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Ravenous Things
Kieran Viola and Cassidy Leyendecker at Disney Hyperion have acquired at auction debut middle grade fantasy Ravenous Things by Derrick Chow. This creepy re-envisioning of "The Pied Piper" is set in modern times, featuring a subway labyrinth, changeling-rats, and a mysterious stranger who makes improbable promises. Publication is planned for summer 2022; Thao Le at the Dijkstra Agency handled the deal for world rights.
Hardcover
Published January 1, 2022
5 people are currently reading
956 people want to read
About the author
Derrick Chow
7 books13 followersDerrick is an author, illustrator, and comic creator.
His debut prose novel, Ravenous Things, comes out in 2022 from Disney Hyperion.
His comics have appeared in anthologies such as Rainbow Reflections: Body Image Comics For Queer Men, Shout Out, Yonge At Heart, and Hogtown Horror.
Stay tuned for announcements about some exciting projects he is working on!
His debut prose novel, Ravenous Things, comes out in 2022 from Disney Hyperion.
His comics have appeared in anthologies such as Rainbow Reflections: Body Image Comics For Queer Men, Shout Out, Yonge At Heart, and Hogtown Horror.
Stay tuned for announcements about some exciting projects he is working on!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
March 20, 2022
Ravenous Things plays up the creepy and crawly in all the best ways (and this is coming from someone who can’t stand rodents!). The book centers on Reggie Wong, who follows the Mysterious Conductor who promises to reunite him with a lost loved one. But Reggie’s reunion with his father is all wrong, and worse, Reggie realizes he’s been tricked and trapped underground with other victims of the flute-playing Conductor. He bands together with a new friend and an old bully to escape back to the surface and take down the Conductor.
Readers will love the vivid, jump-off-the-page descriptions and that delicious sense of “something’s wrong” that keeps you reaching for a flashlight so you can read into the wee hours to see what’s next. The book also explores loneliness, friendship, and grief, with encouraging discussions of therapy and the different ways we cope with loss.
Readers will love the vivid, jump-off-the-page descriptions and that delicious sense of “something’s wrong” that keeps you reaching for a flashlight so you can read into the wee hours to see what’s next. The book also explores loneliness, friendship, and grief, with encouraging discussions of therapy and the different ways we cope with loss.
May 18, 2022
RAVENOUS THINGS by Derrick Chow is a delightfully spooky and fun MG! The writing is wonderful and witty, the style so classic that I felt that I might have sunk into an old Roald Dahl book. Right away, I was hooked by the strange man who lures children into a train station at midnight. I don't want to give anything away because what happens next should be discovered on your own. However, the light spookiness is perfect for middle grade, whimsical and weird in the best way, and the friendship that forms between Reggie, Chantal, and Gareth is heart-warming. I loved it & would go on many more adventures with them!
August 3, 2022
This is the best Middle Grade Fantasy of 2022 for me. It is a fast paced book that does a great job on character development and deals with death, depression, friendship and growing up.
I listened to the audio and narrator did an amazing job. He helped the listener be drawn into the story.
Much appreciation to Disney Audiobooks for the ARC via NetGalley. Anticipated publication date is 8/16/2022.
I listened to the audio and narrator did an amazing job. He helped the listener be drawn into the story.
Much appreciation to Disney Audiobooks for the ARC via NetGalley. Anticipated publication date is 8/16/2022.
March 5, 2023
I’ve never done psychedelic drugs, but this book made me feel like I did.
Reggie is a twelve-year-old boy who is grieving the death of his father. Processing his grief is made even more difficult with an agoraphobic mother who is not coping in a healthy manner. When a mysterious subway conductor (get ready for the double-entendre) offers Reggie one last opportunity to see his deceased dad, Reggie climbs aboard a midnight subway ride that carries him (and many other grieving children) deep into tunnels below the city, where each child is “reunited” with their lost family members. Or are they? As the reader can guess, all is not what it seems, and this weird and creative story (inspired by The Pied Piper of Hamelin) takes Reggie, his new friends, and the reader on a wild ride that touches on (among other things) grief, individuality, friendship, and emotional regulation.
The only Canadian nominee on the longlist for the Bram Stoker Middle Grade Award 2022 (but sadly did not make it to the final ballot), Ravenous Things is an age-appropriate entry into the horror genre for 12-14 year olds. I consumed this book ravenously (see what I did there?) in less than a day, something that I have not done since I read Susin Nielsen’s Optimists Die First in 2017. While reality definitely required suspension (as it often does in the horror genre), I would have no qualms about recommending this to students. Bonus points for this debut novel with BIPOC representation from an Asian-Canadian artist.
May 12, 2022
Middle school horror from Disney with a retelling of the Pied Piper. A good book for those who enjoy fairy tales, a little scary, and relatable characters. Discovery of happiness after grief is something a lot of kids struggle with, and this book addresses it wonderfully for that age group.
July 1, 2022
Did I absolutely hate another horror book about rats? Absolutely. But dang does this book scratch all the right scary itches. I loved how absolutely terrifying it was. I couldn't read it at night. I love that it has a definitive Canadian setting and uses extremely well-known landmarks to make that point (even if one of the landmarks they play with is the sealed tunnels at St. Patrick's station which were sealed because a girl got murdered there in 1975...). It also does a great job of being actively scary but still being a children's book and allowing childish jumps in reasoning to be true or admitting that adults are as flawed as they are. I also really liked the underlying theme of grief and how it's reflected differently in all the characters. Definitely a book for those adventurous kiddos that have already blasted through Goosebumps and Scary Stories and are hungry for more thrills!
July 21, 2022
Love a story that's all spooky and also about grief and how grief and spooky things go together and how every ghost is just a manifestation of love. also, enemies to friends? creepy crawlies? a villain named the Mysterious Conductor? the realization that adults don't know everything and are just as flawed as kids? Ravenous Things has it all. it's not as good as Small Spaces, but it gets really really close. Four stars.
October 7, 2023
4 ⭐ CW: parental/family loss, grief, swarming insects and rodents
Ravenous Things by Derrick Chow is his debut middle grade horror that is a retelling of the Pied Piper story. Chow covers themes such as the grief of losing a loved one, what it's like to have unreliable parents, and bullying. It also gives "careful what you wish for" vibes.
We follow Reggie Wong as he visits his dad's grave to give him the clay USS Enterprise he made (obviously I'm a fan of this kid). Reggie struggles with a lot of anger: anger at his father for dying, angry at his mother for not really being there for him, and just generally angry at everyone. Then one day a strange man in a conductor outfit invites Reggie to come back to the subway the next night in order to have the one thing he wants most, his dad back. Reggie feels pulled to go back to the subway and makes friends with a girl with a penchant for repeating what her psychiatrist says, named Chantal. He also runs into his childhood bully, Gareth.
Reggie soon finds out that everything is not as it seems, and has to band together with Chantal and Gareth to save the city of Toronto and get their lives back. We get lots of creepy flute music, a wacky villain, helpful light up beetles (beetle buddy forever!), cockroach powered robots, sentient and predatory Darkness, and rats that get transformed into children. We also get lots of Star Trek references. I love the friendship between the kids. They are so complicated in their grief, and each of them deals with it in a different way.
We got some great messages about doing what you love and liking what you like regardless of what other people think and regardless of how it makes their parents feel. It was also nice to see Reggie and Gareth work out their differences. This was a nice, gentle introduction to Spooky season, and would be great for any middle grade kiddo.
Ravenous Things by Derrick Chow is his debut middle grade horror that is a retelling of the Pied Piper story. Chow covers themes such as the grief of losing a loved one, what it's like to have unreliable parents, and bullying. It also gives "careful what you wish for" vibes.
We follow Reggie Wong as he visits his dad's grave to give him the clay USS Enterprise he made (obviously I'm a fan of this kid). Reggie struggles with a lot of anger: anger at his father for dying, angry at his mother for not really being there for him, and just generally angry at everyone. Then one day a strange man in a conductor outfit invites Reggie to come back to the subway the next night in order to have the one thing he wants most, his dad back. Reggie feels pulled to go back to the subway and makes friends with a girl with a penchant for repeating what her psychiatrist says, named Chantal. He also runs into his childhood bully, Gareth.
Reggie soon finds out that everything is not as it seems, and has to band together with Chantal and Gareth to save the city of Toronto and get their lives back. We get lots of creepy flute music, a wacky villain, helpful light up beetles (beetle buddy forever!), cockroach powered robots, sentient and predatory Darkness, and rats that get transformed into children. We also get lots of Star Trek references. I love the friendship between the kids. They are so complicated in their grief, and each of them deals with it in a different way.
We got some great messages about doing what you love and liking what you like regardless of what other people think and regardless of how it makes their parents feel. It was also nice to see Reggie and Gareth work out their differences. This was a nice, gentle introduction to Spooky season, and would be great for any middle grade kiddo.
March 24, 2025
3.75
CW/TW: Grief, Animal death, Death, Violence, and Death of parent, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness (Depression), Vomit, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
CW/TW: Grief, Animal death, Death, Violence, and Death of parent, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness (Depression), Vomit, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
May 7, 2022
I really liked the premise of the book even the creepy crawly horror stuff. I thought the characterization was lacking, and the consistent use of similes (some that didn’t make much sense) took away from the story. Overall, I know there are several people who will like this story, but I think there are many who will want a bit more from it.
April 29, 2022
Ravenous Things is excellent. Imaginative, creepy, and fun!
July 3, 2023
Ravenous Things by Derrick Chow is insightful, imaginative, unsettling, beautifully written, and more of an emotional rollercoaster than you might expect. It is my favorite young adult novel that I have read in a long time and one that caught me completely off guard in an unprecedented way.
I had no idea what Ravenous Things was about before I started reading it, and it unfolded into a story like none I have ever read before. Spooky rats and a few heroic kids, I initially thought. I wasn’t entirely wrong, but there is so much more to this story.
Ravenous Things is a stunning debut novel for author Derrick Chow which reimagines the tale of the Pied Piper. Both terrifying and hauntingly beautiful, Chow masterfully uses literal and figurative monsters to explore themes of grief and how we handle loss. The writing is simple, effective, and charismatic – the reader feels like they are a friend of Reggie’s, attempting to hold his hand as he deals with his father’s passing. The story is deeply sad in parts. Not only has Reggie lost his dad, but he has lost him mom too – she struggles to face each day without her husband and never leaves the house. It takes its toll on her, but also on her son. I teared up a few times at how raw and real Reggie’s struggle is, and how he would do anything to spend another day with his dad. It is something almost all readers will relate to, and it is an imaginative journey unlike any other. Rats and all.
The Conductor is that stranger we all pray we never meet. Someone who lures you to your demise with your greatest weakness as his one-way ticket. He is also symbolic of vices and “the easy way out” which may not always be what is best for us. While rats taking over the city may initially sound absurd and perhaps a bit childish at first glance, the story and its execution is anything but. The spooky themes tie in exceedingly well with the helplessness that one can feel when experiencing grief. Loss can be terrifying. The rats in this story are terrifying. They are familiar – almost human-like – but distorted enough to be truly scary. Fear takes many forms, and the way grief can manifest is interestingly explored in this way in this book.
The characters share a great dynamic. Reggie, Chantal and Gareth, while being a motley crew, are bonded together by loss (Reggie’s dad, Chantal’s sister and Gareth’s grandmother). Saving the city from the rats is ultimately up to them, and their team-up gives them each a sense of purpose, restores hope, and builds (and re-builds) relationships. Their personalities are also “real”. They are imperfect characters who need each other’s support. Reggie has a quick temper, Chantal is working on herself through therapy and Gareth is the school bully. There is much more to them than meets the eye, and they are ultimately not defined by their grief. They are the heroes of the story and they triumph over what is perhaps life’s greatest challenge – loss and all the doubt, insecurity and fear that comes with it.
A moving and powerful novel about losing someone special framed in a most imaginative scenario, Ravenous Things teaches readers about more than monsters. I not only recommend this book, but strongly encourage young readers to befriend Reggie and muster the courage to go on the journey with him.
I had no idea what Ravenous Things was about before I started reading it, and it unfolded into a story like none I have ever read before. Spooky rats and a few heroic kids, I initially thought. I wasn’t entirely wrong, but there is so much more to this story.
Ravenous Things is a stunning debut novel for author Derrick Chow which reimagines the tale of the Pied Piper. Both terrifying and hauntingly beautiful, Chow masterfully uses literal and figurative monsters to explore themes of grief and how we handle loss. The writing is simple, effective, and charismatic – the reader feels like they are a friend of Reggie’s, attempting to hold his hand as he deals with his father’s passing. The story is deeply sad in parts. Not only has Reggie lost his dad, but he has lost him mom too – she struggles to face each day without her husband and never leaves the house. It takes its toll on her, but also on her son. I teared up a few times at how raw and real Reggie’s struggle is, and how he would do anything to spend another day with his dad. It is something almost all readers will relate to, and it is an imaginative journey unlike any other. Rats and all.
The Conductor is that stranger we all pray we never meet. Someone who lures you to your demise with your greatest weakness as his one-way ticket. He is also symbolic of vices and “the easy way out” which may not always be what is best for us. While rats taking over the city may initially sound absurd and perhaps a bit childish at first glance, the story and its execution is anything but. The spooky themes tie in exceedingly well with the helplessness that one can feel when experiencing grief. Loss can be terrifying. The rats in this story are terrifying. They are familiar – almost human-like – but distorted enough to be truly scary. Fear takes many forms, and the way grief can manifest is interestingly explored in this way in this book.
The characters share a great dynamic. Reggie, Chantal and Gareth, while being a motley crew, are bonded together by loss (Reggie’s dad, Chantal’s sister and Gareth’s grandmother). Saving the city from the rats is ultimately up to them, and their team-up gives them each a sense of purpose, restores hope, and builds (and re-builds) relationships. Their personalities are also “real”. They are imperfect characters who need each other’s support. Reggie has a quick temper, Chantal is working on herself through therapy and Gareth is the school bully. There is much more to them than meets the eye, and they are ultimately not defined by their grief. They are the heroes of the story and they triumph over what is perhaps life’s greatest challenge – loss and all the doubt, insecurity and fear that comes with it.
A moving and powerful novel about losing someone special framed in a most imaginative scenario, Ravenous Things teaches readers about more than monsters. I not only recommend this book, but strongly encourage young readers to befriend Reggie and muster the courage to go on the journey with him.
June 30, 2022
What worked:
Dealing with grief is a major topic in this book. Reggie deeply misses his father who died two years prior. His mother is devastated to the point that she’s feeling paranoid and won’t leave the apartment. Reggie has many fond memories of his father and often relives them in his mind. His sadness is accompanied by anger toward his mother since he feels forced to cope with his heartache alone. However, he later learns that appearances can’t reveal what others are experiencing and perhaps he’s not as alone as he thinks.
Reggie teams up with his “mortal enemy” Gareth and a girl named Chantal to figure out why the Conductor lures kids onto a subway train using false promises. Reggie has had fights with Gareth at school since second grade, and Gareth’s constant teasing is infuriating. Reggie’s temper makes the problem worse, so trying to work together to uncover the Conductor’s secrets is a struggle. Chantal has been seeing a psychiatrist since her twin sister died, and she offers some of the doctor’s advice as the team learns to face their problems. Readers may use those same suggestions in their own lives. All three characters learn that communication goes a long way toward identifying their issues and gaining the support needed to overcome them.
The world created by the author is imaginative but maintains connections to real life. The Conductor wields a magic flute that may remind readers of an old fairy tale, but the spells he casts are surely impossible. He commands an army of ravenous rats that project an air of danger within the underground Darkness. The Darkness itself is treated as another character with feelings and intentions, as the kids fear its presence. Reggie, Gareth, and Chantal encounter seemingly familiar settings only to find the images are illusions. The composition of the background scenery is a surprise, but a small bug and a balloon become unexpected allies.
What didn’t work as well:
The main characters are interesting, but not especially memorable. Their problems and issues are serious and relatable to young readers, but the characters themselves are quite average. Nevertheless, the creative story and comradery of the characters make this book entertaining.
The Final Verdict:
Problems must be given names to solve them. The fanciful story addresses serious, real-life issues including the many faces of grief. Readers will enjoy the characters’ efforts to stop the Conductor as the plot builds to an exciting climax.
Dealing with grief is a major topic in this book. Reggie deeply misses his father who died two years prior. His mother is devastated to the point that she’s feeling paranoid and won’t leave the apartment. Reggie has many fond memories of his father and often relives them in his mind. His sadness is accompanied by anger toward his mother since he feels forced to cope with his heartache alone. However, he later learns that appearances can’t reveal what others are experiencing and perhaps he’s not as alone as he thinks.
Reggie teams up with his “mortal enemy” Gareth and a girl named Chantal to figure out why the Conductor lures kids onto a subway train using false promises. Reggie has had fights with Gareth at school since second grade, and Gareth’s constant teasing is infuriating. Reggie’s temper makes the problem worse, so trying to work together to uncover the Conductor’s secrets is a struggle. Chantal has been seeing a psychiatrist since her twin sister died, and she offers some of the doctor’s advice as the team learns to face their problems. Readers may use those same suggestions in their own lives. All three characters learn that communication goes a long way toward identifying their issues and gaining the support needed to overcome them.
The world created by the author is imaginative but maintains connections to real life. The Conductor wields a magic flute that may remind readers of an old fairy tale, but the spells he casts are surely impossible. He commands an army of ravenous rats that project an air of danger within the underground Darkness. The Darkness itself is treated as another character with feelings and intentions, as the kids fear its presence. Reggie, Gareth, and Chantal encounter seemingly familiar settings only to find the images are illusions. The composition of the background scenery is a surprise, but a small bug and a balloon become unexpected allies.
What didn’t work as well:
The main characters are interesting, but not especially memorable. Their problems and issues are serious and relatable to young readers, but the characters themselves are quite average. Nevertheless, the creative story and comradery of the characters make this book entertaining.
The Final Verdict:
Problems must be given names to solve them. The fanciful story addresses serious, real-life issues including the many faces of grief. Readers will enjoy the characters’ efforts to stop the Conductor as the plot builds to an exciting climax.
December 13, 2022
Middle grade readers, grades 5 and up, who are looking for some magic combined with a heavy dose of creepiness will love this debut novel. An evil train conductor lures a city’s children to the deep, dark with promises of making their deepest wish come true and then uses a magical flute to transform a multitude of subway rats into their doppelgängers who take assume their places at home. Three children, Reggie, Gareth and Chantal, see through the conductor’s underground charade and set up to restore their city and the rest of the children to normal but must make it through some near misses with death and some gruesome body doubles in order to do it. I found the 3 main characters to be likeable, yet flawed, and enjoyed watching them work together despite their initial dislike and even learn a bit about themselves and make some positive changes. The conductor was the perfect antagonist-scary to look at, a horrible background, with an evil and vengeful plan to take over the world one city at a time. The phrases he uses (the blickity-black, noble ratty-tatties, scribble-scrabble for scraps, the shiny-blimey world above, trumpity-pumpity-triumph and more) are incessant, irritating, and absolutely increase the reader’s dislike of the book’s bad guy. Overall, this was a great first book for Derrick Chow and will be a terrific addition to libraries. Text is free of profanity and sexual content, and while there are creepy rats and children trapped in an underground world, there isn’t any real violence. Representation: single parent homes, characters struggling with grief and/or depression, and using cover art and a few references through the book, it appears that Reggie may have AAPI roots, and Chantal may be Black.
Thanks for sharing a print arc with me, Disney Hyperion and Derrick Chow.
Thanks for sharing a print arc with me, Disney Hyperion and Derrick Chow.
July 16, 2022
I always love reading a fairy tale retelling, and it just so fun to see such an underrated fairy tale get a retelling. Reggie Wong longs for the days where his family was together and whole, but after losing his father he also feels like he has lost his mother. So, when a gentleman comes up to him in the cemetery and tells him to meet him at midnight and he will grant his hearts deepest wish, Reggie jumps at the chance of seeing his dad again. A mysterious journey through the subways with a bunch of other children drops Reggie off in a room where his dad is once more alive or so it would seem. Yet not everything is as it seems, and Reggie soon learns that looks can be deceiving. With the help of some newfound friends Reggie embarks on a journey to find out the truth behind the mysterious man that drew him down into the subway. Will Reggie and his friends be able to stop the pied piper before he takes over the city and destroys the world as Reggie knows it?
This is such a fun twisted tale. Reggie, Chantel, and Gareth make up such a great team of kids. All of them bringing different ideas and ways to look at things when going up against the pied piper. Which just makes the story flow so nicely. It also allows for such character growth. Especially with Reggie. From going to an angsty frustrated teen to being able to deal with those emotions by the end of this book and face them in a much healthier manner, just shows the power of how different perspectives on people can really help you come to a better understanding of others. This book is also the perfect blend of dark and light and moves quickly through the plot line. It is perfectly paced to draw readers in and keep them interested.
Thank you so much to Disney Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this text.
This is such a fun twisted tale. Reggie, Chantel, and Gareth make up such a great team of kids. All of them bringing different ideas and ways to look at things when going up against the pied piper. Which just makes the story flow so nicely. It also allows for such character growth. Especially with Reggie. From going to an angsty frustrated teen to being able to deal with those emotions by the end of this book and face them in a much healthier manner, just shows the power of how different perspectives on people can really help you come to a better understanding of others. This book is also the perfect blend of dark and light and moves quickly through the plot line. It is perfectly paced to draw readers in and keep them interested.
Thank you so much to Disney Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this text.
July 31, 2022
Nothing has been right since Reggie's dad died, so when a mysterious man with a flute claims he can give bereaved children the one thing they wish for the most, it's no surprise that Reggie falls right into the trap. Through a trick of the Pied Piper's magic flute, the world is turned into chaos as rats transform into children. Reggie has to overcome his resentment toward his longtime school enemy and master his anger at the quirky girl he meets on the train in order to solve the mystery of the sinister darkness and the Conductor's magic to get the world back to the way it's supposed to be. But an ancient power is lurking, and it will take more than determination for these three seventh graders to succeed.
This book is scary mostly for its constant references to roaches and rats. I'm not really susceptible to this brand of horror, but it definitely sets the scene for a desperate quest and a lot of character growth. At times, the solutions of the psychiatrist are a bit overly obvious, but I'm glad that Reggie and his co-heroes find ways to solve the puzzles on their own and find a way to be at peace with the loss that had plagued each of them. The characters are well-made, and the foreshadowing was well-placed. I didn't love the tone, personally, but for its genre, this book is cleverly crafted and enticing. I recommend it for kids who want a bit of thrilling adventure as they process bigger things like grief and bullying.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
This book is scary mostly for its constant references to roaches and rats. I'm not really susceptible to this brand of horror, but it definitely sets the scene for a desperate quest and a lot of character growth. At times, the solutions of the psychiatrist are a bit overly obvious, but I'm glad that Reggie and his co-heroes find ways to solve the puzzles on their own and find a way to be at peace with the loss that had plagued each of them. The characters are well-made, and the foreshadowing was well-placed. I didn't love the tone, personally, but for its genre, this book is cleverly crafted and enticing. I recommend it for kids who want a bit of thrilling adventure as they process bigger things like grief and bullying.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
July 16, 2022
This is the best reverse retelling of the Pied Piper!
What would you do to see the person whom you loved with all your being one last time? Would you suspend disbelief and disobey every warning about stranger danger you ever received? Would you board a sketchy train and a creepy conductor into the darkness in the hope that you would see your loved one again? Reggie Wong is willing to risk it all on the off chance he will see his dad again, even if it means getting on the train and doing down a dark tunnel despite the warning bells sounding off in his head. Reggie isn't alone on the train though, he meets a persistent new friend Chantal as he decides to get on board; and of course, his arch nemesis Gareth can't seem to stay out of his way either. But things weren't as promised when they arrived underground. Will Reggie be able to team up with his new friend and his sworn enemy to escape the illusion and save the town? Read on to find out!
What I loved most:
The Mysterious Conductor is just the right amount of creepy and filled with riddles and rhymes
The reverse pied piper story - the rats... oh the rats....
The bugs and beetles - I hate bugs, but I found myself cheering for them in this novel
The messages this novel contained about losing a loved one, how grief hits different for everyone, coping ideas for dealing with a loss, hope exists even with sadness and grief
What would you do to see the person whom you loved with all your being one last time? Would you suspend disbelief and disobey every warning about stranger danger you ever received? Would you board a sketchy train and a creepy conductor into the darkness in the hope that you would see your loved one again? Reggie Wong is willing to risk it all on the off chance he will see his dad again, even if it means getting on the train and doing down a dark tunnel despite the warning bells sounding off in his head. Reggie isn't alone on the train though, he meets a persistent new friend Chantal as he decides to get on board; and of course, his arch nemesis Gareth can't seem to stay out of his way either. But things weren't as promised when they arrived underground. Will Reggie be able to team up with his new friend and his sworn enemy to escape the illusion and save the town? Read on to find out!
What I loved most:
The Mysterious Conductor is just the right amount of creepy and filled with riddles and rhymes
The reverse pied piper story - the rats... oh the rats....
The bugs and beetles - I hate bugs, but I found myself cheering for them in this novel
The messages this novel contained about losing a loved one, how grief hits different for everyone, coping ideas for dealing with a loss, hope exists even with sadness and grief
July 18, 2022
Thank you to Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Reggie Wong is missing his father terribly since losing him two years ago. His mother is paralyzed with grief which means Reggie is often on his own. One day when visiting his father’s grave, Reggie meets the Conductor, who promises that he can make Reggie’s deepest desire come true. Reggie decides to meet the Conductor at the St. Patrick subway station in Toronto at midnight along with hundreds of other kids. The train takes them deep underground where the kids get off individually to meet with their lost loved ones. But all is not as it seems and Reggie, along with new friends Chantal and Gareth, must escape from the nightmare in this twisted tale version of the Pied Piper.
This book perfectly blends mystery with a deep creep factor, mainly, rats! The Conductor creepily preys on the kids’ grief to get what he wants. I enjoyed how Reggie, Chantal, and Gareth worked together to get themselves out of their predicament. This is a great debut novel by Derrick Chow. I highly recommend it for readers in grades 4 and up.
#RavenousThings #NetGalley #DisneyHyperion
This title will be available July 26, 2022.
Reggie Wong is missing his father terribly since losing him two years ago. His mother is paralyzed with grief which means Reggie is often on his own. One day when visiting his father’s grave, Reggie meets the Conductor, who promises that he can make Reggie’s deepest desire come true. Reggie decides to meet the Conductor at the St. Patrick subway station in Toronto at midnight along with hundreds of other kids. The train takes them deep underground where the kids get off individually to meet with their lost loved ones. But all is not as it seems and Reggie, along with new friends Chantal and Gareth, must escape from the nightmare in this twisted tale version of the Pied Piper.
This book perfectly blends mystery with a deep creep factor, mainly, rats! The Conductor creepily preys on the kids’ grief to get what he wants. I enjoyed how Reggie, Chantal, and Gareth worked together to get themselves out of their predicament. This is a great debut novel by Derrick Chow. I highly recommend it for readers in grades 4 and up.
#RavenousThings #NetGalley #DisneyHyperion
This title will be available July 26, 2022.
July 13, 2022
I would recommend this book to any middle grade reader that likes creepy, suspenseful books. This book does a great job at creating a certain ambiance that sucks you into the story. The creepy twists and turns are perfect for anyone that wants to dip their toe into the genre of horror. I also think that this book did a great job of portraying grief and provided important insights into the various ways that people process grief through these characters. I think that it is important to include characters with anger management struggles or characters that unapologetically see a therapist. I really appreciated the representation in this book that I think many readers will feel a kinship with. I rated this four stars because I did find myself slowing down toward the end of the book and I think that it could have benefitted from being just a little bit shorter to keep the audience engaged all the way through.
Thank you to Derrick Chow and Disney-Hyperion for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Derrick Chow and Disney-Hyperion for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 16, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy of Ravenous Things by Derrick Chow. I was intrigued by this one because it is a reimagining based on the Pied Piper Story. It begins with Reggie in the cemetery leaving a birthday gift at his Dad's grave. He is then approached by a mysterious man (who in my head looks like the bowler head guy from Meet the Robinson's) and told that he can see his dad again if he goes to the subway at midnight. When he goes, he meets Chantal and also sees his archnemesis, Gareth.
At the end of the line, he discovers his father, but all is not as it seems. Soon, it is up to him to save the other children from a certain deadly trap.
I would recommend this book to students who can handle talk about grief (all three children have lost someone close to them), and love creepy middle grade. It is imaginative and I love how dynamic the characters are. It was interesting to see them figure out what has happening.
3.5/5 stars
At the end of the line, he discovers his father, but all is not as it seems. Soon, it is up to him to save the other children from a certain deadly trap.
I would recommend this book to students who can handle talk about grief (all three children have lost someone close to them), and love creepy middle grade. It is imaginative and I love how dynamic the characters are. It was interesting to see them figure out what has happening.
3.5/5 stars
February 16, 2023
Derrick Chow has given us a creepy, suspenseful, but totally fun new take on the Pied Piper story. This book will be a big hit with fans of children's books like Coraline: genuinely scary, with a touch of sweetness, and unafraid of taking on big, scary topics. Our protagonist Reggie is dealing with some big problems: the death of his father, his mother's depression, and a whole lot of anger. And now, he has to face The Conductor, a powerful and mysterious stranger who is promising him the impossible. It is when The Conductor's offer is indeed revealed to be too good to be true that this book really begins to shine. Both a powerful examination of grief and a totally scary rollercoaster ride, RAVENOUS THINGS is a real treat.
July 28, 2022
Reggie is dealing with his father's death (and his mother's resulting agoraphobia) when a strange flute playing man called the Conductor catches his attention. Despite his better judgment, Reggie follows the Conductor onto a subway train along with hundreds of other children in hopes of being reunited with his father. Then, the rats take over. It's a little like Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets the Pied Piper. I was a bit confused as to the motivation of the Conductor and his development as a character but that doesn't really matter. I thought the story was spooky and the plot was twisty and exciting. Definitely for the strong reader who asks for a "scary book".
August 1, 2022
This book was fabulous spooky goodness! The writing takes you into this world and makes you believe every word! As much as I hate rodents and bugs this was a wonderful re-telling of the pied piper story.
Fans of books like Coraline or Goosebumps will like this one!
Todd Haberkorn’s narration was amazing! He had so many different voices and accents and does them all very well!
This is a fun Middle grade book that I will be buying for my library I have a couple kids in mind already!
4 stars
I received this book from the publisher Disney Audio and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
Fans of books like Coraline or Goosebumps will like this one!
Todd Haberkorn’s narration was amazing! He had so many different voices and accents and does them all very well!
This is a fun Middle grade book that I will be buying for my library I have a couple kids in mind already!
4 stars
I received this book from the publisher Disney Audio and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
August 17, 2022
Thank you to #NetGalley, Derrick Chow, and the publisher of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Ravenous Things" is a creepy modern retelling of the Pied Piper.
Main character Reggie Wong is lured by a mysterious train conductor who promises him that he will see his father again who has passed away. Once Reggie is back with his dad though, he realizes he has been tricked. It is now up to him and two new friends/fellow passengers to get out of this mess. Will Reggie and the other children be able to escape?
This book was a great read and kept me on the edge of my seat. It was pretty creepy to me though and might be creepy to younger children. I would recommend it to others who enjoy a more chilling/creepy read.
"Ravenous Things" is a creepy modern retelling of the Pied Piper.
Main character Reggie Wong is lured by a mysterious train conductor who promises him that he will see his father again who has passed away. Once Reggie is back with his dad though, he realizes he has been tricked. It is now up to him and two new friends/fellow passengers to get out of this mess. Will Reggie and the other children be able to escape?
This book was a great read and kept me on the edge of my seat. It was pretty creepy to me though and might be creepy to younger children. I would recommend it to others who enjoy a more chilling/creepy read.
January 27, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley & Disney Publishing Worldwide for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I dropped the book at 20% of the way through.
This book is pretty dark and genuinely unnerving despite being a book geared toward children. I don't really recommend it for that reason--it looks like a lighthearted fantasy adventure book but it's reeeeallly creepy. If your kid can handle nightmare fuel involving the protagonist's deceased father go for it.
I also wasn't a fan of the writing style either.
This book is pretty dark and genuinely unnerving despite being a book geared toward children. I don't really recommend it for that reason--it looks like a lighthearted fantasy adventure book but it's reeeeallly creepy. If your kid can handle nightmare fuel involving the protagonist's deceased father go for it.
I also wasn't a fan of the writing style either.
November 14, 2022
It’s a cute story that accomplishes its premise and creepiness reminds me of what I may have seen in 90s episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark? The main character, main characters so you can expect a lot of questionable choices. This novel stands out in its depictions of how family units change with grief and how sometimes the people you cut yourself off from are precisely the people who share a similar plight.
See more here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cjqp7r...
See more here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cjqp7r...
August 2, 2024
J'ai adoré. Il y a tous les éléments de l'aventure halloweenesque qui fait peur (vraiment peur) avec des personnages crédibles et attachants. Le discours est émouvant mais pas larmoyant, ni moralisateur. Trois gamins vont devoir faire équipe pour sauver leurs familles, leur ville et se sauver eux-mêmes d'une menace à la fois irréelle et mortelle, qui réveille tous les fantômes du passé. Un livre qui plaira particulièrement aux fans de star trek ! ;)
August 16, 2022
Thank you to Disney Publishing and Netgalley for a review copy of this book.
A different take on the Pied Piper tale we learned growing up, this book is a great way for kids who have experienced grief (or those who want to understand it) to connect and feel seen and understood. It's a good book to help open up conversations with young readers.
A different take on the Pied Piper tale we learned growing up, this book is a great way for kids who have experienced grief (or those who want to understand it) to connect and feel seen and understood. It's a good book to help open up conversations with young readers.
October 2, 2022
This tale is a reimagined version of the Pied Piper. The story is told from the point of view of a few children who have lost family to death and a stranger promises to get their loved-ones returned. They find deception. They must become something better to overcome the lies and the loss with which they were dealing. There lessons in these pages.
September 13, 2023
Ravenous Things has one of those plots that is just too odd to try to summarize. Young readers who enjoy quirky, somewhat nonsensical story elements will enjoy it, but it also won't work for many young readers for exactly the same reason!
Ravenous Things is nominated for a 2024 MYRCA Sundog.
Ravenous Things is nominated for a 2024 MYRCA Sundog.
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