Sporting the tag line “the dreams that you fear will come true,” Disney Chills is set to be a deliciously creepy series in which young readers explore a dangerous question: What if Disney villains entered our world? The first installment in the series from Vera Strange (aka Jennifer Brody), Part of Your Nightmare, walks the line between spooky and fun! Young Disney fans are sure to devour this series title by title beginning with Shelly Anderson’s tale.
The 11-year-old just wants to fit in at her new school and with her new friends, so when she finds a magical nautilus shell with access to a terrifying evil sea-witch named Ursula, Shelly signs a contract with her. Of course, as all The Little Mermaid fans know, a deal struck with Ursula will always go sideways. Fans are used to the comfortable, happy ending fairytales that are so synonymous with Disney, but this series proves that Disney can do spooky, and they can do it very well. As her wish to become ‘the fastest swimmer’ backfires horribly, and she begins to slowly change into a fish, Shelly is haunted every step of the way by Ursula to uphold her end of their deal. She owes the sea witch one favor, and Ursula plans to use it. Anytime Shelly goes near water, Ursula sends ominous reminders. From creepy, thick black squid ink in her kitchen sink to chilling whispers from Ursula’s poor unfortunate souls, this tale will send shivers up a reader’s spine start to finish.
Part of Your Nightmare is more than just a chilling tale, however. Through Shelly’s eyes, readers will learn all about various ocean creatures. Her parents own the local aquarium, and the story is chock full of fun facts about sea turtles, fish anatomy, dolphins, and even dips into local legends. The book also carries a few important lessons within its pages. Be careful what you wish for, and don’t ever litter in Ursula’s ocean. Shelly loves the sea and all manner of sea creatures, but she succumbs to peer pressure to litter in the ocean, and it’s that single act that kicks off her entire tale. Part of Your Nightmare marries a compelling story with an important real-world lesson about the dangers of ocean pollution and staying true to yourself.
Disney Chills: Part of Your Nightmare has the makings of a hit that will pull in even nonreaders with strong world-building, fast-paced storytelling, and compelling characters. Disney Chills: Part of Your Nightmare is available in stores and online now, so grab a copy for that young Disney fan in your life (older Disney fans will also love it!) and prepare to dive deep into a world where Ursula lurks just off the coast of Triton Bay.
