Liam woke. Someone was by his bed.

He opened one eye... "Woah!"

It looked like Aunty Joan who he was staying with.

But it wasn't.

In Straw Men, inanimate objects come to life in the style and setting of a classic sci-fi/horror story. Ann Evans uses a simple concept to full effect and creates a disturbing tale complete with an even darker twist at the end.

The plot is punchy and escalates rapidly, ensuring that this short story is jam-packed with as much content as possible, but remains paced at a reading age of 6-7.

The text is accompanied by striking full-page illustrations; eerie blocks of yellow and thick black lines combine to achieve a sinister graphic-style edge – perfect to grab and hold the interest of teenagers right to the end.