All the Lovely Bad Ones

by Mary Downing Hahn

Paperback, 2009

Status

Available

Call number

FIC G Hah

Publication

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Sandpiper)

Pages

182

Description

While spending the summer at their grandmother's Vermont inn, two prankster siblings awaken young ghosts from the inn's distant past who refuse to "rest in peace."

Description

Travis and his sister, Corey, can t resist a good trick. When they learn that their grandmother's quiet Vermont inn, where they re spending the summer, has a history of ghost sightings, they decide to do a little haunting of their own. Before long, their supernatural pranks have tourists flocking to the inn, and business booms. But Travis and Corey soon find out that they aren't the only ghosts at Fox Hill Inn. Their thoughtless games have awakened something dangerous, something that should have stayed asleep. Restless, spiteful spirits swarm the inn, while a dark and terrifying presence stalks the halls and the old oak grove on the inn s grounds. Only Travis and Corey can lay to rest the ghosts they've stirred. This means discovering the secret of Fox Hill and the horrors visited on its inhabitants years before... Once again, Mary Downing Hahn has created a chilling and gripping ghost story in the tradition of The Old Willis Place, Witch Catcher, and Deep and Dark and Dangerous.

Collection

Fiction

Barcode

2525

Language

English

Original language

English

Physical description

182 p.; 7.6 inches

ISBN

9780547248783

Other editions

All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn (Paperback)

Media reviews

Library Media Connection

Stacy Rosenthal (Library Media Connection, April 2009) Hahn has written an enjoyable ghost story that reminded me of Skellig by David Almond (Delacorte Press, 1999). Travis, who narrates the story, and his sister Corey spend the summer at their grandmother’s reputedly haunted Fox Hill Inn in

Vermont and just as they have done everywhere else, they cause trouble by pretending to see ghosts. But the trouble they seem to cause is that they wake up the real sleeping ghosts, or do they? The book keeps readers asking if the ghosts really exist and what will happen to Fox Hill, grandmother, and the siblings. Librarians should be aware that one of the ghosts, Miss Ada, had hung herself from a tree, and she tries to encourage Travis to do the same, but he does not. There is some challenging vocabulary. This would make a great read-aloud for Halloween or for a class studying mysteries. Recommended 2008, Clarion Books, 192pp., $16 hc. Ages 9 to 14.

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— 1 more

Booklist

Debbie Carton (Booklist, May 1, 2008 (Vol. 104, No. 17)) Hahn has mastered the art of the not-too-creepy ghost story for upper-elementary-school readers, and this latest offering combines chills, thrills, and poignant historical fiction. Twelve-year-old Travis and his younger sister, Corey, are

spending the summer with their grandmother at her Vermont bed-and-breakfast. Born mischief makers, the siblings hear that the inn is rumored to be haunted and decide to manufacture some ghostly effects for the guests. Unfortunately, they arouse the real ghosts: young boys who died in the early 1800s, when the property was the county poor farm, and Miss Ada, the evil spinster who caused their deaths. The rambunctious young ghosts cause a lot of ruckus, but they are ultimately endearing beings, whereas Miss Ada is deliciously horrible. Readers will learn about the history of poor farms while reveling in the genuinely creepy hauntings Hahn describes so well. The truly scary cover may deter some readers; reassure them this title belongs to the same comfortably spooky genre as The Doll in the Garden (1986) and Wait till Helen Comes (1989). Grades 4-7

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Lexile

670L

User reviews

LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50

All The Lovely Bad Ones is a delightful YA story about a brother and sister who are sent to stay at their Grandmother’s country inn for the summer holidays. They read about the inn’s history, finding out it was once a community poor house, and also discover that it has a reputation for being

haunted, even though their Grandmother firmly denies this.

Deciding that they should provide the guests with a ghostly apparition, they stage a pretend haunting, but to their horror they find that they have managed to awaken the ghosts and now must deal with the situation. Eventually they realize they are dealing with two types of ghosts, a group of small boys that were once under the care of an evil woman Ada Jiggs, who is the other presence.

The children vow to help the young ghosts by competing three tasks. First they must find Adas’ journal where she has entered the names of all the people she and her brother worked and starved to death and where they are buried. Secondly the young ghosts long for a headstone to mark both their and their families resting place. The most difficult task is the third one, to exorcise Ada.

The author keeps this story moving along at a good pace, supplies the appropriate amount of chills, and although geared for children, I found All The Lovely Bad Ones a very engaging read.

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24 more

LibraryThing member akmargie

I liked it, thought it was good, but maybe nothing too special or unique. Maybe it could have had a bit more mood and atmosphere. Quick read.

LibraryThing member skstiles612

Corey and Travis have played one prank too many. Banned from Camp Willow Tree their parents have no choice but to send them to their grandmother's in Vermont. The Inn At Fox Hill is listed in Haunted Inns of Vermont. Knowing that their grandmother doesn't believe in ghosts, but some of her guests

do, Corey and Travis decide to put on a show that will definately bring guests in. Unfortunately their plan backfires when they wake up the ghosts who actually haunt the Inn. Corey and Travis must find out what the ghosts want and then help them so that they can rest in peace. Like all of Mary Downing Hahn's books she has definately crafted a book that will leave the reader feeling creepy. The main characters may be young but even adults will love the story line. Recommended to all who love a good ghost story. Not recommend as a bedtime read.

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LibraryThing member SandyStiles

Entertaining book about a brother and sister, known for their pranks, who visit their Grandmother in Vermont. She runs an inn, reputedly haunted, and Corey and Travis decide to drum up more business by having the girl, Corey, pretend to be a ghost. This stirs up the real ghosts, who make mischief

around the inn. One of the ghosts is the spirit of the evil woman who helped run the work farm that existed there in the 1800's. The children must help the ghost children find peace and drive away the evil Miss Ada. Some scary parts, but more 6th and 7th graders will like this than older students.

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LibraryThing member mmpvppl

Great ghost story. I wouldn' read it to younger children or give it to children who don't like a little scarier story. It's perfect for those who love a little thrill. I'd guess that the age depends on the level of tolerance for the slightly frightening.

LibraryThing member lrothmier

Good ghost story for older elementary and junior high age kids with main characters who are believable (a brother and sister who are very mischievious). The ghosts become main characters and the reader wants justice so they can rest in peace.

LibraryThing member BeatrixKiribani

In this spine-tingling book from Mary Downing Hahn 12 year old Travis and his younger sister Corey are sent to live with their Grandmother for the summer. Being the energetic children they are, when they find out the Inn she runs is haunted they start causing mischief. Their fun and games quickly

turn into terrifying moments when they awaken the evil spirit of Ada Jaggs, the woman who ran the poor farm that once sat there. Now Travis and Corey must find a way to rest the evil spirit and help the ghost of the children that still roam the grounds. Can they succeed?

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LibraryThing member kthomp25

A deliciously, fast-paced mystery and horror tale. Two children spending the summer with their Grandmother at her Inn decide to have some fun by "haunting" the Inn. More successful than they know, they inadvertently arouse real restless spirits and unearth a mystery from the time the Inn served as

the county poor house.

A little bit of horror, mystery and history, the children eventually learn the fate of real people sent to live at the poor house and who were at the mercy of the Jaggs, a brother and sister duo who pocketed the county money and mistreated the residents to the point of death.

I felt the ending should have involved the county making restitution to the dead by providing the grave stones, not the grandmother. There were unexplained occurrences such as Martha Brewster being able to "touch" the dead and the ghost children being able to use shovels to help dig up Ada's grave. But, it is a ghost tale, so I suppose anything is possible.

Spooky, but not nightmare scary. A good choice for middle school readers.

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LibraryThing member chinquapin

Corey and Travis go to stay with their grandmother in her inn in Vermont for the summer. They find that business is slow and decide to stage a haunting to draw in more tourists. It does that, but their mischief also awakens some real ghosts who set about haunting the place.

Hahn does a pretty

decent job of creating a chilling, spooky atmosphere that seems just about right for her target audience of middle schoolers. The two main characters are both annoying and endearing, and there is an interesting cast of supporting characters as well. This is a fun, quick read, especially if you enjoy ghost stories with a little history thrown in for good measure.

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LibraryThing member puruckers

Mischievous brother and sister go to their grandmother's bed and breakfast for summer and encounter real ghosts. They began by pretending to be ghosts only to stir up trouble.

LibraryThing member JRlibrary

A quick read, and just scary enough to be interesting. When Corey and Travis decide to scare up some business, they have no idea that they will actually end up summoning restless spirits who will begin haunting the inn for real.

LibraryThing member dgorton

This was a quick read and although it had a somewhat predictable plot, there were some events that occurred that I really had not predicted. It was a quick, light haunting tale.

LibraryThing member JaWi0129

The authur of the book did a good job giving detail. The boook had some very sad and freaky parts too, I would revcomend to somebody reading it.

LibraryThing member lprybylo

Grades 4 thru 7. Travis and Corey like nothing better then to stir up trouble. Sent to their grandmother's inn in Vermont they soon discovered they have stirred up things beyond their control. "All the Lovely Bad Ones is a ghost story with a bit of history mixed in. Fast read and it kept my

interest.

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LibraryThing member hollysfollies

JUV fiction library. A good scary book, could be good for a boy.

LibraryThing member GaylDasherSmith

imaginative ghost story

LibraryThing member TinaV95

This is a YA horror / ghost story. A very quick read; aimed at middle grades readers. I would have LOVED this type of novel in my tweens ~ I had to jump straight from Nancy Drew to Stephen King with no in-between. I would recommend this for any young reader as well as for older readers who want a

quick ghost story fix.

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LibraryThing member TheLibraryhag

Travis and his sister, Corey, a real pranksters. So when they find out that their grandmother's inn is supposed to be haunted, they decide to do a little haunting of their own. Little do they suspect that their actions will wake the real ghosts that have haunted the house over the years.

This was a

good scary book for kids. It is not too scary but has some real chills. Travis does wander a bit as he tells the story, but it rang true for a kid telling a story. I will definitely be recommending it.

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LibraryThing member librarybrandy

Travis and Corey are spending the summer at the grandmother's isolated Vermont inn--an excellent alternative to the summer camp they got banned from after last summer's pranks and mischief. Grandmother's inn isn't doing too well, though, since the ghostly activity has ceased, as people don't come

so far out of their way to visit an un-haunted inn. The siblings vow to turn things around for their grandmother, and stage a haunting to convince the current guests that the inn still has some secrets. Their plan goes off the rails when the real ghosts awaken--from the mischief-making group of ghost children to Miss Ada's malevolent spirit. Since Corey and Travis awakened the ghosts, it's their job to put them to rest again--if Miss Ada's ghost doesn't put them to rest first.

This fast-paced ghost story will appeal to upper-elementary or early middle school readers looking for a quick thrill, but isn't fully developed enough to really hold an older reader's interest. The plot is predictable almost from the first page, and even the central characters never develop beyond their most basic attributes. Only the grandmother has any kind of change of heart, and her change from skeptic to believer is too abrupt--even under the circumstances--to feel at all authentic. The climax manages to be both sluggish and rushed, without any real sense of urgency. Still, this is a quick read to tingle the spines of kids looking for more gentle ghost stories, or for Hahn's established fans.

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LibraryThing member KimJD

Deliciously creepy! Kids in grades 4-7 who like ghost stories will eat up this 2011-12 VRC nominee. My one quibble-- narrator Travis doesn't always sound like a 12-year-old boy (more like an adult who's trying to tell the story through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy), but overall a fun and spooky

read.

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LibraryThing member Diavoletto

gave me nightmares and i had to keep rereading the last part

LibraryThing member flying_monkeys

Ghost story for kids

All the Lovely Bad Ones was a fast-paced, easy read with just enough creepiness to make it a perfect recommendation for kids between 8-11 years old who want to enjoy a ghost story without being terrified.

LibraryThing member stevealtier

I enjoyed this short story even though it wasn't what I thought it would be. I do love a good ghost story. Especially when the none believer becomes a believer. Great teen read, lots of creative touches and very well written.

LibraryThing member aratiel

One of the most terrifying children's books I've ever read.

LibraryThing member Carol420

Travis and his sister Corey can’t resist a good trick...so when they learn that their grandmother’s Vermont inn has a history of ghost sightings, they decide to do a little “haunting” of their own. Scaring the guests proves to be a great deal of fun...but before long the inn is filled with

tourists and ghost hunters and the supernatural is closer than they think...and the ghost they pretend to be aren’t the only ghosts at Fox Hill Inn. What they believed were games has awakened something dangerous...something evil......something that should have stayed asleep. Restless...not at all friendly spirits soon invade every part of the inn. A dark and terrifying presence stalks the halls and the old oak grove on the inn’s grounds. To lay the ghosts to rest, Travis and Corey must first discover the dark history of Fox Hill and the horrors visited on its inhabitants years earlier. I was annoyed more than entertained by the antics of Corey and Travis but in spite of that the ghosts were good and the story was well worth 4 stars.

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