But one sighting turns into another encounter, and another, until Claire realizes she’s being haunted. After seeing an eerie boy at one stop, Claire shrugs off an ominous feeling. While on the tour, Claire dutifully fills her role as an assistant and almost makes it to the end unscathed. However, her parents need her help, and Claire begrudgingly agrees. For starters, Claire is a scientist and absolutely refuses to believe in the supernatural. Scritch Scratch is a good choice leading up to the Halloween season.When Claire’s parents ask her to assist her father on one of his ghost tours of Chicago, she cannot think of anything worse or more humiliating. This objection probably won’t even register with younger readers, but as a parent, it spoiled the ending just a bit. One would hope an “expert” would have played a bigger role. Claire exhibits clear signs of exhaustion and emotional distress. A specific parenting choice he makes, but that we don’t learn about until the end, made me angry. I did have a problem with Claire’s parents her father in particular. Both Claire’s brother and best friend make it clear they are there for Claire and want to help - even though learning the truth is clearly frightening. As the stakes rise, and Claire starts pushing people away, they push back. Its other main theme focuses on friendship and family. The haunting elements had me reaching for a blanket halfway through and made me glad this book is being marketed to older middle-readers (10 and up).īut Scritch Scratch isn’t only about a ghost. Claire’s experience on the bus tour is enough to wig out even the calmest of people, but add in a continued haunting, and it’s downright freaky.

Author Lindsay Currie wastes no time setting the scene. Scritch Scratch is based on real Chicago history, and it is creepy as can be. Synopsis provided by Sourcebooks for Young readers The boy from the bus wants something…and Claire needs to find out what before it’s too late. And the boy with the dark eyes starts following her.Ĭlaire is being haunted. The number 396 appears everywhere she turns. There’s something off about his presence, especially because when she checks at the end of the tour…he’s gone.Ĭlaire tries to brush it off, she must be imagining things, letting her dad’s ghost stories get the best of her.

She thinks she’s made it through when she sees a boy with a sad face and dark eyes at the back of the bus. She’s a scientist, which is why she can’t think of anything worse than having to help out her dad on one of his ghost-themed Chicago bus tours.

If you’re looking for a spooky tale that focuses on friendships, then Lindsay Currie’s Scritch Scratch might fit the bill.Ĭlaire has absolutely no interest in the paranormal. SCRITCH SCRATCH, by Lindsay Currie, Sourcebooks Young Readers, Sept.

Scritch scratch lindsay currie