Another
Paul Tremblay
HarperCollins Publishers/Quill Tree Books
Ages 8-12
Available July 22nd, 2025

Casey Wilson is in 6th grade, and he’s lonely. The COVID pandemic has forced his school into a hybrid schedule that keeps him separated from his classmates, and the Zoom Incident earlier this year has pushed away his friends. So when his parents get a call on their new landline from someone claiming to be the father of one of his friends, they jump at the chance for Casey to have someone to spend time with. But Morel, the boy who gets dropped off at his house, isn’t someone Casey has ever met before – in fact, he’s barely even a boy, with his clay-like skin and smooth mannequin face. But Casey’s parents accept Morel with open arms, so he figures he should too. It’s nice to have a friend, for a while. Until it seems like his parents are becoming so obsessed with Morel that they forget Casey even exists. And Morel starts changing, too, into something (or someone) oddly familiar…

The middle grade debut from horror author Paul Tremblay, Another delivers on eerie atmosphere and thrill-laced mystery without a reliance on gore or violence. Gradually building over several days and nights, the tension in Casey’s story ramps up with every chapter – all coming to a head when he has his final confrontation with the mysterious man claiming to be Morel’s father. Tremblay weaves the threads of suspense throughout the book into a satisfying conclusion with clear messages about self-confidence and individuality, and the scariness ebbs away to allow for a happy ending with just enough left unanswered to keep readers wondering what happens next. Later in the book, fungus-based body mutation cements itself as a central tenant of the story, although descriptions are vague enough not to upset more squeamish readers. Illustrations (not final in the advance copy used for this review) add to the creepy air of the book, but may be too scary for some sensitive readers.

Suspenseful and scary, Another is a great fit for young fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Goosebumps. Readers familiar with horror will find familiar touchstones of the genre in Casey and Morel’s story, while also being treated to a fresh spin which covers subjects familiar to them such as online learning and school-based anxiety.