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Another
The bone-chilling, instantly New York Times bestselling tale of an unsettling, unbreakable friendship—from acclaimed horror author Paul Tremblay.
“All the questions we ask as kids about who we are and what we’re worth take a terrifying turn in this spooky tale of a sinister, inhuman imposter and the nightmares he brings. Tremblay has taken the world of horror for adults by storm, and in his middle-grade debut, once again, he serves up scenes that will make you squirm long after the book is closed.”
—M.T. Anderson, National Book Award Winner
When Casey Wilson’s parents tell him that his friend is coming for a sleepover, he has no idea who that might be. Ever since the Zoom Incident, everyone treats him like a pariah, and his tics are worse than ever.
When Morel appears, he’s not like any friend Casey has ever met. His skin is like clay, and he doesn’t speak. But Casey’s parents are charmed by the strange kid, and it’s nice to have someone to talk to besides his sister, Ally, who is away at college. As his normally loving parents grow distant from Casey, they gush and fawn over Morel. Casey knows something is wrong—but with no end in sight to the sleepover, he’s exhausted. And in the dark, out of the corner of his eye, Morel doesn’t look like a kid at all. . . .
Perfect for Halloween ReadingIdeal for fans of the supernaturalFeatures light scares
“All the questions we ask as kids about who we are and what we’re worth take a terrifying turn in this spooky tale of a sinister, inhuman imposter and the nightmares he brings. Tremblay has taken the world of horror for adults by storm, and in his middle-grade debut, once again, he serves up scenes that will make you squirm long after the book is closed.”
—M.T. Anderson, National Book Award Winner
When Casey Wilson’s parents tell him that his friend is coming for a sleepover, he has no idea who that might be. Ever since the Zoom Incident, everyone treats him like a pariah, and his tics are worse than ever.
When Morel appears, he’s not like any friend Casey has ever met. His skin is like clay, and he doesn’t speak. But Casey’s parents are charmed by the strange kid, and it’s nice to have someone to talk to besides his sister, Ally, who is away at college. As his normally loving parents grow distant from Casey, they gush and fawn over Morel. Casey knows something is wrong—but with no end in sight to the sleepover, he’s exhausted. And in the dark, out of the corner of his eye, Morel doesn’t look like a kid at all. . . .
Perfect for Halloween ReadingIdeal for fans of the supernaturalFeatures light scares
Audible Audio
First published July 22, 2025
104 people are currently reading
13617 people want to read
About the author
Paul Tremblay
127 books11.8k followersPaul Tremblay has won the Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, the Sheridan Le Fanu, and Massachusetts Book awards and is the author of the New York Times bestselling Horror Movie, The Beast You, Are, The Pallbearers Club, Survivor Song, Growing Things, Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, A Head Full of Ghosts, and the crime novels The Little Sleep and No Sleep Till Wonderland. His novel The Cabin at the End of the World was adapted as the Universal Pictures film Knock at the Cabin. His short fiction and essays have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly online, and numerous year’s-best anthologies. He has a master’s degree in mathematics and lives outside Boston with his family. He is represented by Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management.
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July 21, 20253/9. Just a heads up, there's a giveaway of 10 arcs going on. Right now. NOW!
7/21 Hey, there's a giveaway here, and the book comes out tomorrow. And if you want a little of the why of the book, read this:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/p...
7/21 Hey, there's a giveaway here, and the book comes out tomorrow. And if you want a little of the why of the book, read this:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/p...
December 27, 2024
What a delightfully creepy book for middle grade readers! Tremblay delivered a chilling, gripping, and hard to put down tale about an unusual friendship! Don't let the fact that this book is intended for middle grade readers keep you away. Readers of all ages can and will enjoy this wonderful book about Casey Wilson and what happens when a visitor arrives for a sleepover!
I found this book to be hard to put down! Casey is such a great character who I cared about instantly. When Morel arrives for a sleepover, Casey can't help but notice Morel's differences and uniqueness. Something isn't right, but only Casey appears to notice...
This book proved to be a gripping and fast read for me. I had to keep reading to know what was going to happen next. I enjoyed the creepy, tense, and eerie feel of this book. It is just enough to cause unease but not enough to scare younger readers.
Wonderfully written, well thought out, creepy, and a delight to read!
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books | Quill Tree Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
November 27, 2025
💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚
Another is beloved Horror author Paul Tremblay's Middle Grade debut, and it was such a delight to read. I found the concepts fun, well-imagined and eerie. There were some genuinely creepy moments that got under my skin.
I would have been obsessed with this as a kid!
In this story we're following Casey, a middle school boy currently living with Transient Tic Disorder, or TTD. The disorder first presented itself, unfortunately, when remote learning was a thing during the Covid pandemic.
All of Casey's classmates witnessed his tics during a Zoom session. Casey has since been treated like a social pariah, and he has started isolating, keeping to himself a lot more.
When his parents receive an odd phone call one day, and then report to him that he has a friend coming to the house for a sleepover, Casey is confused. Who could it be? What friend? He knows nothing about it.
When Morel shows up, Casey is even more confused. He's never seen this kid in his life. And what's going on with his skin? It looks like clay and Morel doesn't speak.
In spite of the oddness of Morel's appearance and behavior, Casey's parents act like nothing is off. In fact, they seemed charmed by him, and Casey is certainly in no position to turn away a potential new friend.
The longer Morel is there though, the more unsettled Casey becomes. Morel is evolving the more he interacts with the family, and Casey is left scratching his head about the nature of his new friend.
Another is an extremely well-crafted story. I didn't know what to think when Morel first arrived. The whole circumstance with him being there, it felt dangerous, before I actually knew whether it was or not. It left me unnerved.
This story definitely channeled the nostalgic feel of classic kids horror from my own childhood, but done in a modern, more thoughtful way.
I feel like Tremblay put a lot of care into these characters and Casey is so well-developed and empathetic. He's a character you can get behind and I felt like I went on this wild and crazy journey with him.
Morel's presence was entirely unsettling. Particularly, because it felt like Casey was so on his own in this. His parents were captivated by Morel's presence, they could see no wrong, leaving Casey to navigate all the mysterious happenings on his own.
I did enjoy Casey's relationship with his older sister, Ally, but she was away at college, so couldn't be much help to him in this situation.
I also enjoyed the real world issues that Trembay explored, such as the challenges of remote learning and isolation. I don't tend to enjoy any stories that touch upon Covid, but I feel like it was done well here, and in a way that didn't feel overwhelming to the rest of the plot.
I would highly-recommend this to anyone who enjoys Spooky Middle Grade stories. This has such a vibe and was so much fun to read. It's fast-paced and engaging, with an excellent audiobook to boot.
Thank you to the publisher, Quill Tree Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm hoping to see a lot more of Tremblay's work in the Middle Grade space!
Another is beloved Horror author Paul Tremblay's Middle Grade debut, and it was such a delight to read. I found the concepts fun, well-imagined and eerie. There were some genuinely creepy moments that got under my skin.
I would have been obsessed with this as a kid!
In this story we're following Casey, a middle school boy currently living with Transient Tic Disorder, or TTD. The disorder first presented itself, unfortunately, when remote learning was a thing during the Covid pandemic.
All of Casey's classmates witnessed his tics during a Zoom session. Casey has since been treated like a social pariah, and he has started isolating, keeping to himself a lot more.
When his parents receive an odd phone call one day, and then report to him that he has a friend coming to the house for a sleepover, Casey is confused. Who could it be? What friend? He knows nothing about it.
When Morel shows up, Casey is even more confused. He's never seen this kid in his life. And what's going on with his skin? It looks like clay and Morel doesn't speak.
In spite of the oddness of Morel's appearance and behavior, Casey's parents act like nothing is off. In fact, they seemed charmed by him, and Casey is certainly in no position to turn away a potential new friend.
The longer Morel is there though, the more unsettled Casey becomes. Morel is evolving the more he interacts with the family, and Casey is left scratching his head about the nature of his new friend.
Another is an extremely well-crafted story. I didn't know what to think when Morel first arrived. The whole circumstance with him being there, it felt dangerous, before I actually knew whether it was or not. It left me unnerved.
This story definitely channeled the nostalgic feel of classic kids horror from my own childhood, but done in a modern, more thoughtful way.
I feel like Tremblay put a lot of care into these characters and Casey is so well-developed and empathetic. He's a character you can get behind and I felt like I went on this wild and crazy journey with him.
Morel's presence was entirely unsettling. Particularly, because it felt like Casey was so on his own in this. His parents were captivated by Morel's presence, they could see no wrong, leaving Casey to navigate all the mysterious happenings on his own.
I did enjoy Casey's relationship with his older sister, Ally, but she was away at college, so couldn't be much help to him in this situation.
I also enjoyed the real world issues that Trembay explored, such as the challenges of remote learning and isolation. I don't tend to enjoy any stories that touch upon Covid, but I feel like it was done well here, and in a way that didn't feel overwhelming to the rest of the plot.
I would highly-recommend this to anyone who enjoys Spooky Middle Grade stories. This has such a vibe and was so much fun to read. It's fast-paced and engaging, with an excellent audiobook to boot.
Thank you to the publisher, Quill Tree Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm hoping to see a lot more of Tremblay's work in the Middle Grade space!
October 25, 2025
Another starts with a twelve-year-old kid named Casey Wilson and a rotary phone that behaves like it went to charm school for poltergeists. His parents keep it around because people always keep the wrong things around. The phone rings although it shouldn't, and when his mother answers, some man's voice, polite as tax paperwork, asks if his boy can come over to play. Nobody asks how he got the number.
A few minutes later, a burlap sack gets dropped in the foyer. Out steps the visitor, Morel, with the complexion of chewed gum and the emotional temperature of a snowman. He smiles with effort and ambition but no conviction.
Casey's a lonely kid. Middle school chewed him up and spat him onto the internet. Now he hides in corners, sketchbook in hand, drawing faces that don't talk back. He takes to Morel because everybody needs someone who listens, even if the listener is made of something with the consistency of pie dough.
The new friend never eats, never sleeps, and still manages to breathe, which is quite a trick. When Morel wants to smile, he molds one onto his own face with his fingers. That's friendship in modern times: handmade and slightly sticky.
Casey starts drawing Morel, and the trouble begins, as trouble always does, quietly and with good intentions. Morel collects the sketches like they're spare organs. He tucks them into himself, and each one makes him livelier while Casey starts fading, like a photocopy of a photocopy.
His parents keep sneezing gray dust, the house hums like a beehive of bad energy, and the phone keeps ringing from no clear location.
Tremblay tells it straight, like someone recounting a joke that got out of hand. The book reads like a séance hosted by E.T., written down by Kafka, and copyedited by your local PTA. By the time you suspect the title Another means there might be two Caseys, or maybe none, it's too late. The call already came from your house.
Another carries the quiet terror of self-duplication, the way identity leaks, transfers, and erodes through imitation, technology, and creation. Its main message, as I read it, concerns the danger of confusing connection with absorption.
Every act of art, empathy, or invention in the story consumes its maker a little. Casey creates drawings that give life to Morel, and in doing so, gives away pieces of himself until he becomes part of the creation. Tremblay takes a familiar parental comfort ("you’re special because you imagine") and turns it inside out. Imagination becomes a predator disguised as a gift.
The novel also exposes how modern life trains people to outsource feeling: to screens, to avatars, to curated versions of themselves. The rotary phone, that anachronistic device, becomes the portal through which the past infects the present. Its polite ring offers contact, yet every answered call costs something vital. The story warns that longing for connection without boundaries invites replacement. When someone, or something, says, "Let me in," Tremblay asks whether we recognize the cost of saying yes.
This YA novel is both domestic horror and cultural satire. It treats family as the smallest unit of infection, the site where affection turns to consumption. Art, technology, and love all carry the same risk: the urge to create another version of ourselves, and the fear that the copy will perform life better than the original. Pergaps I'm reading too much into it, but I found the work eerily profound.
A few minutes later, a burlap sack gets dropped in the foyer. Out steps the visitor, Morel, with the complexion of chewed gum and the emotional temperature of a snowman. He smiles with effort and ambition but no conviction.
Casey's a lonely kid. Middle school chewed him up and spat him onto the internet. Now he hides in corners, sketchbook in hand, drawing faces that don't talk back. He takes to Morel because everybody needs someone who listens, even if the listener is made of something with the consistency of pie dough.
The new friend never eats, never sleeps, and still manages to breathe, which is quite a trick. When Morel wants to smile, he molds one onto his own face with his fingers. That's friendship in modern times: handmade and slightly sticky.
Casey starts drawing Morel, and the trouble begins, as trouble always does, quietly and with good intentions. Morel collects the sketches like they're spare organs. He tucks them into himself, and each one makes him livelier while Casey starts fading, like a photocopy of a photocopy.
His parents keep sneezing gray dust, the house hums like a beehive of bad energy, and the phone keeps ringing from no clear location.
Tremblay tells it straight, like someone recounting a joke that got out of hand. The book reads like a séance hosted by E.T., written down by Kafka, and copyedited by your local PTA. By the time you suspect the title Another means there might be two Caseys, or maybe none, it's too late. The call already came from your house.
Another carries the quiet terror of self-duplication, the way identity leaks, transfers, and erodes through imitation, technology, and creation. Its main message, as I read it, concerns the danger of confusing connection with absorption.
Every act of art, empathy, or invention in the story consumes its maker a little. Casey creates drawings that give life to Morel, and in doing so, gives away pieces of himself until he becomes part of the creation. Tremblay takes a familiar parental comfort ("you’re special because you imagine") and turns it inside out. Imagination becomes a predator disguised as a gift.
The novel also exposes how modern life trains people to outsource feeling: to screens, to avatars, to curated versions of themselves. The rotary phone, that anachronistic device, becomes the portal through which the past infects the present. Its polite ring offers contact, yet every answered call costs something vital. The story warns that longing for connection without boundaries invites replacement. When someone, or something, says, "Let me in," Tremblay asks whether we recognize the cost of saying yes.
This YA novel is both domestic horror and cultural satire. It treats family as the smallest unit of infection, the site where affection turns to consumption. Art, technology, and love all carry the same risk: the urge to create another version of ourselves, and the fear that the copy will perform life better than the original. Pergaps I'm reading too much into it, but I found the work eerily profound.
December 12, 2024
I received a free copy of, Another, by Paul Tremblay, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Casey's parents have invited his new "friend", over for a sleep over. Cast has never even met Morel before and his is not like other boys. This was an interesting read.
December 4, 2024
Parents are always so infuriatingly oblivious to the horror, aren't they? This is middle grade but don't let that put you off. This is horror that will resonate across all age groups, we've all been lonely right? There is a constant atmosphere of unease and uncertainty that gave me the heebie jeebies. It's spooky but not too scary but also kinda real fudgin creepy, the doppleganger/body snatcher vibes fed my soul! the preteen voice felt authentic, and although the ending wasn't in his usual style (we don't want to traumatise the children) it was satisfying. I'm excited for the kids, lucky ducks getting some Tremblay!
April 21, 2025
I really enjoy Paul Tremblay’s adult books so I was excited when I saw he had done a middle grade novel. This definitely had R.L. Stine vibes and I enjoyed it a lot. I think it would make an excellent tv movie or something. I wasn’t sure how to feel about the pandemic being the backdrop of the story. I think it worked well for the story the author wanted to tell, but I am not sure I’m ready for books about the pandemic. It was the only piece that hindered my enjoyment at all. Casey is confused when his parents say that a friend is going to come over and spend some time with him since he hasn’t had any friends since an embarrassing incident at school. The man who brings Morel is strange, but the boy Morel that he brings is even stranger yet. Casey becomes slightly concerned when he starts to notice some strange changes. I think the most powerful piece for me was when he talked about how his parents hadn’t been able to protect him. If that’s not growing up I don’t know what is. I definitely enjoyed this and while I, understandably as an adult, enjoy his adult books more I would definitely read more middle grade or young adult fiction by this author.
December 5, 2025
I have never been more excited to read a middle grade. This did not disappoint. This author just works for me. Even though it was a middle grade, this was clearly a Paul Tremblay book. I think this would have been terrifying if I had read this a youngster!
July 20, 2025
I thought this story was going a certain way, and then Mr. Tremblay took it in an entirely different direction. It’s vaguely unsettling at first, and then ramps up to super creepy in just a few days in main character Casey’s life. I think that middle schoolers and up should be able to handle the scariness, but I wouldn’t recommend it for under age ten or so. This kind of book would have absolutely scared the pants off me as an elementary school kid.
Tremblay does an excellent job of portraying what it’s like for a kid to have extreme anxiety, resulting in a tic disorder. You can’t help but feel badly for Casey. I appreciate the study of mental health issues, because these things need to be discussed and explained.
I don’t want to say much about the plot because it will be hard to share anything without spoilers. However, suffice it to say that a man drops off his son at Casey’s house for a few days, and not only does the latter not know either person, his parents are somehow fine with it and start acting very, very strangely.
This really captured my attention throughout, and I hope the author writes a sequel.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for an early copy. I am writing this review voluntarily.
Tremblay does an excellent job of portraying what it’s like for a kid to have extreme anxiety, resulting in a tic disorder. You can’t help but feel badly for Casey. I appreciate the study of mental health issues, because these things need to be discussed and explained.
I don’t want to say much about the plot because it will be hard to share anything without spoilers. However, suffice it to say that a man drops off his son at Casey’s house for a few days, and not only does the latter not know either person, his parents are somehow fine with it and start acting very, very strangely.
This really captured my attention throughout, and I hope the author writes a sequel.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for an early copy. I am writing this review voluntarily.
November 16, 2024
A fun, quick read! Like a souped up Goosebumps book (complimentary). I know ambiguous endings are Paul Tremblay’s thing so I wasn’t sure how the ending would go in a middle grade format. I was very pleasantly surprised! (No spoilers for you.) I loved this, it was very Growing Things vibes.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2025
What a fantastic book. It is so unnerving and intrusive. ANOTHER gets under your skin and implants itself into your head.
Twelve year old Casey has anxiety that manifests in multiple tics causing him to have a hard time making and keeping friends. During spring school vacation, a man brings Casey a friend to play with, but it’s not a normal human.
“Morel brought his hands to his mouth, or the area where his mouth was supposed to be. His fingers pressed and pulled at his lip ridges, molding his clay into a smile. He nodded his smiling head and gave a thumbs-up.”
I was constantly thinking about Casey and Morel and needed to find out what was going to happen. Truly a story that left me feeling unsettled. .
Yes the main characters are twelve year old boys but I found this story to be Tremblay’s best work and most frightening to date. It is unlike any of his previous novels. If you think you are going to be reading a YA book, you need to get that out of your head right now.
Part of the story that I personally loved was the aspects of Casey talking about when he went to the doctors to have his neuro testing. It brought me back to when my son went through similar testing and either Mr. Tremblay went through this before or it was very well researched. It gave me hope for Casey
Twelve year old Casey has anxiety that manifests in multiple tics causing him to have a hard time making and keeping friends. During spring school vacation, a man brings Casey a friend to play with, but it’s not a normal human.
“Morel brought his hands to his mouth, or the area where his mouth was supposed to be. His fingers pressed and pulled at his lip ridges, molding his clay into a smile. He nodded his smiling head and gave a thumbs-up.”
I was constantly thinking about Casey and Morel and needed to find out what was going to happen. Truly a story that left me feeling unsettled. .
Yes the main characters are twelve year old boys but I found this story to be Tremblay’s best work and most frightening to date. It is unlike any of his previous novels. If you think you are going to be reading a YA book, you need to get that out of your head right now.
Part of the story that I personally loved was the aspects of Casey talking about when he went to the doctors to have his neuro testing. It brought me back to when my son went through similar testing and either Mr. Tremblay went through this before or it was very well researched. It gave me hope for Casey
April 10, 2025
Casey has no clue what friend his parents are referring to when they inform him he’s coming over for a sleepover. Casey doesn’t have any real friends ever since the Zoom incident during the pandemic. When Morel shows up at his door, Casey doesn’t think he looks like any kid he’s ever seen before. His skin looks like clay and has all sorts of weird “rules” he has to follow. No eating. No sleeping in a bed. But his parents seem to be enamored by him, so Casey goes with the flow. As the days go by and the sleepover never seems like it’s going to end, Morel slowly starts to replace Casey in his parents’ eyes. Literally. Casey's skin begins to appear like clay and Morel’s appearance shifts to look identical to the “old” Casey. What is happening, and what can Casey do to stop it?
Another is teenage horror story squarely aimed at the 13-18-year-old market. Instead of blood and guts, Tremblay applies layers of dread to slow amp up the horror. What we end up with is an effectively eerie tale that is perfect for your teenager.
4 Spoor Shooting Rotary Telephones out of 5
Another is teenage horror story squarely aimed at the 13-18-year-old market. Instead of blood and guts, Tremblay applies layers of dread to slow amp up the horror. What we end up with is an effectively eerie tale that is perfect for your teenager.
4 Spoor Shooting Rotary Telephones out of 5
May 5, 2025
I didn’t realize this was a mid grade book when I received the ARC. I have to say that this was a really creepy story!
We have the MC, Casey, a pre teen, just at the end of the COVID shutdown. Casey is struggling with some issues with a nervous tic and class bullying.
An old rotary phone is brought home and that’s when things take off! Strange “Dad” calls for a “friend” of Casey’s named Morel to come spend a few days. What unfolds is truly terrifying! Don’t read this one alone in the dark!
The writing is superb, the characters frightening, with a great open ending! Your kids will love it…as will the parents! If you’re a fan of Goosebumps and The Twilight Zone you’ll love this!
*Warning may be too scary for the younger bunch!
Thanks NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
We have the MC, Casey, a pre teen, just at the end of the COVID shutdown. Casey is struggling with some issues with a nervous tic and class bullying.
An old rotary phone is brought home and that’s when things take off! Strange “Dad” calls for a “friend” of Casey’s named Morel to come spend a few days. What unfolds is truly terrifying! Don’t read this one alone in the dark!
The writing is superb, the characters frightening, with a great open ending! Your kids will love it…as will the parents! If you’re a fan of Goosebumps and The Twilight Zone you’ll love this!
*Warning may be too scary for the younger bunch!
Thanks NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
August 20, 2025
3.5 stars
October 15, 2025
"He was showing off his new face for Casey. He was showing Casey his own face, but with a wild and mischievous look that Casey had never worn before. And it filled Casey with fear.
I’m so hungry, I could eat a bear."
If you’re a fan of ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’ then you’ll love this.
I’m so hungry, I could eat a bear."
If you’re a fan of ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’ then you’ll love this.
April 20, 2025
Another is a middle grade horror novel by modern horror master Paul Tremblay that is perfect for all ages. Admittedly, I don’t read a lot of YA or middle grade books, but I found Another to be incredibly effective as a horror novel and there is plenty to love here for adult horror readers, too.
The novel follows Casey, a middle schooler who is feeling lonely after “the Zoom incident” causes many of his friends to treat him differently. A mysterious man brings Casey a new friend, Morel, to stay with Casey and his parents for several days over break. There is something peculiar about Morel, in that he appears to be made of clay and cannot talk. Weirdness then ensues (I don’t want to spoil anything).
This book was incredibly creepy and really the only things that separate this from Paul’s other works are, as he says in the intro letter to the ARC, that there is no ambiguity and not really any violence (and no swearing). Otherwise, this is classic Tremblay with great wit and humor and a slow creeping dread throughout. I really felt for Casey and his growing feelings of isolation, wanting to fit in, and struggling to express himself.
Another can also be looked at as an allegory for the crisis we face as humans right now with A1 (I’m using the WWE woman’s pronunciation, HA) and how the arts and creativity cannot be replaced by non-humans.
Another is an excellent short horror novel perfect for anyone looking for a breezy horror read. Check it out!
Thank you to HarperCollins and Quill Tree Books for providing me with the eARC on NetGalley.
The novel follows Casey, a middle schooler who is feeling lonely after “the Zoom incident” causes many of his friends to treat him differently. A mysterious man brings Casey a new friend, Morel, to stay with Casey and his parents for several days over break. There is something peculiar about Morel, in that he appears to be made of clay and cannot talk. Weirdness then ensues (I don’t want to spoil anything).
This book was incredibly creepy and really the only things that separate this from Paul’s other works are, as he says in the intro letter to the ARC, that there is no ambiguity and not really any violence (and no swearing). Otherwise, this is classic Tremblay with great wit and humor and a slow creeping dread throughout. I really felt for Casey and his growing feelings of isolation, wanting to fit in, and struggling to express himself.
Another can also be looked at as an allegory for the crisis we face as humans right now with A1 (I’m using the WWE woman’s pronunciation, HA) and how the arts and creativity cannot be replaced by non-humans.
Another is an excellent short horror novel perfect for anyone looking for a breezy horror read. Check it out!
Thank you to HarperCollins and Quill Tree Books for providing me with the eARC on NetGalley.
March 30, 2025
Paul Tremblay is one of my favorite adult horror writers, so I was intrigued when I saw that he was coming out with a middle grade book. Even though some of his content had to be toned down for a younger audience, he still managed to tell an extremely creepy story that tackles important themes. Casey has been lonely and struggling in school ever since The Incident. When a mysterious man shows up at his house bringing along Morel, a boy that looks like he was made out of clay, his life gets a whole lot stranger.
I really enjoyed following Casey as the main character. It was interesting watching his interactions with his parents and Morel and seeing how they morphed and changed throughout the course of the story. The way the horror elements were being used to show Casey’s fears about his relationships and his self worth were really impactful.
There were some seriously chilling scenes and descriptions in this book. Don’t think that just because it’s for a middle grade audience that it won’t be spooky. The way he writes things like being in bed and feeling like you can sense something moving behind you but you don’t want to look and confirm your fears just work so well.
Definitely add this one to your TBR if you like creepy books with great character development and something to say.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed following Casey as the main character. It was interesting watching his interactions with his parents and Morel and seeing how they morphed and changed throughout the course of the story. The way the horror elements were being used to show Casey’s fears about his relationships and his self worth were really impactful.
There were some seriously chilling scenes and descriptions in this book. Don’t think that just because it’s for a middle grade audience that it won’t be spooky. The way he writes things like being in bed and feeling like you can sense something moving behind you but you don’t want to look and confirm your fears just work so well.
Definitely add this one to your TBR if you like creepy books with great character development and something to say.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 1, 2025
3.5 but rounded up! There’s lots to like with this one, but also one major problem I had.
The good: the pacing was fantastic. I love a book that gets right to it! This is an incredibly easy read. You could down this in one sitting without much struggle! In addition to this, there were one or two suspenseful moments (typically at night when our main character is trying to sleep) that really were effective. I also loved the few images that were included! They really helped me understand what we were seeing! Finally the ending worked well. This was a story that benefited from not going the ambiguous route.
The bad: there must be some cosmic rule that states if the main character of a book is a younger kid - the adults have to be daft. The story literally begins with a strange looking individual showing up at the door, and the parents don’t even really question this at all. It drove me nuts! The book offers an explanation as to why this happens later on, but no real explanation is given for why there’s no reaction at the start of the story. I literally thought about this the entire book! You might too, just a heads up.
Ultimately this was still fun, and I liked it a lot!! Would certainly recommend to someone wanting a quick easy read that is a LITTLE on the spooky side but not too intense on scares.
dnf
July 30, 2025I feel bad DNF'ing this, but I am just not in the mood to read about the pandemic and Legend of Zelda.
August 16, 2025
Напомнило серию Ужастики Р.Л. Стайна из моего детства. Конец хотелось бы пострашнее, но в целом ничего так.
September 11, 2025
Another is a dark, pod people kind of story. Casey has a new friend, who seems to change every day. He slowly becomes more and more like Casey, even winning over his parents. It’s eerie, and Casey is not cool with it. The whole transformation thing has Sporror tones to it, and it’s creepy.
As an adult reading this story, I appreciated the small messages Tremblay threw in. There is a sense of pride, acceptance and standing up for yourself. Casey developed some tics during the pandemic, which Tremblay highlights and lets the reader into the experience in a negative then positive way. It shows the hard effect the pandemic had on that age bracket, and the trauma it caused. Casey does get help, and learns more about himself in the process. It’s seamlessly written into the story and important.
I enjoyed the story, especially the creepy parts. I’d say if you have a budding horror reader, this is a great place to start their journey.
As an adult reading this story, I appreciated the small messages Tremblay threw in. There is a sense of pride, acceptance and standing up for yourself. Casey developed some tics during the pandemic, which Tremblay highlights and lets the reader into the experience in a negative then positive way. It shows the hard effect the pandemic had on that age bracket, and the trauma it caused. Casey does get help, and learns more about himself in the process. It’s seamlessly written into the story and important.
I enjoyed the story, especially the creepy parts. I’d say if you have a budding horror reader, this is a great place to start their journey.
November 10, 2025
I picked this up on a whim from my library and had so much fun with it!! Another is a perfect horror for middle grade kiddos, but was also really enjoyable as an adult. I was hooked from the beginning and didn’t want to put it down. Morel was creepy af and absolutely would’ve been kicked out!! 🤣
June 15, 2025
Read this book if you like: 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳, 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳, 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘺, 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳.
Or just take my word for it and read it.
Or just take my word for it and read it.
August 2, 2025
Another (lol) 5 star read from Mr. Tremblay! Definitely recommended if you’re a fan of Kealan Burke’s Sour Candy!
July 15, 2025
You know what? I wasn’t going to rate this, what with my not being in the target demographic, but that’s just not what a book is for. So let’s just say this:
- a children’s book is not an excuse for poor writing
- a children’s book should be an excuse to help make a kid (or a learning/struggling reader in any language the book is written in) a competent, if not surpassingly so, reader
- a children’s book is not an excuse to write a 2D main character and one dimensional side characters (antagonists or otherwise), and while it is done, it is quite lazy to do so in a book that’s so obviously trying to have a point
- setting this book in the bubble of emergence from the most recent pandemic is not fascinating or interesting if the book’s theme(s) barely touch on the effect the pandemic may have had on the characters, children or otherwise
- this one started off strong, but the second and third acts were nowhere near polished or clean or imaginative
I kept telling myself, as I neared the conclusion, would this have been a book I’d have liked when I was a kid? And I came away from reading it knowing that Young Frank would have been very disappointed in the way this book churned out. But it’s as someone better than I with words would say, the truth always wins out. And the truth, here, is that this is a weak and dissatisfying outing in the horror genre, the youth literature arena, and for readers anywhere. Readable, but for what?
This review is in exchange for an e-reader copy provided by NetGalley. Thank you to the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to be so (perhaps brutally) honest about this book.
- a children’s book is not an excuse for poor writing
- a children’s book should be an excuse to help make a kid (or a learning/struggling reader in any language the book is written in) a competent, if not surpassingly so, reader
- a children’s book is not an excuse to write a 2D main character and one dimensional side characters (antagonists or otherwise), and while it is done, it is quite lazy to do so in a book that’s so obviously trying to have a point
- setting this book in the bubble of emergence from the most recent pandemic is not fascinating or interesting if the book’s theme(s) barely touch on the effect the pandemic may have had on the characters, children or otherwise
- this one started off strong, but the second and third acts were nowhere near polished or clean or imaginative
I kept telling myself, as I neared the conclusion, would this have been a book I’d have liked when I was a kid? And I came away from reading it knowing that Young Frank would have been very disappointed in the way this book churned out. But it’s as someone better than I with words would say, the truth always wins out. And the truth, here, is that this is a weak and dissatisfying outing in the horror genre, the youth literature arena, and for readers anywhere. Readable, but for what?
This review is in exchange for an e-reader copy provided by NetGalley. Thank you to the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to be so (perhaps brutally) honest about this book.
July 25, 2025
I think I would’ve enjoyed this more if the writing hadn’t been overly simplified. Yes, it’s written for middle graders, but the best middle grade books have great writing, and can be enjoyed by all ages, not just kids. This book isn’t that. The premise is cool, and the story is still somewhat interesting and creepy (just enough to keep reading anyway), but I felt like it was too long, and I was kind of bored. I bought this for my kids, and I think they might like it, but I don’t think they‘ll be that impressed either.
July 26, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first book of Paul Tremblay's, and while it started off eerie and entertaining, it just kind of fell flat, especially towards the end. It helps that the story is short so you can read through it quickly. It kind of felt more like a goosebumps book, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, there just was not a lot of depth to it.
This is my first book of Paul Tremblay's, and while it started off eerie and entertaining, it just kind of fell flat, especially towards the end. It helps that the story is short so you can read through it quickly. It kind of felt more like a goosebumps book, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, there just was not a lot of depth to it.
October 6, 2025
This was so fun and spooky! I did get annoyed with Casey sometimes though because like..he couldn’t just use common sense but i guess that’s cuz he was young 🥴 not sure but the concept of this was so fun i wish it was explored just a little bit more (especially with what happened at the end)
May 11, 2025
Casey and his family are normal...WERE normal. Until his parents show up with an antique rotary phone. When the phone rings and Casey hears a one sided conversation between his mother and someone on the other line, things start to already feel 'off. Mom says he is going to have a friend sleep over and the friends dad will bring him over tomorrow. With no additional information, Morel shows up with his father the next day. Morel doesn't look like other kids' and is almost "doll-like" and what looks to be made of clay. The sleepover lasts...forever as Casey becomes exhausted while Morel is there. But is the exhaustion due to dealing with his parents now fawning over Morel more than they ever have for him or is there something more sinister going on here?
This is Paul Tremblay's debut mid-grade novel and I thoroughly loved it. It is definitely giving me nostalgia vibes and brought me way back to the Goosebumps books that got me into horror. The in depth explanations and details that we all LOVE about Mr. Tremblay is still present in this book and very welcomed; however, and obviously, with no blood guts and gore. I HIGHLY recommend this book to a young reader wanting to explore just how creepy the horror genre can be. Kudos to Paul for executing such a detailed and interesting read. This book, I devoured in a day. Amazing.
This is Paul Tremblay's debut mid-grade novel and I thoroughly loved it. It is definitely giving me nostalgia vibes and brought me way back to the Goosebumps books that got me into horror. The in depth explanations and details that we all LOVE about Mr. Tremblay is still present in this book and very welcomed; however, and obviously, with no blood guts and gore. I HIGHLY recommend this book to a young reader wanting to explore just how creepy the horror genre can be. Kudos to Paul for executing such a detailed and interesting read. This book, I devoured in a day. Amazing.
July 6, 2025
Somehow this was one of the creepier things I've read lately, and it's a middle grade horror. I think it'll be a great read for anyone, but especially for the younger audience, who can relate to the loneliness of what school in the lockdown era during the pandemic was like. This book did a great job at diving into that, and was also a really great look at mental health struggles within the younger generation.
It was also, like I said, incredibly creepy. Some parts were genuinely unsettling and had me nervous for what was to come. I know I would have eaten this up as a kid, and I think Paul Tremblay should absolutely keep exploring middle grade horror.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!
It was also, like I said, incredibly creepy. Some parts were genuinely unsettling and had me nervous for what was to come. I know I would have eaten this up as a kid, and I think Paul Tremblay should absolutely keep exploring middle grade horror.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!
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