I felt so related. ..I don't know why although he's not supposed to be a nice guy... he was wrong in his actions yet the story will force you to stay with him to the end.

You know, I even wish I read some story like this when I was young, 10 or something... will make you to look back at yourself, at those around you, family, friends... and appreciate it all more..
-which is why I rated it 5, it's so perfect for the age it targets "Middle Grade"-

Really great work, Jason and Kirsten..

And Karl Kwasny, the illustrator also made brilliant art here...not only the funny resemble between Charlie and you know who...

He also made really creepy bugs and specially the cockroaches-my personal real fear-.

--------------
I always love reading horrors in summer nights when I was younger,like Goosebumps series..
-guilty, till now..and forever I guess-


But what makes this story stronger, is its hidden -yet crystal clear- messages it includes..

So, finally, Hot Windless Summer Nights..Go have some Nightmares!


Mohammed Arabey
In the Hot Windless Summer Nights
From 20 August 2017
To 24 August 2017

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

La portada es muy bonita y las historias de terror para niños me encantan y por eso no pude decirle que no a esta.
Charlie es divertido y la forma en que nos va presentando a su familia te hace reír, los elementos "de miedo" son más graciosos que nada, y al avanzar vas comprendiendo los miedos del niño para al final darte una explicación muy bien pensada y que puede hacerte derramar una lágrima.
Una historia adorable, que si eres pequeño sin duda disfrutarás, y si no lo eres, igual te hará pasar un rato agradable

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jason Segel did a great job with this. I wonder how much is Kirsten and how much is Jason. There are some interesting ideas in the story and the characters are very teenage. I like the message about facing your fears to take the power away from them. I have read that kids enjoy these books. I can see that. There is some frightening stuff, there is some funny stuff and there is some real life stuff all mixed in a pimply package.

I like the character of Meduso the best. He was by far the best character. I did not like Charlie's attitude and I get why he had it, but I don't find it fun to be around that. I'm a little sad right now and maybe that is why I only gave 3 stars, but that is what I'm feeling right now. There was good action and plot and a good villain. It was a good middle-of-the-genre read.

[Brigid ✩ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last summer, I went to BookExpo America in NYC on the children's/YA day. To my excitement, Jason Segel was there, signing pamphlet thingies (which had an excerpt from this book in them) and ... I MET HIM. At the time my hair was dyed dark purple and he was like, "Cool hair! It matches the cover of the book." And I was like, "... um yeah haha thanks bye." I was very awkward, plus the line was moving very quickly, but yeah. AHHHHH. It was still pretty cool. I also got to meet the co-author of the book (aka the person who probably did the actual writing), Kirsten Miller, who seemed very nice––although once again, the line was moving super fast so I only had time to say hi and thanks and that was about it.

Anyway, I didn't actually buy the book until a few months ago, when it was on sale on Amazon. I tend to be a bit skeptical of celebrity-written (or co-written) books, but I decided to give it a try anyway.

It took me kind of a long time to get through the whole thing, but that was mostly because I usually was only reading it in snatches on my Kindle when I couldn't sleep (which is kind of fitting, considering the plot of the book).

The beginning was a little slow-going for me. It takes almost half of the book before the main character, Charlie, goes into the "Netherworld"––the dream world where most of the important part of the story takes place. Before that it's mostly just Charlie being terrible to his stepmother and brother. I get that he's mourning the death of his mother and going through a lot, but sometimes in the beginning I found it hard to sympathize with him––especially when he was calling his stepmother a witch to her face.

But once Charlie finally enters the portal into the Netherworld, that's where the story hit its stride. I really liked the creative world-building of the Netherworld. It's creepy and unique, both funny and scary. It's kind of like Neil Gaiman and Rick Riordan had a baby or something (figuratively, of course).

I became more invested in the story as Charlie encountered his group of friends in the dream world, and helped them conquer their nightmares. I liked the message the book conveys to its readers, that everyone has nightmares/fears, and they're not something to be ashamed of. Sometimes I did feel like the book kind of beat the reader over the head with those messages, but I thought they were important nevertheless.

A few minor things that I also really appreciated:

• I liked that one of Charlie's friends (Paige) is a girl whose best friends are all boys––and she's never described as a "tomboy" or "not like the other gurlz". We need more boy-girl friendships! And girls who are friends with boys without shaming other girls!

• There was a strong implication that Paige's mother suffers from serious depression, and that Paige's greatest fear was becoming depressed like her mother, especially after being told by a doctor that it's hereditary. Dang ... that's some heavy stuff, but I think it's very important for kids to read. Many children have parents with mental illnesses, or suffer from such illnesses themselves. And especially as someone who has had anxiety and panic attacks since I was 11 years old, I appreciate that this was acknowledged in a children's book. Not only that, but that depression is discussed as what it truly is––a medical condition that is chronic and often requires help from doctors. So I really applaud the book for that.

• One of Charlie's other friends, Rocco, is terrified of taking tests––which of course, causes him his nightmares. And Charlie's other friend, Alfie, who does much better in school, tells Rocco something along the lines of: "Tests don't measure how smart you are, they just measure how good you are at taking tests." YES. THANK YOU. Maybe I'm biased because I went to a college that had no tests or grades, but I was really glad to see those words in a kids' book. While I do think tests can help kids learn to a certain degree, for the most part I've always thought they're more about how good you are at memorization than you are at actually learning. And I think it's important for kids to understand that even if you don't always do well on tests, it doesn't mean you're stupid.

The final word:

Although this book was a little slow in the beginning, I liked it well enough in the end. The second half of it had a compelling plot, some fun world-building, and some bold and important messages that I hadn't often seen in children's literature. I didn't think it was amazing, but I liked it enough that I might still try the sequel.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I bought this book as soon as I saw it, simply because of Jason Segel's name. I'm a semi-moderate fan of his, meaning that I loved him in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, This Is The End, and the maybe 35 minutes or so that I've ever seen of How I Met Your Mother, but I don't like follow his work or fangirl for him or anything. I just got excited when I saw this because I was interested to see what he'd do with a midgrade book, and the title was intriguing, and the cover is gorgeous. So I bought it, despite the fact that it's pretty rare that I buy hardcover books anymore unless I've read them first and know that I like them, and even more rare that I intentionally buy books in any format with deckled edges, because seriously, WHY do they exist in the 21st century where paper trimming is automated and the work of seconds??

To torment me. They are my nightmare. That's why.

I digress.

I'm glad that I bought this book, hardcover and deckled edges be damned!, because it was great. The story was fun and interesting, the characters were great and realistic 12ish year olds, the message/moral was handled very well and didn't feel preachy or manipulative or overwrought, and there were even some very touching moments that actually had me tearing up a bit.

At one point, I found myself a little disappointed that my nephew isn't old enough to appreciate this book, because I would love to read it to him. One day. There's time. He's only two.

I think for the age group that this book is intended for, it may be scary. To me, I didn't really see what the big deal was in the beginning, because we never really get to see Charlie's original, repeating nightmare in action - we only get to see it after it's been affecting him for some time and the dynamic is changing a bit. BUT, in hindsight after finishing the story, the nightmare makes total sense, including how mundane it seemed.

Still, I thought that the variety of the nightmares the kids had in this book, and the plot as a whole, was pretty great. The description of Coraline meets Monsters Inc. (which I just read now, after finishing this) is pretty fitting. I also liked how the nightmares had fears and doubts of their own (which of course is true of the Monsters Inc. monsters, but in a different way), and how faith actually fit in to the story, but again, in a non-preachy way.

So what I'm trying to say is that I think this book was very well-written. I don't know how much of that was Kirsten Miller - I've never read anything of hers so I have no idea what her style is. I know I liked this book a whole lot though, so kudos to both of them for a book well written.

Also, the illustrations in this book were freaking amazing. I don't know who Karl Kwasny is, but I like his work! (And looking at his website, he seems to be pretty in demand, which makes me happy.) The artwork in this book fit the style and tone perfectly. It was fantastic.

I'd definitely recommend it to the semi-grown humans who enjoy reading stuff.

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a neat little audiobook. I know Jason Segel as an actor, but he's a pretty good writer as well. It was a nice bonus that he narrated the story. I only gave it three stars because it wasn't ground-breaking for me. I thought it was a cute idea, and I liked the message about conquering your deepest fears, and dealing with grief. I felt bad for Charlie's step-mother, whom he treated really awfully, because of the fact that she wasn't his mother and his dad and brother seemed to be moving on and he wasn't. I actually thought stepmom Charlotte was pretty interesting. I would have liked more interactions between her and Charlie, especially more positive when he dealt with his issues towards her. Ultimately, this never got to the point that I didn't want to turn it off when I had something else to do.

The nightmare world was a bit creepy. The descriptions and the characterizations of the the nightmare realm were on point. I think for a young reader, it might be genuinely scary. Some of the nightmare characters were actually the real draw of this book, like Meduso and his mother (you know who). And who would have thought a clown would be a good guy (yes I do have a bit of coulrophobia).

I think this is one you definitely want to get the audiobook for. I think it's the best way to experience this book.

[Lewiş · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS IS A GREAT BOOK!!!
Okay well back 2 years ago I stumbled upon this book and it had me hooked. I mean I couldn't stop reading. So if you like adventure books then read this... Charlie Lard is a brave man in this action packed novel full of twists and turns everywhere...-Lewis

[Chester Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Para los que no reconozcan el nombre, Jason Segel es más reconocido como Marshall Eriksen en la serie de televisión How I Met Your Mother. Desde el momento en que supe de la existencia de éste libro supe que lo quería con cada fibra de mi ser. How I Met Your Mother es de mis series favoritas, y ella ha logrado que le tenga un cariño muy especial a todos los actores que le dieron vida a esos personajes que me alegraron tanto. Y el buen Jason Segel es uno de mis favoritos. Me encanta como actor, y tenía que saber cómo era como escritor. A Kirsten Miller la leí con su libro Eternos, y aunque no me gustó mucho, tenía mucha fe en ¡Pesadillas!

La historia nos cuenta sobre Charlie, un niño de 12 años que perdió a su madre a los 8 y que vivía desde entonces con su padre Andrew y su hermanito Jack. Pero todo en su vida cambia cuando la deshabitada mansión púrpura (que a mi me figuraba como la casa de El hombre manos de tijeras) es ocupada por una peculiar Herbolaria de centelleantes y rojos cabellos rizados.

Ésta mujer al poco tiempo se convierte en la Brujastra de Charlie (como él la llama) y su pequeña familia termina mudándose a la tétrica mansión púrpura. Y es ahí donde la pesadilla (literal) de Charlie comienza. Nunca desempaca sus pertenencias porque las utiliza como barricada para que nada ni nadie pueda entrar a su habitación, toma litros de café cargado para permanecer despierto, si pellizca la piel para no dormir, y todo por esa terrible y concurrente pesadilla en donde la bruja lo amenaza con comérselo pedacito por pedacito. ¿Las pesadillas pueden hacerse realidad? Charlie tiene mucho miedo por las amenazas de la bruja, pero también está muy cansado.


Amé éste libro tanto por fuera como por dentro. Primero que nada, la portada es una obra de arte del diseño. Para los que no sepan, el color morado es mi color favorito (hasta las paredes de mi habitación son de ese color) así que cada que en la portada de un libro (o cualquier ilustración) predomina el morado, yo me enamoro. Además de que las letras están en relieve y son de un plateado brillante. ¡HERMOSO! No tiene otra mejor definición. Por dentro, también cuenta con unas ilustraciones increíbles, cada inicio de capítulo es precioso, con un marco ilustrado, y además diferentes escenas son representadas y... ay, ¡HERMOSO! Lo sigo diciendo, es simplemente perfecto.

Ahora bien, la historia. Jason Segel es tan bueno escribiendo como lo es actuando. El libro logró muchísimas cosas en mí. Primero, una infantil emoción de saber qué iba a pasar con Charlie y la bruja, la emoción de conocer mundos nuevos al sumergirme entre las páginas del libro. El conocer a nuevos y adorables personajes como Alfie, el mejor amigo nerd de Charlie, o Rocco, el deportista, o Paige, la niña delicada que se lleva con puro varón. Una pandilla de amigos muy diferentes pero a la vez muy unida. Como buena historia para niños, tiene un ritmo ágil, con las descripciones necesarias para crear pintorescos personajes y tétricos escenarios, sin caer en lo tedioso.

Me encontré riendo a todo lo largo de la historia, y me encantaría compartir el chiste que más me hizo reír, pero no se los quiero arruinar, pero si leen el libro y llegan a la ilustración de una pizarra, por favor, díganme qué les pareció (JAJAJA porque yo lo amé). Pero también, el libro me hizo sacar un par de lágrimas (hay ciertos temas en los que sí soy emocional) y uffff, éste tocó mi corazón de piedra. Y si un libro me hace sentir muchas cosas mientras lo leo, ese libro se convierte inmediatamente en un libro especial.

Aprovechando éstas épocas de Halloween, brujas, y monstruos, si tienen pequeños en casa, les recomiendo muchísimo que los inviten a leer ésta historia que adorarán tanto chicos como grandes. Nos enseña sobre el valor de superar nuestros miedos al enfrentarlos, y siento que es una excelente lección para los pequeños de la casa. Pero si no tienen pequeños, no importa, yo tengo 30 años y la disfruté como si tuviera 11. La recomiendo muchísimo y desde lo más profundo del corazón, es un libro que me gustaría que todo el mundo leyera.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really wavering between four and five stars on this one, actually. I have been super-duper jazzed about this book since I first heard about it. And I heard about it FROM Jason Segel at Book Expo America, and he was so enthusiastic and charming, and Kirsten Miller is so great, and the design of the book (it's sparkly purple and silver! With illustrations!) is fantastic. But was the story up to the hype?

Well, yes.

The book is absolutely charming, and the story is truly inventive. I loved Charlie, and I loved his friends, too. Especially Alfie! I love the idea of this book: a boy facing his nightmares, helping others to face their fears as well. It was very well written and very clever. But why I hesitate to give it five stars is because I wanted . . . MORE. I thought it would be a bit scarier. I thought there would be a lot more detail about the witch who has been haunting Charlie's dreams. I think they could have given us more, more, MORE!

But a sequel is coming, so that is EXCELLENT. And let's call this 4.5 stars!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was wonderful! Why did it take me so long to pick this up?

If you're looking for a good middle grade book I definitely recommend this! The illustrations were wonderful and the message of overcoming fears and the obstacles we create for ourselves had a lot more depth than I was expecting!

Will definitely be continuing the series.

[Aleshanee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Als ich Ende 2014 das Buch zum ersten Mal gesehen habe, hab ich mich sofort in dieses ungewöhnliche Cover verliebt! Diese knalligen Farben mit den düsteren Schattenrissen, das sieht einfach toll aus - und der farbige Schnitt setzt nochmal eins drauf. Was aber etwas ganz besonders ist: Die Schrift und ein paar kleine Geister sind in fluoreszierender Farbe und leuchten im Dunkeln! Schon als Hingucker ein richtiges Highlight!
Aber auch innen fällt die liebevolle Gestaltung auf, denn immer wieder überraschen einen beim Umblättern kleine Geister, Monster oder Spinnen; und ich bin ein paarmal sogar selber erschrocken weil ich dachte, da sitzt so ein kleines Spinnentier zwischen den Seiten :D

Der Schreibstil ist angenehm flüssig, locker und natürlich an das angegebene Alter angepasst. Dafür aber sehr lebendig beschrieben aus der Sicht eines Erzählers, der Charlies Geschichte erzählt.
Charlie Laird, der 12jährige Held in diesem Abenteuer, hat es wahrlich nicht einfach. Er vermisst seine Mutter sehr, die vor einigen Jahren gestorben ist und kann sich einfach nicht mit der neuen Frau seines Vaters anfreunden: Charlotte deChant. Sie ist erst vor einem Jahr in die lila Villa eingezogen - ein altes Haus, um das sich seltsame Geschichten ranken. Seit Charlie mit seinem Bruder Jack und seinem Vater dort ebenfalls wohnt, wird er von schrecklichen Albträumen gequält. Ein wahres Sammelsurium an Ängsten erwartet ihn in der Anderwelt und ich hab mir manchmal gedacht: was um Himmels willen würde mir dort Schreckliches begegnen!!!
Diese Träume verändern den Jungen - die Angst macht ihn mürbe und unleidlich, seine ganze Familie leidet darunter und immer öfter bricht die "schwarze Wut" aus ihm heraus, die er kaum noch unter Kontrolle hat.
Wenigstens kann er sich auf seine Freunde Rocco, Alfie und Paige verlassen, die immer zu ihm stehen und mit denen er über alles reden kann!

Anfangs springen die Autoren etwas zwischen der Gegenwart und vergangenen Ereignissen bzw. Träumen hin und her - aber man findet recht schnell den Rhythmus. Manche Szenen sind etwas abrupt und nicht alles ist logisch, aber da es sich um ein Kinderbuch handelt, konnte ich darüber gerne hinwegsehen!

Die Aussage von der Geschichte ist nicht nur für Kinder wichtig: Stelle dich deinen Ängsten! Lass sie nicht über dich hinaus wachsen und dein Leben bestimmen, denn wenn du ihnen entgegen trittst, werden sie von selbst immer kleiner! Außerdem sollte man sich darüber nie lustig machen, denn einfach JEDER hat vor irgendetwas Angst. Natürlich wird auch Mut und Freundschaft großgeschrieben und dass man gemeinsam einfach stärker ist.
Außerdem brechen die Autoren hier mal eine Lanze für die allseits "verhassten" Clowns, für mich ein Gruselfaktor Nr. 1, aber mit diesem hier könnte ich mich glatt anfreunden :)

Fazit

Eine abenteuerliche und sehr abwechslungsreiche Geschichte über die Angst und den Mut, sich seiner Furcht zu stellen.

© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer

Nightmares!

1 - Die Schrecken der Nacht
2 - Die Stadt der Schlafwandler
3 - Die Jagd des Traumdiebs

[Kassandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one, but it just wasn't for me. It felt like a simple concept that was stretched way further than it needed to go and the development of the characters needs work. I'm trying to be gentle, knowing that this is written for a younger audience, but I feel like the author recycled some fairly famous stories rather than creating his own.

[Ricardo Marín · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 / 5

Simple en esencia. Genial en sentimiento. Una lectura excelente para chicos y grandes.

Reseña: http://www.eternamenteentiniebla.com/...

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das ist eine der schönsten Kinder(grusel)geschichten seit Harry Potter. Die Idee ist absolut unterhaltsam und die Figuren sind liebevoll gestaltet. Das, wie sagt man so schön, "World-Building" ist sehr phantasievoll. Ich kann mir absolut vorstellen, dass jungen Lesern bei dem Buch ein wohliger Schauer über den Rücken läuft. Diese "Albträume" sind absolut empfehlenswert (für Kinder ab 9 Jahren). 1-2 Logiklücken habe ich wohlwollend ignoriert.

[Juan Manuel Sarmiento · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡Pesadillas! es una historia bien desarrollada, divertida y entretenida, que además transmite a los niños el sabio mensaje de superar sus miedos, además de otros valores importantes. Totalmente recomendado para lectores de cualquier edad y gustos literarios.

[Michael Fierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 ½ stars bumped up to 4 for the excellent perfectly realized artwork.

I look forward to the sequel.

[✦BookishlyRichie✦ · Rating 2 out of 5]

+ 2 stars +

I'd been eyeing this for a while and recently had it recommended to me by a lot of people. To save myself, I went in expecting nothing but a good reading time... I didn't even get that. I read 38 pages before I got uninterested and an extra twenty before I finally gave up. I ended up reading the rest just to see if it would change my mind but all in all it was an alright read. I do have to say that Charlie was a bit of a dick to his stepmother within the first 17 pages and it kinda made no sense because I wanted a reason to dislike the stepmother and in 17 pages nothing was given for that, so it just seemed like he was being a little bratty dick lol I also felt like I'd read this before or seen a movie on it before and I probably have, I think there was even a Disney channel movie or 90s horror movie about nightmares that was similar to this. I'd say give a go if you're interested but I didn't really care for it.

[Alexis Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

¿Todavía no lo entiendes, verdad? Todos le tienen miedo a algo.

¡Pesadillas! ha sido una creativa, interesante y bonita historia que invita a superar nuestros miedos, a ser solidarios y ver más allá de nosotros mismos. Mientras conocemos personajes muy diferentes con características físicas y psicológicas únicas, los autores dejan claro que no hay que ser prejuiciosos y que no podemos hablar y asegurar hasta ponernos en el lugar de los demás, en sus pesadillas. Es imposible no volver a esos tiempos de la infancia en la que las pesadillas muchas noches nos acompañaban, pero que afortunadamente, tarde o temprano se iban. Bello por dentro y por fuera.

[Melanie (TBR and Beyond) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more. I listened to it on audio and really enjoyed it for awhile. It's read by Jason Segal so it's well done. It was just a little longer than it needed to be and probably could've been cut by 75 pages easily. I probably would've enjoyed this one more if I was younger. I just didn't fall in love with it the way I had expected to. I would still recommend it for younger kids, there is a lot about this book to enjoy.

[Bruna Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cinco estrelas SIM porque eu me diverti tanto com esse livro <3 Depois faço uma resenha mais completa, mas meu amor pelo Jason Segel só aumentou.

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a huge middle grade reader, but at times, when I find one that I just know I have to read, I try to con my 9 year old into joining me because to be honest he’s more of a graphic novel reader and I want him to get more into chapter books. Sadly, it isn’t working but despite him deciding to move on to something else, I couldn’t put this down once I started it.

I ended up seeing Jason talk about why he had to write this book at BookCon just before it came out, and I just knew I wanted to give it a try.

It was the perfect mix of suspenseful and fun. Charlie is a character that I feel like a lot of children could relate to and understand, and even if they don’t relate to his life situation, they can definitely relate to his fears!
I loved, loved the images scattered throughout the story and they really added to what was going on.

If you have a middle grade reader who is looking for something a little bit creepy, a little bit scary, a little bit suspenseful and a whole lot of fun, definitely have them pick this one up!

[Mid-Continent Public Library]

Charlie Laird has a few problems. First, his dad has a new wife who Charlie is sure is a witch. Second, they now live in a scary purple mansion. Third, his very frightening nightmares are starting to slip into the real world. Enjoy this one now by checking out a copy on Mymcpl.org or searching for it on Overdrive! - Reviewed by Stephanie at MCPL Reading Rocket

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 3 out of 5]

For more reviews, gifs, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.

I would be lying if I said I had any interest in Nightmares! aside from the fact that Jason Segel wrote it. Have I been disappointed in innumerable celebrity books in the past? Why, yes. Do I think that actors are necessarily talented authors? In many cases, probably not. Will I ever learn? Unlikely. But, hey, sometimes celebrity books aren’t just capitalizing on fame for a book deal; sometimes they’re good. It’s true that Jason Segel’s narration was a big part of my enjoyment, but Nightmares! is also a great middle grade story in its own right.

My intro was all about Jason Segel, but I am very aware that he’s not the sole author. I suspect much of the credit, perhaps most, is due to Kirsten Miller. She’s an established author and I’ve heard good stuff about How to Live a Life of Crime. Obviously I don’t know who did what, but the two obviously made a great team. Nightmares! is both delightfully silly and surprisingly deep.

I must admit that I didn’t find the nightmare landscape all that thrilling. The various monsters don’t have what it takes to scare me, despite me being a scaredy cat. The things that amused and terrified me as a kid aren’t the same as what get me now. Though the giant cockroach was still upsetting. I’ll give them that. Of course, the giant cockroach was a nice nightmare, and I would still spray it with RAID until it stopped twitching. NOT OKAY. For that reason, the adventurey parts were not hugely interesting to me.

However, I do love what the nightmares stand for. Sure, the nightmares are horrors and in and of themselves, especially when they can interact directly with the kids, but they actually represent deeper and more logical fears. There’s a reason that Paige is afraid of the dark and that Charlie’s witch looks like his stepmother. The book really considers the way the human mind will create a fear to mask the one that really bothers us. Rather than dealing with the sadness over a parents’ death, for example, a kid might be afraid of the dark.

Nightmares! is probably best compared to Monsters, Inc. The set up is actually really similar. There’s a whole industry built up to keep kids scared every night while they dream. However, most nightmares are actually trying to help the kids deal psychologically and get over their fears. Unfortunately, evil nightmares are trying to take over to keep kids scared. I thought that it was cool how not all nightmares are bad, except, you know, for the cockroach because they should all die and are never acceptable.

The real reason I enjoyed this so much, though, was Jason Segel. The best audiobook narrators, I think, are not only willing but delighted to sound completely ridiculous. This is why Katherine Kellgren is one of the best narrators of all time. Jason Segel, as you might guess from his performances is just such a narrator. He does all sorts of crazy voices and reads with a lot of emotion. He’s just fun to listen to. His voices for females are pretty abominable, but otherwise his performance was perfection.

Nightmares! is a sweet book about family and overcoming your fears. It’s also really awesome on audiobook.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie Laird has been having nightmares ever since he moved into the purple mansion with his little brother Jack, his dad, and his stepmonster Charlotte Dechant who he thinks is a witch. When he thinks his little brother is taken over to the land of nightmares a.k.a. the Netherworld, he runs off to find him. Can he succeed and face his fears before the nightmares devour him? Read on and find out for yourself.

This is How I met Your Mother and The Muppets star Jason Segel's first ever book and it was pretty good. The artwork in it was great and if you like scary stories, def check this one out. The next part comes out in the Fall of 2015. Look for it at your local library and wherever books are sold.

[Steffi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vor einiger Zeit ist man diesem Buch überall über den Weg gelaufen. Obwohl ich nicht so wirklich wusste was mich erwartet, war ich doch ziemlich neugierig auf das Buch.

Es hat mir generell auch ganz gut gefallen und konnte mich einigermaßen unterhalten. Die Gestaltung der Welt war sehr kreativ und es gab auch einige witzige Sprüche. Dennoch konnte mich das Buch einfach nicht richtig packen, ohne dass ich erklären kann woran es gelegen hat.
Ich war dann doch ziemlich froh, dass ich endlich durch bin mit dem Buch. Weiterverfolgen werde ich die Reihe wohl nicht.

Die Covergestaltung finde ich ziemlich genial. Die vielen kleinen Elemente, die man auch immer wieder im Buch findet, sich wirklich toll. Das Highlight ist dann aber, dass die Schrift im Dunkeln leuchtet. Da fühlte ich mich gleich an die Leuchtsticker aus meiner Kindheit erinnert. :)

[Saray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahora que tenemos la Navidad a la vuelta de la esquina, regalar libros es una opción perfecta, y si tenéis algún hermano/a, primo/a, sobrino/a, o a quien sea, de entre 6 y 10 años, Pesadillas es un libro a tener en cuenta.

Escrito conjuntamente por Jason Segel (sí, uno de los protagonistas de la serie Cómo conocí a vuestra madre) y Kirsten Miller, nos traen la primera parte de una trilogía, en el que el protagonista es un niño de 12 años, Charlie, cuya vida ha cambiado, dramáticamente, en los últimos meses.
A la pérdida de su madre, se le une el nuevo matrimonio de su padre, el traslado a una nueva, y tenebrosa, casa y las continúas pesadillas que le impiden dormir.

Reseña completa: http://beingsaray.blogspot.com.es/201...

[Alejandra Arévalo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie es un niño que perdió a su madre, que odia a su madrastra y que cada vez más siente que la oscuridad se apodera poco a poco de él llevándolo a ser grosero y frío con su familia. Esto pareciera algo común entre cualquier puberto pero detrás de esa oscuridad se esconde un secreto y una aventura. ¡Pesadillas! es una historia de aventuras que rompe un poco con los clichés de la casa embrujada, la madrastra malvada y el miedo. Para esta historia, el miedo es necesario porque nos ayuda a convertirnos en lo que somos, por eso cada pesadilla que tenemos en la infancia, o incluso en la adultez, tiene una función y debemos por tanto aceptarlas y quererlas.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

I super enjoyed this book! I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jason Segel which is why it got an extra half star. His narration was so incredible and really brought the story alive for me. I loved Charlie's friend group and all the nightmares that helped him along in the Netherworld. This book gave me Monster Squad/Monsters, Inc. vibes the whole time. It was funny, touching (I may have teared up a few times), and a cute story for kids and adults alike who sometimes have trouble facing the things that terrify them the most (be it goblins or new stepparents). I already have the second one checked out from the library and will be continuing the series. :)

[Ericka ☾⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good! And surprisingly, it had a lot of depth for a children's novel. I loved Charlie and all of his friend and even his adorable little brother Jack. I also thought the Netherworld was really well developed and I enjoyed the characters that were based there. Not only did Meduso and Dabney make the coolest and oddest duo ever, but they were hilarious. Oh! And I can't forget the book's illustrations! The art was really great and aided in the storytelling so much. I'm so excited that this is going to be a series! :'D