Deep in the maze-like dungeons of Castle Grotteskew, insane Professor Erasmus created Stitch Head, a small, almost-human creature. His experiments continued, filling the castle with creations so fabulously monstrous that Stitch Head was long forgotten. Until a traveling circus ringmaster knocks at the castle door, promising to make Stich Head a star. Is this Stitch Head’s chance to venture beyond the castle walls? Or could he be making a terrible mistake…?
Genre: Children Books, Horror and Ghost Stories
Age appropriate: 7+
Date of Publication: 01/08/2011
Author/Illustrator/Publisher:
Guy Bass is the author of this children book, he is an award winning author and he has written other works like ‘Spynosaur’, ‘The Legend of the Frog’, ‘Dinkin Dings’ and more. Guy has also written plays for children and adults.
The illustrator of the incredible drawings is Pete Williamson who has illustrated over 65 children’s books.
‘Stitch Head’ was published by Stripes Publishing.
Rating: 4.5/5
Review
This is a great, funny and gripping children’s book that is just perfect to set up a gothic atmosphere on time for Halloween. The way this book is written and the vocabulary that is used is just perfect for this time of year. In this book we find monsters, a mad professor, a perfect villain, potions, a spooky castle, humans and more.
Stitch Head was the first creation of the mad professor and was friendly more or less human looking with stiches all around his head making him look like a patch work and he had been forgotten by his creator and hides in the shadows. The mad professor keeps creating monsters made of different body parts but all of them were very pleasant. One day a man called Fulbert Freakfinder (our villain) comes knocking on the castle offering Stich Head the opportunity to join his Traveling Carnival of unnatural wonders and to be famous.
Each chapter is full of adventure making my boys wonder what was going to happen next. The pace of the story is really good as the plot builds suspense by revealing the villain’s real motives about talking to Stitch Head in a way that children will enjoy. Each of the characters brings something to the story and their personalities are well portrayed. There are moments in the story of sadness, happiness, craziness and most of all a lot of moral lessons, one of which is the importance of friendship, which I think is very important for children
The illustrations are in a grey scale design and complemented the story so well that managed to create a creepy cartoonish world where everything is possible. The drawings break up the text really nicely and they are very detailed. As well as the main designs each page has an illustrated margin making the book very visually appealing.
I have absolutely loved reading this book with my boys and this is just the first book of the series which we will intend to read in full.
I highly recommend this book to be read whenever and so more at this spooky time of the year.
Availability: ‘Stitch Head’ is available in all Good Bookshops
Shelf Life 
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