Malice at the Mall
by Pierrete Dubé
illustrated by Ninon Pelletier
Orca Book Publishers, 2025
ISBN 9781459842991
$12.95, 107 pp, ages 9 – 12
orcabook.com
Like most kids her age, Mina is constantly at odds with her parents. After all her screens are taken away, Mina secretly stashes one as she leaves her house, embarking on an impromptu journey. Eventually, Mina ends up at her local mall, where she plays her video games inside an inconspicuous cardboard box. Hours go by, and when Mina finally arises from the box, the mall is completely abandoned. Slowly, strange things start happening, and Mina realizes she’s not alone. All the mannequins inside the mall become alive, with soulless eyes and twisted smiles. Listening to their plans, Mina soon learns the dark history of the mall and the even darker future for herself. This is just one book in the Shivers series, with the others offering the same thrilling and spooky fun.
Classroom Connections: This book is a great way for students to explore writing scary stories and how to build suspense. Students could share some of their biggest fears and discuss what elements make a story or item truly terrifying. Just like how the mannequins became alive, students could create a story where they make an everyday object come to life. They can have fun by changing the object’s personality, how it moves, its goals, and even its voice. The book also has some great vocabulary for horror stories, which kids could take inspiration from.
Review by Katherine West-Sells.
This review is featured in Canadian Teacher Magazine’s 2026 Winter issue.
