There is one thing I’ve mentioned before and its that I don’t do Horror of any kind and that includes in the books I read. I have a question for you. Have ever come across a book that sounds so scary that you’re not sure you would want to read it before going to bed? Well, I think I may have found one!
Today, I’m sharing Don’t Wake Up by Cassandra Ramos-Gomez, a Doll Island novel that reminds me of Halloween. I received this book in exchange for my review, and after reading the description, I’m not sure I would honestly sit down and read the whole thing. If I did, I might never sleep again!
This is the very first time I’ve heard of the Doll Island series, which surprises me. When Charlie was growing up, I shopped for books for him at Walmart, Half Price Books, and Barnes & Noble. I would’ve thought I might have come across these books while looking for something new for him to read, but I never did.
I even asked Charlie if he had heard of the series, and he hadn’t either. It’s funny how you can spend years looking for books for your child and still discover something completely new when you least expect it! The publisher, Simon & Schuster Kids, describes Don’t Wake Up as a middle-grade horror story featuring Diego and his friends as they face El Cucuy, a legendary Mexican boogeyman. The book is the sequel to Lost on Doll Island.
The warning on the story says, “Stay awake. Stay alive.” After going head-to-head with a demonic doll, Diego’s life is finally getting back to normal. He’s settled into Mexico City, joining clubs at school, and spending time with his friends Jandro and Itzel. Best of all, he hasn’t dreamed about the doll since leaving La Isla de las Muñecas.
Tomas is still living at Itzel’s house under her watchful eye, but things are finally starting to feel normal for the three friends. Then children at school begin mysteriously falling asleep and never waking up. When Diego hears rumors about a boogeyman who can enter children’s dreams and steal their souls, he realizes there may be a connection between the monster and the strange illness spreading through his school.
But beware of El Cucuy. Once you enter his dream world, he will do everything he can to make sure you never wake up! Oh my goodness! That sounds terrifying! The cover of Don’t Wake Up is blue, with a skull that’s barely visible in the background. The title is written in red letters, with the author’s name underneath, and there are children on the cover who look absolutely terrified. And I don’t blame them one bit!
I can only imagine what they’re seeing. Of course, the cover is supposed to make you curious enough to pick up the book, and I have to admit that the combination of the title, the skull, and the frightened children certainly gets your attention. Still, I’m not making any promises about reading this one before bedtime!
Although horror isn’t necessarily my first choice when I’m looking for something to read, I know plenty of people who enjoy a good scare. Charlie and Bradley are so goofy when it comes to horror stories and scary things, and David enjoys them, too. I can just picture them sitting down with this book, reading the story, and trying to decide who would be the most scared!
I can also see Charlie sharing it with his friends, who might enjoy reading it and comparing their reactions. Some people love a book that makes them jump, wonder what’s lurking around the corner, or think twice about turning off the lights. Me? I’m perfectly happy letting them have that adventure while I read something a little less frightening!
I could also see David sitting down to read the book and asking Charlie for help with some of the words. There were a few words in the description that gave me pause, too. That would give them something else to laugh about while they’re reading and also it would be a #teachingmoment for them and a way for a father and son to bond over a book they enjoyed.
When Charlie was homeschooling, I learned that I had to pick my battles. I wanted him to enjoy reading, and I wanted him to explore the things that interested him. That meant allowing him to choose books that I might not have picked out myself. I could have seen Charlie reading Don’t Wake Up, even though it wouldn’t necessarily have been my first choice. If a book caught his attention and encouraged him to read, I was willing to consider it.
Not every child enjoys the same stories, and that’s okay. Some children want funny books, some enjoy adventures, and others want stories that scare them silly. Part of encouraging a love of reading is giving children opportunities to discover what they enjoy while parents decide what’s appropriate for their own family. That’s one reason I enjoy sharing different books here at Greatful Moments. You never know which story might catch a reader’s attention!
One thing I discovered while learning about this book is that Don’t Wake Up is Book 2 of 2 in the Doll Island series. The first book is Lost on Doll Island. I haven’t confirmed whether Don’t Wake Up can be read as a standalone story or whether readers need to start with the first book to understand everything that’s happening. If your teen enjoys this type of horror story, you may want to look into both books and decide where to begin.
The book has 152 pages and 21 chapters, making it a possibility for our 10-Minute Reading Challenge. You don’t have to sit down and finish a book all at once. You can read for ten minutes, put it down, and come back to it later. And while the story reminds me of Halloween, a scary book like this doesn’t have to be read only during October. Teens who enjoy horror can pick it up whenever they’re looking for their next frightening adventure.
There’s a warning associated with the story that once you travel to Doll Island, there’s no going home. Well, you can bet your bottom dollar that I’m not traveling to Doll Island! I’ll leave the demonic dolls, the boogeymen, and the frightening dreams to Diego and his friends
. Charlie, Bradley, and David can decide who is brave enough to read this one, and I’ll be over here hoping they don’t tell me too many details before bedtime. You can find Don’t Wake Up by Cassandra Ramos-Gomez on Amazon, and it will also be featured in our Interactive Halloween Gift Guide our our Christmas Gift Guide/ Wish List but Santa, when I’m helping you load the sleigh you will not find me reading this book even thought I’m featuring on at GreatfulMoments.com.
If you have a teen who enjoys horror stories, mysterious creatures, and books that deliver a good scare, this might be one to investigate. Now I want to hear from you! Have you ever heard of the Doll Island series? Would you read Don’t Wake Up, or would you be staying far away from Doll Island right along with me? Let me know in the comments. And if you have a teen who loves scary books, share this post with them. They might be much braver than I am!
About the book: Diego and his friends must face the legendary Mexican boogeyman, El Cucuy, in this fast-paced, action-packed middle grade horror that’s Rick Riordan meets R. L. Stine, the sequel to Lost on Doll Island.
Stay awake. Stay alive.
After going head-to-head with a demonic doll, life for Diego now is surprisingly good. He’s settled into Mexico City, he’s joining clubs at school, and he, Jandro, and Itzel are tighter than ever. Better yet, he hasn’t dreamt of one doll since he left La Isla de las Muñecas. Though Tomas remains under Itzel’s watchful eye, “living” in her house, things finally feel normal for the three amigos.
Until kids start mysteriously falling asleep…and never waking up.
When Diego hears rumors of a boogeyman with the power to enter children’s dreams and steal their souls, he knows there’s a connection between the sleeping illness that has fallen over his school and this monster.
But beware of El Cucuy, because once you enter his domain of dreams, he’ll do everything in his power to make sure that you don’t…wake…up.
Remember if your brave enough and you read this book for 10 minutes you will earn a ticked in our 10 Minute Reading Challenge which I would be happy to join you in but I’m bringing my own book to read and no, it will not be something like this.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.
Glenda Cates
GreatfulMoments.com
