Field of Screams

By: Wendy Parris

Narrated by: Jennifer Jill Araya

A new pulse-pounding supernatural mystery about twelve-year-old Rebecca, who has always wanted to hunt ghosts . . . until she meets one.

“Chilling, thrilling, and full of heart!”—Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sinister Summer series

Paranormal enthusiast Rebecca Graff isn’t happy about being dragged to Iowa to spend the summer with family she barely knows. But when she tracks a ghostly presence to an abandoned farmhouse, she starts to think the summer won’t be a total lost cause!

The trouble is no one believes her. Then Rebecca finds a note stashed in a comic belonging to her late father—a note that proves the same spirit haunted him when he was twelve. Suddenly she feels a connection to the dad she pretends not to miss, and she is determined to uncover the story behind the haunting.

But the more Rebecca discovers, the scarier the ghost becomes. Soon she is in a race to piece together the puzzle and recover a family legacy before it is lost forever and a horrible tragedy repeats itself.

©2023 Wendy Parris (P)2023 Listening Library

Critic reviews

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

“Chilling, thrilling, and full of heart! Field of Screams is a perfect book for young readers who like their scares accompanied by family mystery, abandoned houses, and the best maybe-a-ghost cat ever.”—Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sinister Summer series

"Field of Screams is a gripping mystery wrapped inside a ghost story and rooted in realistic characters dealing with honest emotions. Set among shadowy rows of corn and lonesome farmland, Parris’s tale whispers forth a crackling, heat-choked atmosphere, and tension materializes like static before the most wicked of summer storms. My advice: sip an icy glass of lemonade while devouring this morsel of a spooky tale. Goosebumps guaranteed!"—Dan Poblocki, author of Tales to Keep You Up at Night

"Haunted barn? Creepy cat? Yes please! But Field of Screams is so much more than a ghost story. It has as much heart as it does hauntings, and by the time I turned the last page, I found myself not wanting to say goodbye to these characters."—Lorien Lawrence, author of the Fright Watch series

great story.

This story reminds me of Holes in the best ways. I love this book. This a great book for all ages that can read a chapter book.

Ghostly Summer in Iowa: Mystery, Family, and Discovery Unfold for Young Rebecca

Rebecca, a preteen from Chicago, hesitantly spends her summer in Iowa after her mother's invitation from distant relatives. Since her father's death, conversations about him with her mom are limited to just once a year. However, this trip reveals a shared intrigue with her dad: ghosts. In the very farmhouse they're staying in, she uncovers her father's old letters detailing paranormal encounters. Driven by these findings and personal experiences, Rebecca sets out to unravel the mystery. Along the way, she not only faces thrilling ghostly events but also forges a deeper bond with her family, hoping to feel closer to her late father.

This captivating tale is tailored for late elementary to early middle school readers. Its allure lies not just in the chilling paranormal occurrences, but in the heartfelt exploration of family bonds and secrets. Viewed through the eyes of a twelve-year-old, readers are offered an exciting ghostly adventure intertwined with poignant moments of love and discovery. The story underscores the importance of understanding, love, and the deep ties that bind families together.