Scary School

Writing as 11-year-old Derek the Ghost, debut author Kent offers an episodic, meandering account of Scary School, "the first and only school to mix regular kids with Scary Kids and Scary teachers." Derek, whose unfinished business is to haunt the school, narrates this journey (which recalls Louis Sachar's Wayside School books in format), introducing a large cast of dinosaurs, monsters, and plain old humans. Grisly, gross-out humor is in ample supply, and the threat of death is never far ("After being eaten by Dr. Dragonbreath, every kid in his class learned a very important life lesson about following rules and an even more important lesson about not trusting dragons that wear suits"). In one chapter, after Miss Fang drains one student's blood, a long chain of blood transfusions follows, with students alternately dropping dead and being revived. The book moves so quickly from character to character that it's difficult to fully appreciate their eccentricities, and Derek's narrative delay tactics ("more about that in future books") get old. But reluctant readers with a taste for wicked humor should be entertained. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8%E2%80%9312. (July)