By Dan Smith

Illustrated by Chris King

On Sale: Sep 16, 2025
Page Count: 112 pages
Publisher: Union Square Kids
ISBN-13: 9781454962717

$9.99

$12.99 CAD

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Trade Paperback

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Trade Paperback $9.99 $12.99 CAD

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Something sinister is happening in Crooked Oak.

Ever since the fracking site closed, Nancy’s parents have been acting weird. Their eyes are blank, they won’t eat—it’s like they’re no longer themselves. Before she knows it, the symptoms begin affecting others as well.

Nancy enlists the help of her best friends, Pete and Krish, and the trio of Crooked Oak middle school students resolve to find out what’s really going on. But the deeper they dig, the scarier the mystery gets. A dark presence is spreading its tendrils across their home. Can they stop it before it takes over the whole town?

A spine-tingling supernatural middle-grade adventure, perfect for fans of R. L. Stine and Margaret Peterson Haddix.

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Series:

Everyone Can Be a Reader (The Crooked Oa

Dan Smith is the award-winning and bestselling author of books for both children and adults. His children’s titles, which include My Friend the Enemy and Boy X, have won him numerous accolades including the Coventry Inspiration Book Award, the Essex Book Award, and nominations for the Branford Boase Award and the Young Quills Award. Dan lives in Newcastle with his family.

Chris King is an illustrator whose early career was influenced by comic art. Chris studied media production at the University of Northumbria, specializing in animation and character design. Best known for his innovative use of color and line weight, Chris has been commissioned worldwide by leading publishers, media outlets, and consumer brands such as Oxford University Press, Variety, Dorling Kindersley, and more. He lives in the UK.

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Dan Smith

About the Author

Dan Smith is the award-winning and bestselling author of books for both children and adults. His children’s titles, which include My Friend the Enemy and Boy X, have won him numerous accolades including the Coventry Inspiration Book Award, the Essex Book Award, and nominations for the Branford Boase Award and the Young Quills Award. Dan lives in Newcastle with his family.

Chris King is an illustrator whose early career was influenced by comic art. Chris studied media production at the University of Northumbria, specializing in animation and character design. Best known for his innovative use of color and line weight, Chris has been commissioned worldwide by leading publishers, media outlets, and consumer brands such as Oxford University Press, Variety, Dorling Kindersley, and more. He lives in the UK.

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Chris King

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