Simple text, brief chapters and a high-interest topic all combine to make this, the first of a series, an easy sell to...
A young ghost named Kaz is swept away from his home and ghost family by a strong wind, finally coming to rest in a library.
But it’s not just any library. Claire, who has a special talent for seeing ghosts, actually lives in the library, which is run by her grandmother. Kaz, who has never had any contact with “solids” like Claire, has a lot to learn. He’s never been able—or willing—to pass through objects, making it especially challenging to hide from her, his initial plan. Eventually, the two team up to try to track down one of two apparent ghosts that already haunt the library. Could one of them be Kaz’s older brother, previously swept away from home? Or could Claire’s grandmother have a role in the mysterious appearances of one of the haunts? Butler provides the right amount of back story to settle readers in this ghostly world, as well as a few amusing new ghostly abilities; the story’s definite lack of creepiness ensures that this effort isn’t likely to scare anyone. Both Claire and, especially, Kaz are well-rounded characters, and the frequent cartoon illustrations of them, with wide, oversized eyes and simplified features set in large, round heads, don’t do them justice.
Simple text, brief chapters and a high-interest topic all combine to make this, the first of a series, an easy sell to readers newly transitioned to chapter books. (Fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: Aug. 14, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-448-46243-1
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An effort as insubstantial as any spirit.
Eleven-year-old Maria Russo helps her charlatan mother hoodwink customers, but Maria has a spirited secret.
Maria’s mother, the psychic Madame Destine, cons widows out of their valuables with the assistance of their apartment building’s super, Mr. Fox. Madame Destine home-schools Maria, and because Destine is afraid of unwanted attention, she forbids Maria from talking to others. Maria is allowed to go to the library, where new librarian Ms. Madigan takes an interest in Maria that may cause her trouble. Meanwhile, Sebastian, Maria’s new upstairs neighbor, would like to be friends. All this interaction makes it hard for Maria to keep her secret: that she is visited by Edward, a spirit who tells her the actual secrets of Madame Destine’s clients via spirit writing. When Edward urges Maria to help Mrs. Fisher, Madame Destine’s most recent mark, Maria must overcome her shyness and her fear of her mother—helping Mrs. Fisher may be the key to the mysterious past Maria uncovers and a brighter future. Alas, picture-book–creator Ford’s middle-grade debut is a muddled, melodramatic mystery with something of an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink feel: In addition to the premise, there’s a tragically dead father, a mysterious family tree, and the Beat poets. Sluggish pacing; stilted, unrealistic dialogue; cartoonishly stock characters; and unattractive, flat illustrations make this one to miss. Maria and Sebastian are both depicted with brown skin, hers lighter than his; the other principals appear to be white.
An effort as insubstantial as any spirit. (author’s note) (Paranormal mystery. 7-10)Pub Date: July 21, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-20567-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
A mystery, a school story, sibling rivalry and the loss of a pet blend surprisingly well in this engaging chapter book. Charmingly awkward fifth grader Edgar Allan decides to solve a series of minor thefts that are plaguing his teacher, Ms. Herschel. Clues are plentiful—and rhymed—but the competition to solve them is fierce. Edgar’s nemesis, Patrick Chen, seems to have the inside track since his dad works in forensics. Edgar, however, finds that the friends he makes along the way provide the winning edge. Including transcripts of Edgar’s ingenuous interviews as well as poems written by a number of class members in her narrative, Amato provides a clear picture of both social and family dynamics while keeping the story moving smoothly along. The author’s characteristic humor is somewhat muted, but examples of amusing wordplay abound. Some readers may guess the identity of the culprit more quickly than Edgar and his friends do, but whodunit is not really the point. Solving puzzles, making friends and learning to see the world more clearly are the true aims of this adventure. (Mystery. 7-10)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2271-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2010
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