John Bellairs

This classic is now reissued with a brand-new look. A boy goes to live with his magician uncle in a mansion that has a clock hidden in the walls which is ticking off the minutes until doomsday.

The House with a Clock in Its Walls

Sarah Sammis

Orphan	Uhoria	Maze	FFCCCC

If this were a modern day middle grade fantasy / horror, Lewis's adventures would take place over the course of weeks, not months. He would be completely focused on learning the truth of the house's curse and putting a stop to the big, undead bad.

Instead, though, this short novel (just shy of 200 pages) unfolds over ten months. Lewis spends his summer learning how to play baseball. He makes a crucial mistake while trying to impress the kid he hopes is his friend. He goes to school and nearly completes the entire year before the climax.

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Briar's Reviews

The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a delightful read for middle graders.

Last year I finally got to see the film adaptation and I was blown away! I had so much fun with the legendary tale that was packed full of colour and imagination. Naturally, I wanted to give the book a go to see where the adaptation came from. Lucky my found this book on accident, and ever since I've been staring at it on my shelf. I finally picked the book up, and it was a nice, little binge read for me!

This book is fantastical. It is littered with magic, wizards, witches and friendship, giving it just enough 'umph' to keep the reader glued and enchanted. Lewis is a kid we can all relate to. He does have a tragic back story with the loss of his parents, but he just wants to be friendly and fit in. Lewis isn't amazing at sports, but he tries! He's kind of awkward, but he's super curious. This young boy wants to learn magic and have fun with his family. He works hard to impress others to gain their friendship, but it turns out when he's just being himself and meets the right people, everything falls into place.

Uncle Johnathan and Mrs. Zimmerman are kooky, spooky and filled with fun. They bring an Addams Family friendly vibe to a spooky middle grade tale. Uncle Johnathan is a wizard. He's not the most powerful, but he's fun and eccentric in all the best ways! He's a caring figure who does his best to help Lewis. He's not mean, but he can be strict. Uncle Johnathan never comes off as cruel, instead he seems like the guardian Lewis needs after such an incredibly sudden loss. Mrs. Zimmerman is Uncle Johnathan's friend, and she's a mighty great witch. She's not scary either. Instead, she's wickedly smart and always down for a great ride or game. The two together make for a fabulous set of guardians to help Lewis grow and learn. You don't see that too often in middle grade and young adult books, so extra applause here please.

Lewis gets himself into a little trouble when he starts investigating the death of the former owner of Uncle Johnathan's house. This house is mighty special, like the title suggests. There seems to be a clock in it's walls! But why? Lewis goes on investigating, and starts more trouble than you could ever imagine... But don't worry, with Lewis, Uncle Johnathan and Mrs. Zimmerman, there will definitely be a way to sort out the mischief! They make one great team.

This book isn't scary in the sense of flesh, gore or blood. It's mighty friendly! It's spooky due to the mysteries, twists and turns that the book does and can take. You don't know for sure what is happening until you start unravelling the mystery. 

I applaud John Bellairs. This book was mighty fun and not scary. Middle graders deserve spooky and fun books! I highly recommend this book for a introduction to the land of spooky, creepy, crawly and kooky!

Four out of five stars.

Jeff James

I read this thanks to the movie adaptation with Jack Black and a convenient daily deal at Audible. It was an interesting change of pace because it doesn’t fit the norms and tropes of modern young adult books. The main character isn’t super-capable or the chosen one – he’s just a normal kid caught up in supernatural weirdness who makes the occasional disastrous mistake. Apparently it’s the first in a series of a dozen or so books, so I might have to pick up the next volume sometime soon.

Renee Delcourt

....I really hate the writing of this book. It's so monotone and boring. I seriously am so glad I read it before I planned to read this to my boys because I'm pretty positive this book would make them hate bedtime stories....

Loredana

Lynn Braden

Lewis's parents have died in a car crash, and he has gone off to live with his Uncle Jonathan who he has never met. When he arrives, he finds that his uncle spends lots of time with is neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman. The house where his uncle is strange with secret passages and strange sounds including a never ending ticking in the walls that his Uncle Jonathan explains as a clock that was placed in the walls by the house's former owner, Issac Izard. Things go well for Lewis in his new home until he tries to impress his friend Tarby by successfully bringing Mrs. Izard back from the dead. 

The House with a Clock in Its Walls is historical fiction, but includes many modern references. Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman are very unusual characters, but they are not well developed in the story. Lewis seems to acclimate a little too quickly to his new surroundings, but that is a minor complaint. Overall, this is a quick, enjoyable read.

A haunting gothic tale by master mysery writer John Bellairs--soon to be a major motion picture starring Cate Blanchett and Jack Black! "The House With a Clock in Its Walls will cast its spell for a long time."--The New York Times Book Review When Lewis Barnavelt, an orphan. comes to stay with his uncle Jonathan, he expects to meet an ordinary person. But he is wrong. Uncle Jonathan and his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmermann, are both magicians! Lewis is thrilled. At first, watchng magic is enough. Then Lewis experiments with magic himself and unknowingly resurrects the former owner of the house: a woman named Selenna Izard. It seems that Selenna and her husband built a timepiece into the walls--a clock that could obliterate humankind. And only the Barnavelts can stop it!

The House With a Clock In Its Walls

Ashley Ballard 

Erik Wallace

Luca Masters

The American classic - now a major motion picture from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, starring Cate Blanchett, Jack Black and Kyle MacLachlan Lewis Barnavelt doesn't have time on his side... When Lewis Barnavelt, an orphan, comes to stay with his uncle Jonathan, he expects to meet an ordinary person. But he is wrong. Uncle Jonathan and his next-door neighbour, Mrs Zimmermann, are both witches! Lewis couldn't be happier. What's not to like about seeing his uncle practise spells and eating Mrs Zimmermann's delicious cookies? At first, watching magic is enough. Then Lewis experiments with magic himself and unknowingly resurrects the former owner of the house: a woman named Selenna Izard. It seems that evil Selenna and her husband built a timepiece into the walls - a clock that could obliterate humankind. As the clock can be heard ticking away in the house all the time, sometimes louder, sometimes quieter, sometimes faster, sometimes slower, it is up to the Barnavelts to find where it is hidden in the walls - and stop it. A true race against time...