The Emaciated Man

Bloodthirsty children, personal transmogrification, cursed objects, mad teachers, evil clowns, and shadowy cults...middle school, am I right? 😂 The Emaciated Man by Evan Baughfman is a really great book of middle grade horror. Set in Edgar Allen Poe Middle School, this collection of stories tells a linear narrative set in a shared world about the terrors of the middle years. Baughfman is a middle school teacher and these stories really ring with authenticity. The way the students and teachers talk and behave is often highly believable, however fantastic the story might be. And indeed, these stories are darkly fantastical. Baughfman does not shy away from twisted, gory, dark details which place this work firmly in the horror genre. Frankly, this volume might even be too scary for some of its target audience. Yet, for mature and brave middle schoolers - and older readers - this volume is a fantastic collection that examines important themes like bullying, education, and coming of age. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️