• Age: 8 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7
• Reading age: 8 to 12

The secrets of Ravensbarrow have been buried far too long. Now they're waking up . . .

For fans of My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish and The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter, a laugh-out-loud new series that kicks off in a school infested with brain-eating hamsters.

Book 1: Teddy vs. the Fuzzy Doom

Starting at a new school is hard enough for an anxious kid like Teddy. But Ravensbarrow Elementary seems extra unsettling. First, there are the zombielike kids and teachers, with their vacant stares and strange, echoey voices. Then there are the hamsters. So. Many. Hamsters. With their scrabbly claws and beady eyes and . . . wait. Can those hamsters talk?

Teddy must face old fears (making friends) and new ones (evil hamsters!) in this frightening and fast-paced, hilarious, and heartfelt debut.

About the Series: Alongside a crew of misfits, Teddy untangles the supernatural mysteries of the rainy town of Ravensbarrow in this highly illustrated, action-packed new horror comedy series.

BRADEN HALLETT is a teacher, author, and illustrator from Kamloops, British Columbia. Why hamsters? Braden once had a pet hamster named Scratchy with razor-sharp claws, patchy fur, blood-red eyes, and three legs. Scratchy left quite the impression.

Braden Hallett's profile page

• Nominated, OWL (Outstanding Works of Literature) Awards

“While the light tone breezily matches the absurd premise that hamsters en masse might gather forces and take over a school, Hallett is also careful to frame anxiety, loneliness, and fear as sympathetic, relatable emotions rather than part of the jokes … there’s a lot here to enjoy.”

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 02/24

“Buckets of fun and spooky doings.”

Kirkus Reviews, 03/01/24