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Stella Batts #9
Scaredy Cat
Are you afraid of the dark? Stella Batts never thought she was. In fact she's not feeling afraid of anything right now. She's just excited. Her class read the most books out of every class in school. The prize is a sleepover in the library. What could be better than that? Everyone is in pajamas, even the teachers. The kids break off into groups to go on a scavenger hunt. That's when Stella finds a really old book by an author who is also named Stella B. Though the subject matter is nothing this Stella would ever write about. And then there's an unexpected visitor who shows up in the middle of the night. Stella doesn't know what to think, but she knows one thing for sure--she's scared of the dark now!
- GenresChildrens
160 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2016
72 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Courtney Sheinmel
41 books259 followersBorn in California. Raised in New York. Went to law school, now write full time. Love: long walks, fresh notebooks, the smell of brownies, pomegranate seeds. Don't love: yogurt, spam (the email kind, and the food kind), deep water, deserted city streets.
Newest book: THE SECRETS OF LOVELACE ACADEMY, co-written with Marie Benedict, available on April 22, 2025.
I love to hear from readers! Email me! Ask a question! I promise to reply.
Newest book: THE SECRETS OF LOVELACE ACADEMY, co-written with Marie Benedict, available on April 22, 2025.
I love to hear from readers! Email me! Ask a question! I promise to reply.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 29, 2022
My oldest daughter and I have read the 9 books that are available in this series over the last year. She absolutely loves them and looks forward to reading them, and now waiting for the next one to be available. She was a little nervous reading this one, and I myself had some issues with it, but more on that later.
In this book Stella's class has won a prize they did not even know they we up for, the Somers Elementary School Library Sleepover. Her class has checked the most books out of the school library. Their prize is a sleepover at the school. The whole class will be able to sleep over in the school library, they will have time for games, a pizza dinner, get to sign out a book to read before bed and sleeping in the library followed by a special breakfast . But things take a spooky turn. First there are ghost stories, second they play with a Ouija Board. And Stella finds a book written by a Stall B. On top of that Stella starts seeing eyes in the dark of the library.
No as a parent I am cautious about what my children read and what they do. I do not mind a little scary story, and even some darker play. But when we got to the section on the Ouija board, I had to stop reading, explain what it is to my daughter, and be very firm that I do not want her ever playing with such a thing. I also would have a hard time with one being in a public school library, or parents and teachers of a grade 3rd class allowing children to play with it.
I was impressed that when Stella got scared rather than read a book that was scaring her she picked up a book for younger readers and read it instead. I also really liked that Stella talked about favourite books and going back and rereading them, like visiting old friends.
My daughter's favourite part of the books was when they figured out what the eyes that Stella kept seeing. She also found the whole Ouija board thing 'weird'.
Again my daughter and I both love the illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell. They really do add to the pleasure of the book. And my daughter and I have started reading Courtney Sheinmel's new series The Kindness Club, whole we await the next Stella Batts book.
This is a good book in a great series. Overall we are very happy with the series. And can highly recommend them. This is the first series my daughter has read in its entirety, we have started a number of others and not made it through. So that speaks volumes to how good these books are if a reluctant read loved reading them!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Courtney Sheinmel.
In this book Stella's class has won a prize they did not even know they we up for, the Somers Elementary School Library Sleepover. Her class has checked the most books out of the school library. Their prize is a sleepover at the school. The whole class will be able to sleep over in the school library, they will have time for games, a pizza dinner, get to sign out a book to read before bed and sleeping in the library followed by a special breakfast . But things take a spooky turn. First there are ghost stories, second they play with a Ouija Board. And Stella finds a book written by a Stall B. On top of that Stella starts seeing eyes in the dark of the library.
No as a parent I am cautious about what my children read and what they do. I do not mind a little scary story, and even some darker play. But when we got to the section on the Ouija board, I had to stop reading, explain what it is to my daughter, and be very firm that I do not want her ever playing with such a thing. I also would have a hard time with one being in a public school library, or parents and teachers of a grade 3rd class allowing children to play with it.
I was impressed that when Stella got scared rather than read a book that was scaring her she picked up a book for younger readers and read it instead. I also really liked that Stella talked about favourite books and going back and rereading them, like visiting old friends.
My daughter's favourite part of the books was when they figured out what the eyes that Stella kept seeing. She also found the whole Ouija board thing 'weird'.
Again my daughter and I both love the illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell. They really do add to the pleasure of the book. And my daughter and I have started reading Courtney Sheinmel's new series The Kindness Club, whole we await the next Stella Batts book.
This is a good book in a great series. Overall we are very happy with the series. And can highly recommend them. This is the first series my daughter has read in its entirety, we have started a number of others and not made it through. So that speaks volumes to how good these books are if a reluctant read loved reading them!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Courtney Sheinmel.
October 9, 2017
There is a Ouija board in this book which means I would never allow my Catholic kids to read it. Otherwise, though, the story about spending the night in the school library is the perfect hook for early elementary readers, as are the spooky elements for which there end up being perfectly logical explanations.
November 14, 2019
Sleepovers can be scary - especially when talk of ghosts is involved. Stella spends the night at a library sleepover with her class. She does see yellow eyes but discovers it's a cat that has wandered into the school.
Learn about bravery and fun. Talk about scary things and how to deal with them as a group.
Learn about bravery and fun. Talk about scary things and how to deal with them as a group.
October 9, 2023
Really? They have to put a Ouija board in a young child's book? So glad I looked this one over before giving to my daughter to read.
January 19, 2020
155 pages. Stella's whole class wins a secret contest and has the opportunity to spend the night in the school library as a reward. Lots of spooky things keep happening. Readers will wonder if Joshua is behind everything since he usually is...but maybe not this time. Great suspense and good realistic plot. Girls will enjoy this one, as well as the rest of the series. Highly recommended for Grades 3-4.
July 24, 2024
Stella really is a “scaredy cat”. When her class wins a sleepover night party in the school library, her imagination goes into overdrive. From ghosts, to fearful yellow eyes peering out among the books, Stella might not get even a wink of sleep.
Stella is a new character for me and I highly recommend her adventures for second and third grade readers! (This is book 9, of 10 in the series.)
Stella is a new character for me and I highly recommend her adventures for second and third grade readers! (This is book 9, of 10 in the series.)
October 11, 2021
A little scary for young kids. We weren't able to get through this one but we love the rest of these books.
Want to read
July 22, 2024SM
November 12, 2024
2.5. Cute book.
April 9, 2021
Its really good over all I've read all the Stella bats books and I'm 9 so It makes since why I love the book but its good for adults
February 7, 2017
My oldest daughter and I have read the 9 books that are available in this series over the last year. She absolutely loves them and looks forward to reading them, and now waiting for the next one to be available. She was a little nervous reading this one, and I myself had some issues with it, but more on that later.
In this book Stella's class has won a prize they did not even know they we up for, the Somers Elementary School Library Sleepover. Her class has checked the most books out of the school library. Their prize is a sleepover at the school. The whole class will be able to sleep over in the school library, they will have time for games, a pizza dinner, get to sign out a book to read before bed and sleeping in the library followed by a special breakfast . But things take a spooky turn. First there are ghost stories, second they play with a Ouija Board. And Stella finds a book written by a Stall B. On top of that Stella starts seeing eyes in the dark of the library.
No as a parent I am cautious about what my children read and what they do. I do not mind a little scary story, and even some darker play. But when we got to the section on the Ouija board, I had to stop reading, explain what it is to my daughter, and be very firm that I do not want her ever playing with such a thing. I also would have a hard time with one being in a public school library, or parents and teachers of a grade 3rd class allowing children to play with it.
I was impressed that when Stella got scared rather than read a book that was scaring her she picked up a book for younger readers and read it instead. I also really liked that Stella talked about favourite books and going back and rereading them, like visiting old friends.
My daughter's favourite part of the books was when they figured out what the eyes that Stella kept seeing. She also found the whole Ouija board thing 'weird'.
Again my daughter and I both love the illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell. They really do add to the pleasure of the book. And my daughter and I have started reading Courtney Sheinmel's new series The Kindness Club, whole we await the next Stella Batts book.
This is a good book in a great series. Overall we are very happy with the series. And can highly recommend them. This is the first series my daughter has read in its entirety, we have started a number of others and not made it through. So that speaks volumes to how good these books are if a reluctant read loved reading them!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Courtney Sheinmel.
In this book Stella's class has won a prize they did not even know they we up for, the Somers Elementary School Library Sleepover. Her class has checked the most books out of the school library. Their prize is a sleepover at the school. The whole class will be able to sleep over in the school library, they will have time for games, a pizza dinner, get to sign out a book to read before bed and sleeping in the library followed by a special breakfast . But things take a spooky turn. First there are ghost stories, second they play with a Ouija Board. And Stella finds a book written by a Stall B. On top of that Stella starts seeing eyes in the dark of the library.
No as a parent I am cautious about what my children read and what they do. I do not mind a little scary story, and even some darker play. But when we got to the section on the Ouija board, I had to stop reading, explain what it is to my daughter, and be very firm that I do not want her ever playing with such a thing. I also would have a hard time with one being in a public school library, or parents and teachers of a grade 3rd class allowing children to play with it.
I was impressed that when Stella got scared rather than read a book that was scaring her she picked up a book for younger readers and read it instead. I also really liked that Stella talked about favourite books and going back and rereading them, like visiting old friends.
My daughter's favourite part of the books was when they figured out what the eyes that Stella kept seeing. She also found the whole Ouija board thing 'weird'.
Again my daughter and I both love the illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell. They really do add to the pleasure of the book. And my daughter and I have started reading Courtney Sheinmel's new series The Kindness Club, whole we await the next Stella Batts book.
This is a good book in a great series. Overall we are very happy with the series. And can highly recommend them. This is the first series my daughter has read in its entirety, we have started a number of others and not made it through. So that speaks volumes to how good these books are if a reluctant read loved reading them!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Courtney Sheinmel.
May 1, 2016
Young reluctant readers will enjoy this title, the ninth in the Stella Batts series. Stella is excited because her third-grade class has won a sleepover in the school library. But when her best friend doesn't show up and strange things begin to happen, Stella becomes increasingly anxious. Although she would never have believed she'd be afraid of the dark or anything else for that matter, as it turns out, she finds herself increasingly anxious and plagued by bad luck. Readers will be reassured by how the author handles the protagonist's fears and smile at what the ghost with glowing yellow eyes turns out to be. The book contains believable characters in situations that are authentic and resolves situations in a satisfactory way.
Read
July 1, 2017Stella is really brave. This book is really good. This series was one of the first and best series I ever read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews