The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing

Caution: Read Three Times Lucky before diving into The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing.

All anyone can talk about lately in the small town of Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, is the auction of the old–supposedly haunted–inn. Mo LoBeau, co-founder of the Desperado Detective Agency, doesn’t go looking to take on a haunted inn as one of her cases, but things have a way of falling into her lap, especially when Miss Lana and Grandmother Miss Lacy Thornton sort of accidentally purchase the inn in question.

Pretty soon, Mo and Dale are doing their best to solve the big mystery of the Tupelo Inn…while getting a bona fide supernatural source for their big history report. Sure, it gets scary at times, but these Mo and Dale–along with a new and unexpected ally–are on the case, and they’re determined to find out what this ghost’s story is.

As often happens, especially when it comes to matters involving Mo LoBeau, things get complicated quickly. Someone–or something–is trying to keep Mo and company out of the inn. What could anyone else possibly want with an old, broken down inn? Besides a ghost, what other secrets could this old place be hiding?

Mo and Dale are getting closer and closer to discovering the truth about the Tupelo Inn and its ghostly inhabitant, but what else will they discover along the way? Some people may not encounter an actual ghost, but they may be haunted by their pasts just the same. Can Mo and Dale solve more than one mystery surrounding this inn…before it’s too late?

Help Mo and Dale unravel the mystery of the Tupelo Inn when you read The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage!

 

Gingersnap

Gingersnap by Patricia Reilly Giff is a nominee for the 15-16 South Carolina Children’s Book Award.

The year is 1944, and war continues to hold the world in its grips. Jayna knows it’s just a matter of days before her big brother Rob, the only family she has, will be deployed on a ship headed for the fighting in the Pacific. Jayna tries to put on a brave face, but she’s not happy about being separated from her brother once again, and she doesn’t want to live with Celine, their grumpy landlady, while Rob is away.

After Rob leaves for duty, Jayna is comforted by her turtle Theresa, cooking soup, and by an odd presence that seems vaguely familiar. Is this a ghost? If so, who is it, and what does it want with Jayna?

When Jayna receives the devastating news that her brother is missing in action, this “ghost” leads the girl back to their house and to an old box in a closet. There Jayna finds an old blue cookbook and the address of a Brooklyn bakery called Gingersnap (which happens to be Jayna’s nickname).

Jayna, though scared and unsure, sees the bakery’s name as a sign, and she packs up her turtle, the blue cookbook, and most of her belongings and sets off for an uncertain future and a grandmother she’s never known. Jayna is accompanied by the voice of her ghostly companion, and she eventually arrives in Brooklyn. What she finds there, however, may not be exactly what she expected.

Jayna is very confused about her current circumstances and what will happen to her should her brother never return. She likes being in Brooklyn and the friends she’s made, but what if Rob never comes back to her? What if he’s gone forever? Jayna seeks out her ghostly friend to give her some measure of help, but she doesn’t know if that will be enough to keep her brother safe or to preserve the little family she’s made for herself in Brooklyn.

What will become of young Jayna in this time of turmoil? Read Gingersnap by Patricia Reilly Giff to find out!

Summer of the Wolves

Twelve-year-old Nika should be used to change by now, but nothing prepares her for leaving her latest foster home in California and spending the summer in the wilderness of Northern Minnesota. Nika and her little brother are staying with an uncle they’ve never met in a place that is totally unfamiliar. Nika’s brother, Randall, seems excited about this new adventure, but Nika is anxious. She wonders why her uncle never contacted them before now, how he feels about caring for two kids all summer, and what will happen to them when the summer ends.

Something happens, though, that gives Nika a sense of purpose in her new surroundings. Nika and her uncle find an orphaned wolf pup and decide to care for him. Nika grows attached to the pup–who she names Khan–and she does whatever she can to make sure the little wolf is healthy and happy. She even entertains thoughts of keeping him for her own.

As Nika cares for Khan and learns more about wolves and the wilderness around her, this lonely girl finds herself growing closer to her uncle and making something of a life for herself in Minnesota. For the first time since her mother’s tragic death, Nika feels like she belongs somewhere.

But what will happen when Nika realizes that she and Khan can’t stay together? Will separation from the wolf pup erase everything Nika has come to love about this place? Can she accept Khan’s fate as well as her own?

Read Summer of the Wolves, a 2014-15 South Carolina Book Award nominee by Polly Carlson-Voiles, to learn how one young girl’s relationship with a wolf pup helps her discover her own inner strength, her connection to nature, and what being part of a family really means.

Summer of the Gypsy Moths

While Stella’s flighty mother is drifting from one town to the next, Stella is sent to live with her Great Aunt Louise on Cape Cod. Even though Louise is kind of grumpy sometimes, Stella likes living with her. Louise keeps things nice, neat, and orderly, something Stella’s mom never did. Stella has high hopes that her mom will eventually settle in Cape Cod with her and Louise, and they’ll be a happy family.

One obstacle to that “happy family” scenario–along with Stella’s mom’s lack of reliability–may be Angel, a foster kid who’s also living with Louise. Angel and Stella are like oil and water, and they seem to work best when they stay far away from each other. Fate, however, seems to have other ideas.

When the girls discover that Louise has suddenly passed away, they must work together to decide what to do. Neither girl wants to go into group homes or anything like that, so they do the only thing they can think of. They keep Louise’s death a secret. They make up plausible excuses for Louise’s absence. They take care of the vacation cottages that Louise was responsible for. Stella takes comfort in cleaning, gardening, and keeping Louise’s prize blueberries alive. Both girls do what they must to survive as long as they can. It’s not easy, but Stella and Angel think they have no other choice. They must learn to rely on each other.

Both Stella and Angel have taken on more than any two kids should, but their predicament is bringing them closer together. They’re communicating, working together, and learning more about each other. They each have their own ways of coping with this horrible situation, and they’re doing the best they can.

But what happens when the secrecy finally becomes too much? When the truth is revealed, what will it mean for Stella, Angel, and their future? Will they find the sense of family and home they so desperately need? Will someone finally take care of them? Find out when you read Summer of the Gypsy Moths, a 14-15 South Carolina Book Award nominee by Sara Pennypacker!

Keeping Safe the Stars

Keeping Safe the Stars by Sheila O’Connor is a nominee for the 2014-15 South Carolina Children’s Book Award.

Pride, Nightingale, and Baby Star are three kids who live in virtual seclusion with their grandfather, Old Finn. When Old Finn gets sick, however, these three kids will have to rely on their own wits to stay together…and keep everyone from knowing that they’re on their own. None of them wants to return to a shelter or group home like the one that they were in when their mother died. Keeping safe the Stars is the most important thing in the world.

Thirteen-year-old Pride (also known as Kathleen) is determined to take over until Old Finn returns. She goes to town for groceries, she cares for their elderly neighbor and her siblings, and, when she discovers that Old Finn has been moved to a hospital in the city, she devises a plan to earn money and get to her beloved grandfather.

It doesn’t take long for everything to start weighing on young Pride’s shoulders. She’s told her share of lies to make sure no one discovers she and her siblings are alone, but those lies are catching up with her. Pride knows that if she can just get to Old Finn, he’ll tell her what she needs to do. He’ll show her how to keep her family safe.

When Pride, Nightingale, and Baby finally make it to Old Finn, though, they discover that their situation is more complicated than ever. This family–a group that is independent and self-reliant to a fault–is going to need help to make it through the days ahead. But who can they rely on to give them the help they need while keeping them together?

Pretty soon, Pride and her siblings will discover that the help they need is all around. All they have to do is accept it.

Set against the backdrop of the last days of Nixon’s presidency, Keeping Safe the Stars is a book about keeping a family together at all costs, being honest with oneself and others, and asking for help when it’s truly needed.

Three Times Lucky

Eleven years ago, Moses “Mo” LoBeau washed ashore in Tupelo’s Landing, North Carolina. This child, who was washed away from her Upstream Mother in a hurricane, was rescued by the memory-impaired, cantankerous Colonel and Miss Lana, and the three of them made a life for themselves in this small coastal town.

Now, eleven years later, Mo is a rising sixth grader who works part-time in the restaurant run by the Colonel and Miss Lana. (Her specialty seems to be peanut butter on Wonder Bread.) She spends most of her spare time researching who and where her Upstream Mother might be, and she enjoys hanging out with her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III. (The “III” is for the iconic #3 car of his namesake.)

This summer, however, things are being stirred up in Tupelo’s Landing, and Mo takes it upon herself to figure out what’s going on. One of the restaurant’s customers has been killed, a cop is asking questions about Mo’s beloved Colonel, and strange things are afoot in the town Mo calls home. What else is a precocious girl to do? Mo and Dale open up their own detective agency–Desperado Detectives–and begin investigating the crime.

What these junior detectives find, though, may just change everything they know about the people they’re closest to. What secrets are hiding in Tupelo’s Landing? And how can Mo and Dale discover the truth when the police can’t?

As Mo and Dale come closer and closer to solving the biggest mystery to hit Tupelo’s Landing since Mo herself washed ashore, they’ll learn just what family and friendship really mean. When waters get rough, it becomes clear who’ll be there for them, and even Mo might be surprised by who has her back. Join Mo LoBeau on her journey to the truth when you read Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage, a nominee for the 2013-14 South Carolina Children’s Book Award!

The Humming Room

In The Humming Room, we meet young Roo Fanshaw. Roo has not had an easy life so far. She has no memory of her mother, and her father and his girlfriend were recently killed while Roo hid underneath the house. (Roo is an expert hider, by the way.) Eventually, Roo is found and sent to live in a foster home for a while. It is soon discovered, though, that this troubled young girl will be taken in by her wealthy uncle and sent to live on Cough Rock Island along the St. Lawrence River. The large edifice on the island was once a sanitarium for children with tuberculosis, and, almost immediately after arriving, Roo senses that this strange home is harboring some secrets…

Roo has some trouble adapting to her new home. She’s not used to being watched so much, and she looks for places to hide, places to make herself as small and unnoticeable as possible. But what will happen when Roo is the one who begins to notice things–strange things about both the island and the building that is now her home? Roo often hears a strange humming noise in the house, and she does her best to figure out where the noise is coming from. Her explorations lead her to some big surprises…including a garden that has been left to die in the center of this mysterious house. Who put this garden in the middle of the house? Why? And why has it been abandoned and left to die?

Roo is searching for answers to the mysteries surrounding her, and she may find help in some unexpected places. She encounters a remarkable boy who appears to live on the river. What’s his story, and where is his home? Roo also discovers yet another strange boy living right next to her. Who is this boy, and why is everyone so determined to keep him a secret? More importantly, what is his connection to her often-absent uncle and the dying garden that has been kept hidden from everyone?

Join Roo as she struggles to save the things that are fast becoming important to her–friendship, a family she never knew she wanted, and a garden that, with a little love and care, can blossom just like Roo’s hopes for the future. Explore the possibilities when you read The Humming Room by Ellen Potter.

I enjoyed The Humming Room much more than I thought I would. I found Roo to be a very sympathetic character, and I’m sure many young readers will agree. It’s easy to root for her, but readers will also be wildly curious about the mysteries surrounding her new home. That curiosity will, I predict, keep them turning each page. (Young readers may also enjoy Roo’s uncanny ability to evade the adults around her!)

The Humming Room, which is based on The Secret Garden, is an excellent read for those in grades 3 and up. I’m guessing that adults who enjoyed The Secret Garden will enjoy comparing the two books, and The Humming Room may just convince readers who haven’t read The Secret Garden to finally give it a try.

The False Prince

The kingdom of Carthya is on the verge of war. The king, queen, and crown prince have all been murdered, and one man, Conner, has a plan to place a “false prince” on the throne–a boy who will take the place of Prince Jaron, the long-lost second son of the king and queen. He just needs to find the right boy. He searches local orphanages, and four boys are initially chosen to vie for the title of future king. One of those boys is Sage. From the beginning, Sage is hard to control. He wants nothing to do with Conner’s plan…until he realizes that failure means certain death.

It’s not always easy for sage to toe the line with Conner. He gets into considerable trouble and is punished severely. Eventually, though, Sage does what he must to convince Conner that he is the boy who should be prince, but he wonders what Conner isn’t telling him and the other boys. Why is he so sure that Prince Jaron is dead when his body was never found? What does Conner have to gain by placing an imposter on the throne? What will really happen to the boys who are not chosen for this role? Yes, Conner definitely has his secrets–some of them deadly–but he’s not the only one who’s keeping secrets. Sage knows that someone else has secrets that could turn Conner’s many plans into nothing but ash…

As Sage attempts to learn all he can to pass for the missing prince, he’s also on a quest to discover just what is going on around him. Is there anyone he can truly trust? And how will Conner, the other boys, and those he’s grown close to react when Sage’s many secrets are revealed? How will the revelation impact Conner’s plans for the throne? Discover the truth when you read The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen!

Touch Blue

Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord, a nominee for the 2012-13 South Carolina Children’s Book Award, is one of the fastest reads I’ve had in a while.  I finished this book in just a couple of hours.  Despite its length, however, Touch Blue packed an emotional wallop.  The main character, eleven-year-old Tess, has a perfectly realistic voice, and, even though some readers, especially in South Carolina, will be unable to relate to the setting of this book (an island off the coast of Maine), they will find a relatable character in Tess.

In order to keep their island school from closing–and losing many of the island’s inhabitants to the mainland–some of the residents of Bethsaida Island agree to take in foster children to increase enrollment at the school.  Tess’ family is one of those taking in a new kid.

As Tess and her little sister Libby eagerly await the arrival of thirteen-year-old Aaron, Tess is filled with visions of what it will be like to have an older brother.  She’s sure that it will be great, and she’s excited to have someone close to her age around.  She’s not, however, prepared for the emotional baggage that Aaron brings with him.  He’s justifiably moody and unsure of his new surroundings, and he resists all of Tess’ attempts to get closer to him.

Tess tries everything she can think of to help Aaron feel like he belongs, including a few things thought to bring good luck (like touching something blue to make a wish come true).  Gradually, Aaron feels more comfortable on the island–he plays his trumpet in the July 4th celebration, he helps Tess restore her boat, and he goes lobster-trapping with Tess and her Dad–but Tess knows that he’s holding back.  Aaron misses his mom, and he wants to get back to her.  Tess tries to convince Aaron that he belongs with her family, but it may take something drastic to make him believe he’s important to them.

Will Tess be able to help Aaron accept his new life and family, or will all of her wishing leave her with nothing?  Read Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord to find out.

I really enjoyed this book, and I plan to recommend it to all of my students in 3rd through 5th grades.  Middle grade readers may enjoy it as well.  I’m hoping that my students will be interested in the books that Tess alludes to throughout Touch Blue:  The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson, Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, and Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery.  I love how Tess relates her relationship with Aaron to those of the characters in these beloved books.

If you’re looking for a super-fast, moving, and heart-warming summer read, I highly recommend Touch Blue.  At its core, it is a story about what it means to truly belong and how a person creates his or her own luck.  This book is perfect for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider–and who hasn’t?

For more information on this book and others by Cynthia Lord, visit http://www.cynthialord.com/.

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall

Mary Downing Hahn is known for her ghost stories.  My students at school know to go to the H section in fiction if they want a good spooky tale, and they’ve already begun to devour The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, one of Hahn’s newest books.  This book, which takes place in the late 19th century, is one that will definitely appeal to children, especially those in 4th grade on up, who like their fiction with a bit of terror thrown in.

Florence Crutchfield, a twelve-year-old living in a London orphanage, gets the surprise of her life when she’s sent to live with her great-uncle at his country manor house, Crutchfield Hall.  Life at Crutchfield Hall is very different from Florence’s time at the orphanage.  She has a warm place to sleep, and there’s always enough food.  Florence’s uncle is happy to have her there, but her aunt seems to hate her on sight.  Why is there so much animosity from her aunt?  What could Florence have possibly done to deserve so much hatred?

Well, it seems that Florence’s aunt, a crazed and bitter woman, thinks Florence is trying to replace Sophia, Florence’s young cousin who died in a horrible accident nearly a year ago.  Aunt Eugenie makes Florence’s life miserable and constantly compares her to the seemingly perfect Sophia.  Florence is not even allowed to see James, her other cousin and Sophia’s younger brother.  (He grew very weak and sickly following Sophia’s death.)  Florence feels more alone now than she ever did at the orphanage, but she’s not alone…not at all.

Florence soon realizes Sophia is not entirely gone from Crutchfield Hall.  The ghost of her cousin is haunting Florence, James, and even members of the household staff.  Sophia has the power to make Florence do almost anything she wants…and that includes terrorizing those around her and finding a way to recreate her death so that someone else takes the fall that killed her.

Can Florence–and James–find a way to stop Sophia from wreaking havoc at Crutchfield Hall?  Can they banish her ghost forever?  Will Sophia ever really rest in peace?  Unravel the mystery when you read The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn, a nominee for the 2012-13 South Carolina Children’s Book Award.

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall is the first book I’ve read by Mary Downing Hahn, but I can almost guarantee it won’t be the last.