OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Chuckaboo Billy" by Seldon Johnson Jr..]

When we were children, we could see a few houses lying abandoned with an eerie and haunted appearance. We had the unique ability to imagine ghostly figures wandering in and around such places. They stimulated our older siblings and friends in their teens to tell us the most creative stories on why the spirits of some dead people continued to dwell in these buildings. Children of my generation would scream and experience nightmares after hearing about a ghost. Sometimes, the eyes of cats glowing in the dark were enough to frighten us. It is not so with today’s kids. A good number of them seem to enjoy horror movies, video games and Halloween nights of fun and thrill.

Chuckaboo Billy is about something similar that happens during the latter half of the nineteenth century, in the town of Jonesborough, Tennessee. Authored by Seldon V. Johnson, Jr., it is a very engaging story written in 118 pages. William Hawkins is a kindhearted businessman who has a beautiful wife and two children. He meets with sudden death on Christmas Eve. The story then shifts its focus to a doll that has a history of being thrown away, landing in attics, warehouses, and the showcases of antique stores and homes for almost a century.

The doll finally captures the attention of a little girl called Skylar who names it Chuckaboo Billy because he is her new best friend. The doll looks very creepy, but the little girl enjoys talking to him. Billy seems to enjoy being with her too. He goes to school with Skylar for a costume party on Halloween. One night, some burglars break into their home, and they are so scared of the spooky doll that they run out of the door and actually beg “for the police to take them in.”

What happens on Christmas Eve? Why is Skylar so close to Billy? Why were the thieves so alarmed? The story is full of wonderful characters and mixed emotions. There is a parallelism between the stories of two generations. The truth about Billy is finally revealed and brings tears to the eyes of all the characters. Are they tears of joy or sorrow? I don’t wish to spoil the story by giving out the details. One must read the book to enjoy it.

Chuckaboo Billy is written in simple words, and it is suitable for children as well as adults who love children. I am pleased to rate it 3 out of 4 stars. I had to take away one star because I found several grammatical errors which made me pause while reading. Overall, I enjoyed reading the story. The only scene I did not like was when Billy was lying alone in the attic of one home because the kids of that generation found him too scary. My favorite part comes at the end, and I won’t reveal it! The children of this generation will love to read the book.

******
Chuckaboo Billy
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like Renu G's review? Post a comment saying so!

Spooky! One of my kids has a fear of creepy-looking dolls. This book will not be picked up by me or my family. It is interesting that this horror book is written for children. I'm sure that some out there will enjoy it. Thanks for a good review.

It is a book I will love to read, the review has made it so. I will like to know the kind of tears shed for Bily and how the story ended. Smart review.

This sounds like an interesting story for kids. I hope it's not too scary, as I know some children that get scared easily. I'm not of the age range nor do I have children, so I'll probably pass on this. Thanks for the information, though.

It's interesting that this horror-themed read is targeted towards children. I do hope it's not too scary! Sounds very unique in my opinion. Thanks for your great review!

You have written an intriguing review about this book. This is not a genre I usually read. People who enjoy horror stories will be thrilled with such an exciting story. Thanks for your review.

Creepy dolls feature frequently and prominently in horror stories, but I always love to see a skilled author take an often-used story trope and breathe life into it again with his or her own special twist. Johnson's Chuckaboo Billy sounds like a fascinating little story and I think, even as an adult, that I would enjoy reading it. Thanks for your review!

Thanks for your comments. I would compare it with Casper: The friendly ghost!

This book sounds so original! I love the intro to your review, truer words cannot be spoken!

This sounds like a very fun read. Thank you for a great review!

Was like the author was alive and with me as I was reading about chuckaboo billy

In the book Chuckaboo Billy, I found everything I love about a read. Happiness, sorrow, suspense and triumph. Could not wait to turn the page! I highly recommend