I just finished reading The Creakers with my young son and it’s delightful. It tells the tale of Wiffington and the relationship between its residents and the creatures known as the Creakers. Specifically, it focusses on the children of the town after they awake to find every grown-up has mysteriously vanished overnight.
Our heroine for the story is young Lucy Dungston, who’s a worthy hero for the adventure. While many children celebrate their new freedom, Lucy attempts to solve the riddle of where their parents have gone. She takes it upon herself to keep her fellow children safe and return the grown-ups to Wiffington — no small order. With monsters under the bed, people being snatched, and a strange, backwards world called the Woleb, The Creakers tiptoes along the edge of scary for its intended audience. However, Fletcher has a wonderful sense of humour, regularly breaking the fourth wall to interact with the reader, and lightening the mood considerably.
The story has great pacing, an eclectic cast of characters, and a strong dose of ridiculousness. It also features excellent illustrations throughout to help bring everything to life. My son and I both loved it — two thumbs up.
The Creakers is aimed at younger readers. Due to the production quality and illustrations, I recommend the physical book rather than eBook.
You can find it on Goodreads, Amazon, and Book Depository (or your local bookstore).