I recently had the pleasure of reading “The Clackity” by Lora Senf, a fairy tale-inspired horror adventure.
The story focuses on a young girl who lives in the town of Blight Harbor, a place where ghosts, witches and “otherworldly concerns” are quite the norm. Our hero, Evie, is tasked with rescuing her aunt when she gets pulled into a darker dimension by a monster who calls himself “The Clackity.” Evie must venture through seven houses while evading a murderous ghost to get her family back while along the way also facing puzzles and frightening creatures. I would, however, add a warning to readers, as there are various gruesome aspects to this story that might make some uncomfortable.
This story is equally frightening and amusing. Interspersed with references to ghostly apparitions and monsters stealing memories are comedic notions of traditional story elements. For example, there are witches reminiscent of those from tales who like to eat children, but in this story, they are trying to become vegetarians. There are several other references to classic tales, but with a chilling twist to them. For instance, there is an apparent reference to “Jack and the Beanstalk,” but instead of magic beans, a witch is transformed into the magical stalk. And instead of a character bargaining to spin straw into gold, they bargain for spun stories by physically removing them from the creator’s brain.
A wonderful element of the story is the overarching goal Evie is trying to accomplish, that timelessly relatable story of trying to overcome one’s fear to save your family. The way she expresses her anxieties and the things she does to fight back against them ring true to anyone who has experienced those feelings before. Her intentionality with her clothes and makeup become her armor, and the pep talks she gives herself feel familiar. Her success in achieving her goals despite these feelings can be an encouragement to anyone.
Another lovely aspect of this book is the illustrations throughout, which add a charming element to an otherwise eerie story. The black and white illustrations are wonderfully cute even when depicting some scary elements. Many of the drawings contain clever additions you do not see at first glance but find more and more of as you study it. They add a whimsical element of style to the whole story.
If you are looking for a spooky yet overall encouraging tale, “The Clackity” might be the book for you. While the harrowing experience with monsters Evie has in this story is not one we would have to worry about, the desire to rescue a loved one in danger and working to overcome fears and anxiety is universally relatable. If you are all ready for spooky season, this would be a fun choice to add to your reading list!
Katelyn Smith works in Children’s Services at the Champaign Public Library.