Josh Allen checks under his bed before switching off the light each night. During the day, he teaches creative writing and literature at Brigham Young University-Idaho.
He has an amazing wife, four kids, and a pet snake named Pumpkin. He holds a degree in English from Brigham Young University and an MFA in fiction from Old Dominion University.
He’s the author of OUT TO GET YOU, a Junior Library Guild selection published by Holiday House in September 2019. Learn more at joshallenwriter.com.
ABOUT OUT TO GET YOU (from the publisher)
Thirteen ordinary kids. Thirteen ordinary towns. Danger lurks around every corner!
Get ready for a collection of thirteen short stories that will chill your bones, tingle your spine, and scare your pants off. A stray kitten turns into a threatening follower. The street sign down the block starts taunting you. Even your own shadow is out to get you! Spooky things love hiding in plain sight.
The everyday world is full of sinister secrets and these page-turning stories show that there’s darkness even where you least expect it. OUT TO GET YOU includes a glow-in-the-dark cover and thirteen eerie full-page illustrations by award-winning artist Sarah J. Coleman.
WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER!
PRAISE FOR OUT TO GET YOU
★ “Move over Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark . . . A top-notch thrill-ride of creepy, crunchy horror. This collection belongs on every young horror shelf.”—School Library Journal, Starred Review
★ “This haunting anthology will plunge young horror enthusiasts into their darkest dreams . . . Allen expertly weaves intricate, relatable details from the tween experience with elements of the supernatural to present readers with a baker’s dozen of chilling tales.”—Booklist, Starred Review
“You know those books that you can’t put down because you absolutely have to, have to, have to know what happens next? This is one of them.”—Gary D. Schmidt, two-time Newbery Honor author
“Short and sharp, the stories in ‘Out to Get You’ mingle the ordinary with the supernatural in a way that will spook and gratify readers.'”—The Wall Street Journal
“Is normal the real myth in this wondrously eerie world? . . . Tasty, bite-sized bizarreness for brave preteens.”—Kirkus Reviews
“The direct storytelling style of a good folktale with just the right amount of dark humor . . . Grab this and a flashlight, and call up your spookiest voice for a Halloween read aloud.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
SCHOOL VISITS
As an educator with more than twenty years in the classroom, I’m passionate about visiting schools and inspiring kids to read and write.
As a guest author, I’ve worked with kids as young as five and as old as eighteen. I’ve presented in classrooms with only a few students in them and in auditoriums filled with hundreds.
TEACHER TESTIMONIALS
“My students can’t get enough of Josh’s stories, but to have him visit our classroom, read his stories, and unpack his art was a game changer. Children have amazing stories to tell and Josh helps them find their voices.”—Trish Galer, 4th Grade Teacher
“Josh did such a great job in my classroom! As an educator, Josh knows how to interact with young kids to get them involved. They were enthralled.”—Chelsea Williams, 2nd Grade Teacher
To inquire about bringing me to your school (or holding a video chat), email justjoshallen@gmail.com or complete the form below:
Spooky Middle Grade 