Hush-A-Bye

by Jody Lee Mott

A delightfully creepy story perfect for the middle school set! Hush-a-Bye is an old, broken doll found by Lucy and her sister in the woods. It seems to possess extraordinary powers, but will it use them for good or evil?

Like most kids with younger siblings, Lucy loves her sister Antonia, but is all too frequently annoyed with her as well. The two spend most of their time together since their mother works so hard, but without friends Lucy can’t help but feel lonely anyway. She’s always tried to ignore the bullying and teasing at school about her family being poor—it’s always best to keep her head down and do nothing.

When the girls find an old, muddy doll head in the river, Antonia claims it as her newest treasure. At night Lucy hears her talking to Hush-a-Bye—and does she hear the doll talking back? Soon, Hush-a-Bye seems to be protecting Antonia by making bad things happen to others, and it isn’t long before Lucy asks for its help against her tormentors, too. Slowly Hush-a-Bye’s influence forms a wedge between the sisters, and Antonia’s dependence on it becomes frightening. The doll has a mind of its own, and soon it will have Antonia’s as well. Can Lucy solve the mystery of Hush-a-Bye to stop its evil plans?

Genres: Horror, Middle Grade, Family, Mystery, Supernatural, Mental Health, Fiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

I am a former elementary and middle school teacher, and an avid reader of children’s books who finally decided to write down the stories bouncing around my brain. I am also the creator and host of the children’s book podcast Dream Gardens, which is on Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever podcasts are found. I am repped by Lindsay Auld at Writer’s House, and live several stone throws from the Susquehanna River in Apalachin, New York with my wife, children and one very large greyhound.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine! Not particularly memorable, but definitely a quick read.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts off strong, dips in middle, then ends up in a great paranormal show down! Follows two sisters Antonia and Lucy as they find a decrypted doll head that is not all that it seems. Topics of bullying, and low-income living help paint a picture of the struggles that middle school has to offer, not to mention, a possessed doll that tries to tear your family apart.

[Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

SSYRA 23 #1
I love that there are three spooky books in this year's crop of SSSYRA books. This was my first for this year and didn't disappoint, I got major Doll Bones and Wait Til Helen Comes vibes.

[Rena · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Short, scary, kids’ book about a terrifying doll and the two young girls who take it into their care.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

While seventh grader Lucy and her younger sister Antonia are exploring a river next to their trailer, they find a dirty old doll’s head. Antonia insists on bringing it home, despite Lucy warning her that they’ll get in trouble for bringing home garbage. That night, they hide the doll in the closet and Antonia starts talking to it. Then, Lucy thinks she hears the doll speak back. They name the doll’s head Hush-a-Bye after a song their mother sang to them as children. Antonia brings Hush-a-Bye to school, where she believes the doll is protecting her and doing things she tells it to do. However, Antonia begins acting differently and becomes obsessed with the doll. Lucy has to figure out how to stop Hush-a-Bye before she becomes too powerful.

This story is perfect for the spooky fall season. A doll’s head without a body can be creepy enough, but when it starts to behave on its own and control a child, it becomes even scarier. The doll was able to communicate with Antonia and Lucy, and also caused conflict between the sisters. It was such a disturbing toy.

There were some serious subjects in this story. Lucy and Antonia had an abusive father, who was mentioned but didn’t appear in the novel. Their mother moved them away from him, but she had to work constantly to make enough money for them to live. This meant that Lucy and Antonia had to look after themselves a lot, which led to them finding the possessed doll’s head. Though Lucy and Antonia had faced many tough challenges in their young lives, the ending was hopeful.

Hush-a-Bye is a creepy middle grade novel!

Thank you Viking Books for Young Readers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Julia Pika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Group for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This follows an older sister who struggles with anxiety and stress at school while also taking care of her little sister. One day, her sister finds a creepy doll's head and takes it home. Strange things start happening, centered around the doll...

It's an OK book, serves its purpose as a scary chapter book, but I feel like the main character's backstory was emphasized way more than the actual horror aspect of the novel. Frankly, I'm more into the horror than the tragic backstory of the main character... I just kept getting confused about the protagonist's bizarre home situation as well as the cartoonish bullying going on at her school. I didn't really see how it was relevant to the rest of the book, but then again, I am not the intended age range.

I think it works well, I'll definitely be getting it for the collection because horror books are IN again with kids, apparently.

[Reading is my Escape · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfectly creepy story about two sisters who find a doll’s head in the woods. The younger sister, Antonia, starts talking to the doll’s head, naming her Hush-A-Bye. The older sister, Lucy, doesn’t know what to make of this, but she has more important problems. Lucy is trying to survive middle school, and she has rules: keep your head down and don’t talk to anyone. Antonia is just starting 6th grade. Lucy has high anxiety and worries about everything, including Antonia. Antonia takes the doll’s head to school, and strange things happen. By the time Lucy realizes how powerful the doll is, it just might be too late.
The story is creepy and quick. Perfect for middle-grade readers!

[Nadina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard book to review, because in a way I was not a huge fan of it, but more because it is really not my genre, so if I reviewed purely on personal preference it would have been a 3 star.
That being said, the characters were dynamic and grew over the course of the novel. The plot was interesting and the pace was good. Though there were some changes with characters that one almost expected during reading, not all of them came to be.
I think kids who like horror books or creepy books would enjoy this story. It was a fairly easy read.

[Richard Hoffner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m on Chapter five. Very enjoyable and charming for a children’s book, but there’s a homosexual man. That really isn’t necessary. Seriously? The kind art teacher? And the author mentions ‘he married a guy as soon as it became legal’. This was a five-star story until you had to make your little statement. This book is rated for 8-12. I’m glad I picked it up at the Dollar Tree and didn’t pay the full $17.

[J.L. DuRona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love spooky stories that have solid characters to anchor them. Lucy's struggles with anxiety and poverty are infinitely relatable. My only complaint is that Lucy's arch could've been flushed out more in the third act, and as such the end falls a little flat. Overall, this is a great debut from Mott, and definitely makes me want to read whatever comes next!

[Victoria Whipple · Rating 3 out of 5]

This middle grade horror novel is quietly creepy, with complex characters and a historic mystery embedded in the horror. Two sisters find a doll's head, which turns out to have some magical powers, but perhaps more magic than they can handle. Gr. 4-8

[KATHRYNE STEVENS · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book heavily relies on the trope of lack of communication. However, if you are able to look past this reliance it is a sufficiently creepy book which is heavily plot motivated. Characters are fairly bland, but it doesn't necessarily detract from the plot.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminded me a bit of 'Are You Afraid of the Dark' with the storyline and creepiness vibe. It's not super scary, and a little stilted, but I was invested in the characters and it hits a lot of the right notes for approachable middle grade.

[Kayla Pitoniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slightly engaging read for students who enjoy horror. Though, it seems as though the actual horror aspects are downplayed for more specifically supernatural elements until the end of the novel. For my personal 6th grade students, this book has been hit or miss with its intended genre audience.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a spooky little story for middle grade readers featuring the creepiest of all plot devices, a haunted doll.

[Llyr Heller-Humphreys · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Spooky while also dealing with bullying and abuse.

[Bella Burger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really amazing and I’m sure you’ll love it because it is super good and it has suspense and mystery and is spooky and really tells a good story!!!!☺️😋🤩😋😋

[B.C. Dittemore · Rating 4 out of 5]

My eleven-year-old kept asking for one more chapter every time I tried to close the book for the night. It’s rare for her to do that. I gave it an extra star for that reason.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super creepy, a perfect Halloween reads. The scenes are so fast-paced and entertaining.

[Jess Mooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great chilling middle grade read!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely different than I thought. I wasn't expecting evil doll in a children's book. Mildly predictable but still good and entertaining.

[Alyse Dzek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was good! It started off nicely the middle was a bit shaky but the end was nice. Overall, it was kinda boring but a good read

[Milana Palacios · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book, but I don't like that she was getting bullied. Good!

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hush-A-Bye by Jody Lee Mott
**
This story is about an evil baby doll. Lucy and her sister are trapsing through the woods when they come across an old baby doll. Although Lucy and her younger sister are close, Lucy finds watching over her sister’s every move to be taxing. She is not the most well-liked in her middle school and she is embarrassed that her sister will be labeled as she has been. There is also a wretched young lady at school that treats Lucy, and now Antonia poorly. Moreover, the girl gets other students to be just as abusive. All of this will change because the doll seems to have control and vengeance is fierce and swift.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings on this!!! I was kind of bored throughout most of it, and then at the climax when we really get to see Hush-a-bye for what she is, all this incredible creepiness came out! I wish the rest of the book had been on that level.

When Hush-a-bye is at her most powerful, I was freaked out and the writing was really good in her description and how she was. But it was such a brief moment of genuine creepiness, I’m left feeling underwhelmed by the rest of it. Could have been any middle grade story about a girl who overcomes fears/anxieties/bad stuff and life isn’t so bad at the end of it. Very cookie cutter.

I keep having this issue with books, the repetitiveness of certain aspects is driving me up the wall. This one it was the “iciness” and “icy fingers” and “icy dread” that kept being mentioned. It looses its effectiveness if it’s the only way you can describe something.

At the end, when Antonia finally comes out of whatever trance thing she was under to save her sister, I thought happened very quickly and without any real explanation as to why and how. Like things were looking so creepy and so bad I was expecting/hoping that Lucy wouldn’t make it till the end! You can never tell with middle grade, haha. The suspense leading up to that point was so good, and then Antonia was like “oh no she’s my SISTER so screw you doll!” even though she just dropped a trailer on said sister and their mom. 🙃 There was no explanation as to how she broke free and I was disappointed.

There should 100% be more books about creepy dolls; they’re always good for spooky reads!!! I just wish this had really leaned into its high potential for creepiness better.



FAVOURITE QUOTES

“Antonia danced about in an early morning quilt of sunlight and shadow.”

“ ‘But first, on this special night,’ Hush-a-bye said, her voice no more than a whisper, ‘I’ll show you what the midnight stars look like from the bottom of the river. Goodnight, Lucy, sleep tight.’"

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect read for October! The author weaves a deliciously chilling tale of facing foes both human and supernatural. Readers will love scaring themselves silly right up through the spooky, satisfying final scenes. Great for fans of Babysitting Nightmares and John Bellairs' super-creepy series.

[Avi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hush a bye follows a story of a girl and her sister encountering problems with a mysterious spooky doll. Good beginner kid horror