Published by Neem Tree Press, 2023.

Twelve-year-old Nancy Crumpet lives above a bakery and her life is a delightful mix of flour, salt, and love. Yet her mind is brimming with questions no one can answer: Why did her birth parents disappear? Why can she speak with the sky? And why must she keep her mysterious birthmark hidden?

Everything is about to change when the Scareground returns to Greenwich. Nancy is convinced it holds the answers to her parents’ disappearance. Nancy and her best friend Arthur Green meet the fair’s spooky owner, Skelter, and discover a world full of dark magic and mystery. Nancy must confront her greatest fears to get to the truth. But is she ready for all the secrets the Scareground will reveal?

This is an exquisitely written book: descriptions that read like poetry, images painted with words. It’s fabulous. With Nancy leaping from roof to roof, it’s got lovely Rooftoppers vibes and these are mixed with a delicious dollop of the macabre. It’s sinister and spooky and just the kind of book that will appeal to pre-teens; I’ve already had a number of children in my class eying up my copy of the book.

It’s also a book with friendship at its heart. Nancy and Arthur are brilliant together. I loved watching their relationship develop as they explored the Scareground together, showing courage and a spirit of adventure.

Get your Halloween on and curl up with Scareground this autumn.

Rating: 💙💙💙💙

Suitable for children aged 10+

Thank you to Neem Tree Press for sending me this book to review and to the Write Reads for inviting me to be part of the blog tour. I reviewed this book as part of the Scareground blog tour. Check out all the other posts on the tour for more exclusive content.