Another by Paul Tremblay

Review the opening line of the novel: “The beginning isn’t always obvious or easy to pinpoint…maybe every story should come with this warning about its beginning”. How does this reflection connect to Casey’s journey and the blurred line between past, present, and fear?

What do you believe is the true beginning of Another? Explain and give examples from the text to support your answer.

Casey has been isolated ever since he suffered from an online Zoom incident during the pandemic. How does this experience serve as a turning point in Casey’s life?

Explain how the Zoom Incident event impacts his relationship with his parents, others, and himself.

How does it connect to Morel’s arrival?

Casey experiences tics and anxiety throughout Another while also navigating life during the COVID-19 pandemic. How do the horror aspects in the novel contribute to these real-life experiences?

Explain how the author explores mental health through horror and mystery in the book.

In your opinion, what makes Morel such a creepy character?

Describe some of Morel’s physical descriptions and actions and how they made you feel while reading Another.

How did the horror-genre aspects impact your interest in learning more about Morel and Casey’s relationship?

There is an emotional and psychological shift in Casey’s parents after Morel arrives. Why do you think they become so enchanted with Morel, so much so that they grow distant from their own son?

Casey’s sister, Ally, is physically absent for most of the story since she is away at college. As his parents grow more attached to Morel, Casey feels like Ally is one of the only people who truly sees and believes him. How does her voice help Casey hold on to his identity?

Think of a person in your life that you love and that you feel will always support you no matter what. How do the people we love tie into our identities?

Consider Morel’s presence: Do you think he is a monster, a strange human being, a supernatural
force, or something else?

Think about the trauma Casey has gone through and the fear and loneliness he has experienced. What intangible things do you think Morel, a physical being, could represent in Casey’s life?

The author adds details such as sounds, darkness, and silence to make the scenes emotionally and physically uncomfortable. What moments made you squirm the most and why?

Explain what makes a horror novel scary, even if we as readers know the story is fiction?

How would you describe the emotional atmosphere of the book using one word? Explain your choice.

At the end of the novel, do you believe Casey is truly alone?

Do you think knowing the truth will give him strength or will it have another negative effect on his life?

What is the message that the author might be sharing about facing your fears when no one else will?

Book Talk Teasers:

Read the reader’s theater for Another by Paul Tremblay on the Texas Bluebonnet Award website.

Watch the book trailer on the Texas Bluebonnet Award website.

Read Alikes:

Arden, Katherine. Small Spaces. For 11-year-old Ollie, books are an escape and her latest read is quite chilling. Then on a field trip, she notices some strange similarities between the farm they’re visiting and the book, including the gravestones of the very characters she has read about. With terrifying scarecrows and haunted woods, Ollie’s favorite form of escape is about to become a real-life nightmare. (NovelList Plus)

Hahn, Mary Downing. Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story. In a chilling ghost story that is also an insightful family drama, Molly, 12, and her brother Michael, 10, are wary of their sneaky seven-year-old stepsister, Heather. Ever since they became a blended family, Heather has lied, tattled, and created tension between their parents. Worst of all, Heather claims she has been talking to a ghost named Helen, and she warns Molly and Michael that Helen is coming for them. Molly feels certain Heather is getting herself into some kind of danger, but every time she tries to help, Heather maneuvers to get her into trouble. The whole family is at odds. It seems as if things can't get any worse. But they do—when Helen comes. (NovelList Plus)

Howard, Amalie. Bumps in the Night. Darika "Rika" Lovelace visits her grandmother in Trinidad only to discover her heritage as a powerful witch. Thrust into a world of elemental Minders and sinister jumbies, Rika must tap into her newfound abilities to save her mother and friends from the malevolent jumbie king. (NovelList Plus)

Klassen, Jon. The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale. Jon Klassen's signature wry humor takes a turn for the ghostly in this thrilling retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale. In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both? Steeped in shadows and threaded with subtle wit—with rich, monochromatic artwork and an illuminating author’s note—The Skull is as empowering as it is mysterious and foreboding. (NovelList Plus)

Renzetti, Rob. The Horrible Bag of Terrible Things #1. Zenith doesn’t know what to make of the strange bag he finds on his doorstep. But when a spider-like creature emerges from the bag and kidnaps his sister, he dives in after her. The bag transports him to another world filled with monsters, spooks, and horrors around every corner. With humor and horror, Zenith does everything in his power to rescue his sister and get them both safely home. (NovelList Plus)

Russell, Ally. It Came From the Trees. After having her best friend Reese snatched away in the night during a camping trip, Owlet scout Jenna swears the culprit was something truly monstrous. Determined to uncover the truth, Jenna ventures back into the wilderness with her fellow Troop 411 girl scouts. A terrifying take on the legend of Bigfoot that's sure to leave your young horror fan's heart pumping. (NovelList Plus)

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