Published by Simon and Schuster Books
Summary: Neither Sarah nor Janie is happy when Janie’s mom leaves her with Sarah’s family while Mom goes off to do a Hollywood screen test. Janie thinks she’s stuck with a bunch of hicks in Warrenville, Georgia, while Sarah doesn’t appreciate Janie’s condescending attitude. In a desperate attempt to keep her cousin entertained, Sarah takes her to the old Creek Church, a town landmark with a troubled history of racial violence. Rumors of “haints” prove to be true when the girls are confronted by a mysterious young boy. With the help of Sarah’s brother Ellis and his friend Jasper, the kids have to figure out who the boy is and try to save him from the evil ghostly forces that are threatening to engulf him. It turns out that it’s not just the church that’s haunted, and as the four uncover family and town secrets, they learn that the past must be confronted to move ahead into the future. 320 pages; grades 4-7.
Pros: An engaging family and friendship story with a touch of historical fiction and a good ghostly mystery. The historical part could spark some interesting discussions.
Cons: This book didn’t strike me as nearly as scary as I was led to believe from the reviews. I was hoping to shelve it in the “Scary” section of the library, but I think “Mystery” may be more appropriate.
