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y separately published work icon A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares single work   novel   young adult  
Issue Details: First known date: 2017... 2017 A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'Ever since Esther Solar’s grandfather was cursed by Death, everyone in her family has been doomed to suffer one great fear in their lifetime. Esther’s father is agoraphobic and hasn’t left the basement in six years, her twin brother can’t be in the dark without a light on, and her mother is terrified of bad luck.

'The Solars are consumed by their fears and, according to the legend of the curse, destined to die from them.

'Esther doesn’t know what her great fear is yet (nor does she want to), a feat achieved by avoiding pretty much everything. Elevators, small spaces and crowds are all off-limits. So are haircuts, spiders, dolls, mirrors and three dozen other phobias she keeps a record of in her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares.

'Then Esther is pickpocketed by Jonah Smallwood, an old elementary school classmate. Along with her phone, money and a fruit roll-up she’d been saving, Jonah also steals her list of fears. Despite the theft, Esther and Jonah become friends, and he sets a challenge for them: in an effort to break the curse that has crippled her family, they will meet every Sunday of senior year to work their way through the list, facing one terrifying fear at a time, including one that Esther hadn’t counted on: love.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

Exhibitions

23429889
19567105

Teaching Resources

Teaching Resources

This work has teaching resources.

Teachers' notes via publisher's website.

Notes

  • Number six in the top ten young adult titles 2017-2018

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • Melbourne, Victoria,: Penguin , 2017 .
      image of person or book cover 446523669508161829.jpg
      Image courtesy of publisher's website.
      Extent: 372p.p.
      Note/s:
      • Published 5 September 2017.

      ISBN: 9780143573913, 9780399546594
    • London,
      c
      England,
      c
      c
      United Kingdom (UK),
      c
      Western Europe, Europe,
      :
      Hot Key Books ,
      2017 .
      image of person or book cover 5113024938015045368.jpg
      Image courtesy of publisher's website.
      Extent: 349p.p.
      ISBN: 9781471406614, 147140661X
    • New York (City), New York (State),
      c
      United States of America (USA),
      c
      Americas,
      :
      G. P. Putnam's Sons ,
      2017 .
      image of person or book cover 1181668998113501087.jpg
      Image courtesy of publisher's website.
      Extent: 349p.p.
      ISBN: 9781524741693, 1524741698
    • Melbourne, Victoria,: Penguin , 2022 .
      image of person or book cover 8164937345184789183.jpg
      Image courtesy of publisher's website.
      Extent: 416p.
      Note/s:
      • Published August 2022
      ISBN: 9781761048777
Alternative title: En nesten endelig liste over verste mareritt
Language: Norwegian
    • Oslo,
      c
      Norway,
      c
      Scandinavia, Western Europe, Europe,
      :
      Gyldendal Norsk Forlag ,
      2018 .
      image of person or book cover 8442744734224674393.jpg
      Image courtesy of publisher's website.
      Extent: 366p.p.
      ISBN: 9788205490840, 8205490848

Works about this Work

Trio of Authors Packs a Punch Joy Lawn , 2018 single work review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 27 January 2018; (p. 18)

— Review of Take Three Girls Cath Crowley , Simmone Howell , Fiona Wood , 2017 single work novel ; A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares Krystal Sutherland , 2017 single work novel ; Unrequited Emma Grey , 2017 single work novel ; Sparrow Scot Gardner , 2017 single work novel ; Wilder Country Mark Smith , 2017 single work novel ; Nevermoor : The Trials of Morrigan Crow Jessica Townsend , 2017 single work children's fiction ; The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone Jaclyn Moriarty , 2017 single work children's fiction

'The following books each contain something unexpected.'  (Introduction)

[Review] A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares Rebecca Kemble , 2017 single work review
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , September vol. 32 no. 4 2017; (p. 48)

— Review of A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares Krystal Sutherland , 2017 single work novel

'Esther Solar's family has been cursed by Death to suffer one great fear each which will eventually kill them. Her mother and father and her twin brothers Eugene are locked into their own fears, trapped inside their own heads and the family is disintegrating. Esther has managed to escape the curse so far by avoiding anything that might develop into a phobia. When her former classmate Jonah Smallwood comes back into her life, Esther starts to reassess her understanding of her fears and her family.' (Introduction)

[Review] A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares Rebecca Kemble , 2017 single work review
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , September vol. 32 no. 4 2017; (p. 48)

— Review of A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares Krystal Sutherland , 2017 single work novel

'Esther Solar's family has been cursed by Death to suffer one great fear each which will eventually kill them. Her mother and father and her twin brothers Eugene are locked into their own fears, trapped inside their own heads and the family is disintegrating. Esther has managed to escape the curse so far by avoiding anything that might develop into a phobia. When her former classmate Jonah Smallwood comes back into her life, Esther starts to reassess her understanding of her fears and her family.' (Introduction)

Trio of Authors Packs a Punch Joy Lawn , 2018 single work review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 27 January 2018; (p. 18)

— Review of Take Three Girls Cath Crowley , Simmone Howell , Fiona Wood , 2017 single work novel ; A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares Krystal Sutherland , 2017 single work novel ; Unrequited Emma Grey , 2017 single work novel ; Sparrow Scot Gardner , 2017 single work novel ; Wilder Country Mark Smith , 2017 single work novel ; Nevermoor : The Trials of Morrigan Crow Jessica Townsend , 2017 single work children's fiction ; The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone Jaclyn Moriarty , 2017 single work children's fiction

'The following books each contain something unexpected.'  (Introduction)

Last amended 14 Jul 2022 13:14:15
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