Lockjaw

One of BookPage’s Best Young Adult Books of 2024One of CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens for 2024An Ontario Library Association Best BetA 2025 Toronto Public Library “The List” SelectionA Reactor Magazine Notable Young Adult Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror of 2024Shortlisted for the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Arlene Barlin Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy, 2025PRAISE FOR Lockjaw:“Astoundingly smart, amazingly queer, and so gut-churningly stressful that the pages of your copy will end up dented. Lockjaw is small-town horror at its absolute finest, and it’s going to shake you up.” —Andrew Joseph White, New York Times bestselling author of Hell Followed With Us and The Spirit Bears its Teeth“This YA novel will satisfy teen and nostalgic adult readers of horror and mystery.” —Vikki VanSickle, author of The Lightning Circle“Cerilli delivers a stunning debut in this gripping paranormal horror novel about queer teens growing up in a community that doesn’t accept them and the insidious danger of apathy.” —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly“A horrifyingly honest tale with a hopeful ending, this engrossing novel is sure to get hearts racing and leave readers reflecting upon their own place in their communities.” —STARRED REVIEW, BookPage“Experimental, metaphorical, and poetic, this quiet novel is for thoughtful readers not averse to horror themes.” —Booklist“Cerilli’s debut is both unsettling and engaging.” —School Library Journal“Rooted in loss and regret, Cerilli creates a hazy reality for his readers that will leave them looking over their shoulders as they experience the power that comes from embracing all the layers of their identity and standing up for what’s right in spite of the terror … Chills will run up and down your spine as the reader pieces together the mystery of this small-town ghost story.” —Canadian Children’s Book Centre“Debut author Cerilli masterfully plots a slow-burn thriller from multiple perspectives, which demands the reader pays close attention. Jumping back and forth in time, Cerilli lays plenty of breadcrumbs, culminating in a powerful twist.” —49th Shelf“Cerilli does a masterful job of creating a memorable setting… . It is hard to believe that Lockjaw is Matteo L. Cerilli’s debut novel. Readers will look forward to many more to come! Highly recommended.” —CM: Canadian Review of Materials“Lockjaw sinks its teeth into readers with a compelling horror mystery and refuses to let go.” —Quill & Quire

Matteo L. Cerilli is a transmasc author and activist who helped found the Students for Queer Liberation (Toronto) and works with the No Pride in Policing Coalition. He writes widely across genres and age categories. Lockjaw is his debut book.

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