Forest Frights

Scare School Diaries #2

by Jarrett Lerner

Bash the ghost learns to work with trouble-loving vampires in this second book in the sweet and spooky chapter book series by acclaimed author Jarrett Lerner.At the start of his second session at Scare School, the world’s premiere institution for elementary scare instruction, Bash is feeling a bit more confident and excited about his classes starting up again. But when Vlad and Vicky, the mischievous vampires, join his group project, Bash starts worrying if this mean-spirited duo are going to take a bite out of his good grade!

Genres: Childrens, School, Friendship, Supernatural, Chapter Books

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 5, 2024

Reviews

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in this lower MG series by @jarrettlerner out November 5!
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Bash is actually excited to go back to Scare School for a new session. He’s ready to learn more about scare instruction, but when two vampires, Vlad and Vicky, join his group project, Bash starts worrying how their behavior will affect his grade.
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How adorable is this series?! The artwork, the large print, fewer words on the page, etc. all make it a fantastic option for our lower middle grade readers. This story is so relatable even to older kids because we all know those group projects can be rough with the wrong members! Get your hands on this one when it releases next week!

4.25 ⭐️

[Mrs Heidrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this new one in this series and I know kids will too. Great illustrations to support the story while discussing fears, friendships and so much more.

[Ashlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is so cute and quick! I really like Bash as a character and his friendship with Itsy. I can’t wait for the next one!

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A monster school with surprises, a touch of adventure, and lots of heart.

Bash can't wait to go back to Scare School, especially since he now knows how fun it can be. Of course, seeing his friends again on the first day is a huge bonus. When classes begin, things take a difficult turn as they're given group projects, and his group has Vlad and Vicky in it. The two vampires aren't exactly his friends, but he's sure it will be fine...until they refuse to show up and help. But that's not his only problem. The project circles around one of the scariest places at the school, and he's not sure he's brave enough to visit it.

This is a fun tale for chapter book fans. Bash is a friendly ghost, who is up against many of the same problems that readers face themselves...just on a monsterly level. It circles around friendship, bravery, and learning to see the reasons behind an individual's actions. The message is clear and can be translated into real life situations (to a certain extent).

While it does swing along school and friendship problems, it never steers away from fun. The font is large and carries a relaxed atmosphere as all sorts of quirky and surprising moments and details are added in. The characters carry great personality and keep the entertainment factor high. After all, a Scare School does have it's own style. More than a few illustrations sprinkle the pages to add a touch of comic book feel, every now and then, and break up the text.

It's an enjoyable read and is well-set for the age group. It will be exciting to see what adventures Bash will face next.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bash is back at Scare School for his second session! And it is group project time. He is happy that Wes is in his group but not so happy that Vlad and his sister, Vicky, are also in the group. He knows it will be challenging for them to all work together. The project includes checking out one of the scary places on campus and then reporting on it to the whole school. Bash and Wes think the Forest would be a good place to explore and finally get Vicky and Vlad to go along with their choice.

Bash has to face a bunch of his own fears and come up with ways to convince Vlad to join in on doing the project. And he and Itsy start working on their book.

It will be interesting to see what happens in Session 3!

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bash is back for the second installment after a few weeks break from school. He actually really likes school and all of the friends he has made. He passed his test from book one but in book two it is a research paper that he has to do as a group project that's giving him trouble because his group mates are very helpful in getting it accomplished but it's his sister that gives him the insight he needs to help his group do their research and presentation.

As with the first one, Lerner knows what he's doing and adds a humorous and sweet main character and a bunch of side characters that add depth to Scare School.

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute sequel to the Scare School Diaries.  Both books deal with a "semester" of school and Bash, our friendly and not so spooky ghost narrator, learns a new lesson. Centered around fears and how sometimes we make them bigger than they really are. The art is simple, focusing on the actual story and not overtaking things, but it is fun and allows for some humor. I might go onto a volume three (when/if available) but for the adult reader things are fairly predictable, but for the strong aged 6 to 9 they'll gobble each edition up.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun follow-up to the 1st book. It was nice to get to know some of the other characters. Love the clever little details, like Itsy’s bedtime socks and the way the snake only says “snekk.”

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bash is awesome. (So is Jarrett!)

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this second installment in the Scare School Diaries. Bash returns to school just to find they have a new group project. Can Bash overcome his fears.

[Nicole]

The students seemed to enjoy this one more than the first. We were able to read it quicker, which may have helped them with their level of interest. As a teacher, I enjoyed the message of the book.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 4 out of 5]

2/15/2025 ~ A solid "Junior Fiction" (early) chapter book. Though the main character is a ghost, the plot is solidly "kids at school."

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Appropriate for: all ages!

My 8 year old daughter loves scare school. I wish there were a few more pictures for her, but the type is nice and big.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cute one! I hope he makes a lot more!