Part of Your Nightmare Disney Book Review!

With so many of our kids in quarantine, what could be better than a spooky book to pass the time? Disney Books is launching a new chapter book series that feature classic Disney characters in a modern and creepy setting. We were able to read the first in the series Part of Your Nightmare by Vera Strange! Read on for the book info and a fun interview with the author herself!

About The Book

“My dear, sweet child. Go ahead. Don’t be afraid?“

Eleven-year-old Shelly Anderson just wants to be popular. Her parents have split and she has to start over at a new school with different classes, a brand new swim team and an unfamiliar social scene. So what if she just wants the cool kids to like her? Is that really too much to ask? So when Shelly finds a mysterious nautilus shell that summons the infamous sea witch, Ursula, she jumps at her chance to make a deal that will solidify her as one of the coolest girls in school. But when Shelly’s wish quickly goes belly-up, she must figure out how to back out of the witch’s deal before it forever binds her fate. Grab your night-light, dear reader, and prepare to be CHILL-ed!

Ms. Strange, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions!

In addition to dealing with modern issues like bullying and the desire to fit in, Part of Your Nightmare has a delightful unsettling feel. Was it a challenge to write a book that was creepy but not outright scary for younger readers?

I love writing creepy and unsettling and I love writing for Middle Grade readers, so it was a dream come true to bring Ursula to life in this context and be allowed to make them creepy. I do write horror for adult readers, and I’ve worked on a lot of horror films such as THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE remake and FREDDY VS. JASON. When I’m writing for kids, I don’t tone it down exactly, but I am conscious of what will resonate with my readers. What makes something scariest isn’t violence or gore. It’s always the psychological stuff. Of course, we stick to more fantasy situations for DISNEY CHILLS. But that’s always my favorite anyway. And it let’s me get creative coming up with the scary sequences and imagery.

In Part of Your Nightmare, you introduce an aquarium in the quaint town of Triton Bay. However, Triton Bay holds a creepy secret. Ursula the Sea Witch lurks nearby waiting for an opportunity to make a deal with an unknowing human. Did you enjoy writing through the eyes of this iconic Disney villain?

When Disney first approached me about creating the DISNEY CHILLS series for them, they asked me what villain I wanted to write first. Without hesitation, I said Ursula was my top choice! She’s always been my favorite. She’s a sea witch. She’s a diva. She wears make-up underwater. She has major personality. She sings. She’s smart and cunning and fun to watch. Plus, I love The Little Mermaid and think it’s one of the best, most classic stories ever told. Getting to write through Ursula’s eyes and bring her to life was a total life goal dream come true! Like many kids, I grew up idolizing Disney characters and stories. Getting to write them? This is pretty much as good as it gets. I’m honored that Disney has entrusted their villains to me. Just hope I’m doing them justice!

My daughter has read this multiple times! Her main takeaway was that taking the easy way out rarely ends well. Is that what you were thinking when Shelly’s decision to make a deal with Ursula turns out unexpectedly?

Your daughter is the reason that I love writing for this age range. Yes, that’s one of the main themes of the book! Typically with horror, we’re teaching a lesson. Usually, the protagonist commits a transgression that invites in the horror. In short, they do something wrong. Shelly does a few things wrong. She litters in the ocean, tossing in her coffee cup (a big no-no in Ursula’s ocean!). We wanted to craft in an environmental theme, relating to plastic in our oceans. She also does make a deal to take a shortcut to becoming the best swimmer on her team, instead of practicing and working harder. Of course, spoiler alert, any deal with Ursula isn’t going to turn out well. Just ask Ariel!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. What is next for Ms. Vera Strange?

Thanks for the amazing questions! My debut graphic novel Spectre Deep 6 just published last week! It’s about soldiers killed in the line of duty who are brought back by military scientists as ghosts—actual spectres—to continue to carry out missions for the government in exchange for day passes to haunt their old lives and fix their unfinished business. It’s going to be a trilogy, so I’ll start writing Volume 2 with my artist Jules Rivera shortly. We’re also working on turning my award-winning Continuum Trilogy into a TV show and have producers and a big showrunner/writer on board to adapt it. Fingers crossed!

Meanwhile, the second and third DISNEY CHILLS books featuring Dr. Facilier a/k/a The Shadow Man from The Princess and the Frog and Captain Hook are out in Fall 2020 and Jan 2021! Both were a blast to write. Currently, I’m hard at work on revising DISNEY CHILLS BOOK #4, then I’ll be moving onto Book #5 … secret villains to be announced SOON!

About the Author

Jennifer Brody (writing as Vera Strange) is a graduate of Harvard University and a creative writing instructor at the Writing Pad. She began her career working in Hollywood on many films, including The Lord of the Rings and The Golden Compass. She lives and writes in LA, where she’s hard at work on her next book. You can find her on Twitter @JenniferBrody, and Instagram and Facebook @JenniferBrodyWriter.