First of a series. Stanley Buggles inherits his great-uncle's mansion in Crampton Rock, where strange things are happening: werewolves, pirates and a talking stuffed fish. A short book but not really action-packed or suspenseful. Probably best for early chapter readers. ( )

Roaming werewolves…fiendish pirates…and a talking fish? When 11-year-old Stanley Buggles learns that he has inherited his long-lost great-uncle’s estate, he has no idea that an entangled web of mysterious characters and foreboding secrets await him at Candlestick Hall. Brazened by a relentless curiosity, Stanley wrangles the courage to uncover the answers he seeks. The 176 pages of text are divided into 12 moderate chapters, characterized by a blend of descriptive language conveyed through a third person perspective and bouts of modest dialog. Dramatic images of varying size and expanse emerge throughout the book—from small illustrations that pop amidst the text to full-page visual displays that bring the tale to life. These intricate black pen drawings richly portray characters, objects, and scenes with exceptional finite detail through artful lines, shading, and texturing. At the cusp of the switch from transitional chapter book to a middle level reader, this book boasts a humorously dark and intriguing story that will appeal to children across a wide spectrum of ages. Younger readers may need additional support of a more advanced or adult reader, as they will likely encounter unfamiliar words and contexts. ( )

This book is about a boy visiting his great uncle house. When he gets there he finds out that his great uncle died outside in the dar. And now people think you should not be outside after dark, so they have people watching over the twon in the big tower to make sure nobody is outside. But then the boy sneaks out, and goes to the candy shop to by something, but this old man told him not to go back there,because the old man was a wolf that work there. And now these pirates want the boys help to kill the old man that owns the shop, because the wolf killed there friends and took off there arms and fingers.

Stanley Buggles receives a mysterious letter and a strange-looking key in the mail. He's shocked to find out that a distant relative has died and left him an entire estate in the countryside. But it's got to be too good to be true, for there's something "wickedly weird" about the place.

Quirky book for those who are in the Lemony Snicket vein. 11 year old Stanly Buggles inherits a house from his great uncle where he plans to spend his summer vacation. The talking fish in the display case is just the beginning of mysteries that include a werewolf and other strange happenings. ( )