Book Descriptions
for The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
In this parallel universe, London residents are at risk from hostile "Visitors"-aka ghosts. Adults lack the ability to see ghosts, so it's left to young people to put up a fight. Several agencies (think private eye meets Ghostbusters ) serve Britain in this capacity. Lockwood and Company, run by charismatic Anthony Lockwood along with studious George Cubbins and risk-taking Lucy Carlyle, is the only agency without an adult supervisor and as such is viewed as unreliable and rebellious. Lucy narrates her early career with Lockwood and Co. as their clever and brave attempts at ghost removal often end in botched results, lending credence to their detractors' claims. Eventually they are driven to accept a high-risk, high-reward job in order to repay debts and save their company's reputation after one of their investigations goes horribly wrong. This smart middle-grade adventure, alternately funny and scary with fallible characters that grow emotionally and intellectually, sets the stage for the continuing escapades of Lockwood and Company. (Ages 11-15)
CCBC Choices 2014. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2014. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
*NOW A NETFLIX SERIES*
Dive into the first book of this frightfully fun series and join the ghost-hunting gang as they defend our world from the most fearsome phantoms!
A sinister Problem has occurred in London: all nature of ghosts, haunts, spirits, and specters are appearing throughout the city, and they aren't exactly friendly. Only young people have the psychic abilities required to see and eradicate these supernatural foes. Many different Psychic Detection Agencies have cropped up to handle the dangerous work, and they are in fierce competition for business.
In The Screaming Staircase, the plucky and talented Lucy Carlyle teams up with Anthony Lockwood, the charismatic leader of Lockwood & Co, a small agency that runs independent of any adult supervision. After an assignment leads to both a grisly discovery and a disastrous end, Lucy, Anthony, and their sarcastic colleague, George, are forced to take part in the perilous investigation of Combe Carey Hall, one of the most haunted houses in England. Will Lockwood & Co. survive the Hall's legendary Screaming Staircase and Red Room to see another day?
Readers who enjoyed the action, suspense, and humor in Jonathan Stroud's internationally best-selling Bartimaeus books will be delighted to find the same ingredients, combined with deliciously creepy scares, in his thrilling and chilling Lockwood & Co. series.
Dive into the first book of this frightfully fun series and join the ghost-hunting gang as they defend our world from the most fearsome phantoms!
A sinister Problem has occurred in London: all nature of ghosts, haunts, spirits, and specters are appearing throughout the city, and they aren't exactly friendly. Only young people have the psychic abilities required to see and eradicate these supernatural foes. Many different Psychic Detection Agencies have cropped up to handle the dangerous work, and they are in fierce competition for business.
In The Screaming Staircase, the plucky and talented Lucy Carlyle teams up with Anthony Lockwood, the charismatic leader of Lockwood & Co, a small agency that runs independent of any adult supervision. After an assignment leads to both a grisly discovery and a disastrous end, Lucy, Anthony, and their sarcastic colleague, George, are forced to take part in the perilous investigation of Combe Carey Hall, one of the most haunted houses in England. Will Lockwood & Co. survive the Hall's legendary Screaming Staircase and Red Room to see another day?
Readers who enjoyed the action, suspense, and humor in Jonathan Stroud's internationally best-selling Bartimaeus books will be delighted to find the same ingredients, combined with deliciously creepy scares, in his thrilling and chilling Lockwood & Co. series.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.
