Product Details

Wicked Cruel by Rich Wallace. Your ISBN corresponds to the 2013 Knopf Books for Young Readers hardcover edition, approximately 208 pages. Trigger Warnings: Bullying, death, ghosts, supernatural threats, frightening imagery, grief, children in danger, and creepy/disturbing situations. Tropes/Themes: 👻 Urban legends • ghosts • supernatural horror • small-town mysteries • childhood friendships • creepy folklore • Halloween vibes • interconnected scary stories. Spice Level: 🌶️ 0/5 — None. This is middle-grade/juvenile horror, recommended for roughly fifth grade and up. Short Summary: Wicked Cruel contains three interconnected supernatural stories following boys who experience terrifying encounters with local legends and the unexplained. One story involves mysterious ghostly horses running through the streets at night, while another centers on phantom children haunting an old farm. The final tale involves a former classmate who died—but might not be quite as dead as everyone believes. Each story mixes everyday childhood experiences with increasingly unsettling supernatural events and explores the connection between the living and the dead. Wicked Cruel is a creepy but age-appropriate collection that's a good fit for readers who enjoy Goosebumps or Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.