With the help of his grandfather, underachieving fifth-grader Hank Zipzer finally discovers that he is good at ping-pong, but he is afraid to tell his classmates for fear of being ridiculed.

Fear of the dark -- Fiction.
Horror fiction
Horror tales, American
Masks -- Fiction.
Monsters -- Fiction

When the Mad Professor suddenly leaves Castle Grotteskew, Stitch Head, the Creature, and the girl Arabella suddenly find themselves in charge of the Castle but an innocent game of pirates leads them to a plot by the evil Freakfinder, who still wants to control the Professor's monsters.

While accompanying his mother at the deli, Hank suffers a series of embarrassing accidents that cause teachers visiting the deli to go hungry, a situation that compels him to express his appreciation for his teachers' hard work.

Two bullied underdogs finally win the day when their troubles inspire a hit TV show"--