Children’s Books: The Midnight Curse by L.M. Falcone

New this month, The Midnight Curse (Kids Can Press) by L.M. Falcone is a brisk and compelling read aimed at the nine to 12 set. And though the writing is solid and the book is a lot of fun, The Midnight Curse truly is more likely to capture the imagination of those in the younger part of the age bracket the book is intended for.

When their great uncle dies, twins Lacey and Charlie anticipate an unexpected windfall, only to discover they should have been careful what they wished for. Though, in fairness, who would even think to wish for some ghosts and a deadly family curse?

Parents and librarians who have not encountered L.M. Falcone’s work before will find it interesting to discover the journey this author made to writing for children. Falcone started out as a teacher, wrote for television for a while, then ended up writing books for children. The resulting books (including the popular Walking With the Dead and The Devil, the Banshee and Me) combine a teacher’s understanding of the minds of children with a TV writer’s passion for punch and motion. Falcone’s books are good and certainly worthy of more attention.