A Terrific Book to Coincide with this Spooky Time of the Year

A new school year has started and my 4th-grade son brought home his first reading calendar of the year this week. Suggested reading is 20 minutes each night and they earn a grade based on how many total minutes or how many total nights of reading they complete each month. As part of this reading assignment, they can choose any “good-fit” book they wish, but we often have trouble finding new favorites.

This month’s suggestion from Disney-Hyperion will be my next suggestion to him. The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding is the first in a new series by Alexandra Bracken, the #1 New York Times best-selling author.

Suggested for ages 9–12, the book is a tale of betrayal and revenge, of old hurts passed down from generation to generation. Read more of the book's description here:

“I would say it’s a pleasure to meet thee, Prosperity Oceanus Redding, but truly, I only anticipate the delights of destroying thy happiness….”

Prosper is the only unexceptional Redding in his old and storied family history—that is, until he discovers the demon living inside him. Turns out Prosper’s great-great-great-great-great-something grandfather made—and then broke—a contract with a malefactor, a demon who exchanges fortune for eternal servitude. And, weirdly enough, eight-hundred-year-old Alastor isn’t exactly the forgiving type.   

The fiend has reawakened with one purpose--to destroy the family whose success he ensured and who then betrayed him.  With only days to break the curse and banish Alastor back to the demon realm, Prosper is playing unwilling host to the fiend, who delights in tormenting him with nasty insults and constant attempts to trick him into a contract. Yeah, Prosper will take his afterlife without a side of eternal servitude, thanks. But with the help of his long-lost uncle, Barnabas, and his daughter, Nell, a witch-in-training, it seems like Prosper has at least a fighting chance of ridding himself of Alastor before the demon escapes and wreaks havoc on his family. 

Little does Prosper know, the malefactor’s control over his body grows stronger with each passing night and there’s a lot Alastor isn’t telling his dim-witted (but admittedly strong-willed) human host… 

Early feedback from literary critics is even more intriguing, suggesting The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding is a terrific book to coincide with this spooky time of the year.

"An infectious, entertaining series starter. Clever, occasionally frightening, and always fun, this will hook plenty."
   —Booklist, starred review

“Bracken's cast is drawn in loving detail, and her twisty plot will keep readers guessing."

   —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Read more about The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding or purchase it online here. You can get more great suggestions for your family’s bookshelf by connecting with Disney-Hyperion on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and following #DisneyMKBookClub.