Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins)
Pages
179
Description
Twelve-year-old Mitch and his mother are spending the summer with his grandparents at Bird Lake after his parents separate, and ten-year-old Spencer and his family have returned to the lake where Spencer's little brother drowned long ago, and as the boys become friends and spend time together, each of them begins to heal.
Description
old in alternating voices, this smart and engaging middle grade novel from the beloved Kevin Henkes is the story of two boys coming together in friendship as they struggle with family conflicts and tragedy.
There are ghosts at Bird Lake, and they're haunting Mitch and Spencer. Not the Halloween kind, but ghosts of the past. Memories of how life was before—before the divorce, before the accident. Can their ghosts bring Mitch and Spencer together, as friends? Or will their secrets keep them apart?
Mitch feels isolated at his grandparents' house and can't help hating his father, who walked out on him and his mom two and a half weeks earlier. Spencer's family has decided it's finally time to return to Bird Lake, years after his brother, Matty, drowned there. Both boys arrive at the lake scarred and fragile, but as they become friends, the sharp edges of their lives smooth out and, slowly, they are able to start healing.
There are ghosts at Bird Lake, and they're haunting Mitch and Spencer. Not the Halloween kind, but ghosts of the past. Memories of how life was before—before the divorce, before the accident. Can their ghosts bring Mitch and Spencer together, as friends? Or will their secrets keep them apart?
Mitch feels isolated at his grandparents' house and can't help hating his father, who walked out on him and his mom two and a half weeks earlier. Spencer's family has decided it's finally time to return to Bird Lake, years after his brother, Matty, drowned there. Both boys arrive at the lake scarred and fragile, but as they become friends, the sharp edges of their lives smooth out and, slowly, they are able to start healing.
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
179 p.; 7.6 inches
ISBN
0061470791 / 9780061470790
Similar in this library
Lexile
740L
User reviews
LibraryThing member catherinea
"As that day passed, and the next, Mitch's sadness grew; it became a rock inside him, pulling him down. He carried the sadness everywhere, morning, noon, and night. It hurt to breathe." (6)
"Matty's death had been absorbed into the fabric of the Stone family. It was a fact, rarely mentioned, that,
"There had been that brief moment upon waking when he'd forgotten about his circumstances. But the heaviness returned to his chest, and he'd wondered if it - the heaviness - was simply a condition of his life now, life after his father left. He'd wondered if he'd divide his life this way forever: before he left / after he left." (39)
"The weight of it all threatened to overwhelm him." (51)
"Before bed, Spencer and his mother admired the moon. His mother said, "A full moon on our first full day here - I take that as a good sign." "Do you believe in things like that?" Spencer asked. "Signs?" She sighed and tilted her head upward, rubbing her neck. "Not really. Well, sort of." She smiled. "Actually, yes, tonight I do." That was not the response he wanted to hear." (79)
"On the drive back to Papa Carl and Cherry's, Mitch's father spoke the only words: "Some moon, huh?" And it was. It rose out of the gathering darkness, above the gray blur of trees. The moon was significant - pearly, tinged with orange - and seemed to mark the day. A big period, saying: "It's official. It's over. Everything's over. It reminded Mitch of the moon on the poster hanging in his pediatrician's office, which he'd always assumed was fake, a doctored photograph. He stared vacantly at the unlucky moon and thought, I will always hate full moons." (84)
"Spencer didn't respond. He was still taking it all in, processing it. Under the table, his fingers were an antsy, confused tangle. He thought he might snap the spoon in two. He wouldn't look at his mother. And he wouldn't and he wouldn't and he wouldn't. And it felt as if the moment had swelled and he had been permanently anchored at the table with his head drooped. And when he finally did look up, his mother's smooth face had crumpled. But then she swiftly composed herself and said in her mild way, "I'm sorry." And he though to say, "Me, too" and "I love you," but didn't. And that was how the family meeting had ended." (164)
"Briefly, Spencer felt as big as the moon, and full - of secret knowledge and of so many things Lolly was not. He liked the feeling and wanted to hold on to it forever." (168)
"Matty's death had been absorbed into the fabric of the Stone family. It was a fact, rarely mentioned, that,
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in combination with hundreds of other facts, made up the complete picture of who this family was. It was one stitch in a tapestry." (20)"There had been that brief moment upon waking when he'd forgotten about his circumstances. But the heaviness returned to his chest, and he'd wondered if it - the heaviness - was simply a condition of his life now, life after his father left. He'd wondered if he'd divide his life this way forever: before he left / after he left." (39)
"The weight of it all threatened to overwhelm him." (51)
"Before bed, Spencer and his mother admired the moon. His mother said, "A full moon on our first full day here - I take that as a good sign." "Do you believe in things like that?" Spencer asked. "Signs?" She sighed and tilted her head upward, rubbing her neck. "Not really. Well, sort of." She smiled. "Actually, yes, tonight I do." That was not the response he wanted to hear." (79)
"On the drive back to Papa Carl and Cherry's, Mitch's father spoke the only words: "Some moon, huh?" And it was. It rose out of the gathering darkness, above the gray blur of trees. The moon was significant - pearly, tinged with orange - and seemed to mark the day. A big period, saying: "It's official. It's over. Everything's over. It reminded Mitch of the moon on the poster hanging in his pediatrician's office, which he'd always assumed was fake, a doctored photograph. He stared vacantly at the unlucky moon and thought, I will always hate full moons." (84)
"Spencer didn't respond. He was still taking it all in, processing it. Under the table, his fingers were an antsy, confused tangle. He thought he might snap the spoon in two. He wouldn't look at his mother. And he wouldn't and he wouldn't and he wouldn't. And it felt as if the moment had swelled and he had been permanently anchored at the table with his head drooped. And when he finally did look up, his mother's smooth face had crumpled. But then she swiftly composed herself and said in her mild way, "I'm sorry." And he though to say, "Me, too" and "I love you," but didn't. And that was how the family meeting had ended." (164)
"Briefly, Spencer felt as big as the moon, and full - of secret knowledge and of so many things Lolly was not. He liked the feeling and wanted to hold on to it forever." (168)
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LibraryThing member janiereader
A fan of Kevin Henkes, I picked up this book to read since it was nominated for this year's Sunshine State Books (FL). It turns out to be a pretty good read. Twelve-year-old Mitch finds out his parent's are divorcing, and he and his Mom go up to the lake to spend the summer with his grandparents.
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During the course of his time there, he discovers that though his life is not perfect, no one's really is. This revelation and growth of character is one that many children will be able to relate to. Nice read. Show Less
LibraryThing member km3scott
Mitch is spending the summer at his grandparent's cottage on the lake. His parents are divorcing, and Mitch and his mom are trying to rebuild their lives.
Mitch becomes curious about the abandoned-looking cottage next door. He spends time there to grieve the loss of his old life. Suddenly one day a
Grief, loss, friendship and a few coincidences are all explored in this serious novel for younger teens.
Mitch becomes curious about the abandoned-looking cottage next door. He spends time there to grieve the loss of his old life. Suddenly one day a
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family appears. Spencer is a boy a little younger than Mitch, but within a few days they become close friends. Spencer's mother is also grieving, but for a different reason. That is part of the reason his family is there.Grief, loss, friendship and a few coincidences are all explored in this serious novel for younger teens.
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LibraryThing member emitnick
Darn the fuzzy, old-fashioned cover - no boy in the world is going to be attracted to it. And this is a fine boy book. Introspective and contemplative, it is true, but who says boys don't have feelings? Two families are staying by a lake. 12-year-old Mitch and his mom are staying with Mitch's
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grandparents because his father has left the family. 10-year-old Spencer and his family are back at the lake, 8 years after Spencer's older brother drowned one summer. This isn't so much a friendship story as it is the brief merging of these two thoughtful boys' lives during one important summer. What makes this book compelling is not the action but the way each boy thinks about the world and people around him. Show Less
LibraryThing member librariankristin
When twelve-year-old Mitch's parents announce they are getting a divorce, Mitch and his mom go to stay at Bird Lake with his grandparents. Next door, ten-year-old Spencer and his family have returned to Bird Lake for the first time since his brother drowned in the lake many years ago. The two boys
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experience their feelings of loss together in this coming-of-age tale from Newbery Honor author Henkes. Show Less
LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
Mitch is at the lake because his parents are getting a D-I-V-O-R-C-E and he and his mom are staying with his grandparents while she gets things sorted out. Spencer is at the lake because his brother died there when he was little and his mom wanted to see if she could stand being there again. Each
It was fine. Well-written. But kind of boring. Felt kind of timeless, like it could be modern but it could have been 50 years ago.
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of the boys is dealing with his own problems and they'll come together to form a brief friendship that's exactly what they needed at that moment. It was fine. Well-written. But kind of boring. Felt kind of timeless, like it could be modern but it could have been 50 years ago.
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LibraryThing member delphica
(#61 for the 2008 Book Challenge)
I love Kevin Henkes, he's the Kitten's First Full Moon guy -- oh, and the Lily guy -- but I think I like his picture books better. This is a problem novel in the core sense of the word. Two boys move into lake houses next door to each other. The one kid's parents
Grade: B-
Recommended: To lake lovers? It's one of those books that is both lovely and rather dull.
I love Kevin Henkes, he's the Kitten's First Full Moon guy -- oh, and the Lily guy -- but I think I like his picture books better. This is a problem novel in the core sense of the word. Two boys move into lake houses next door to each other. The one kid's parents
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are getting divorced, and the other kid's parents are having a hard time coping with the death of a child. If you removed these kids' problems, there would be absolutely nothing going on with the book. On the plus side, Henkes is a charming writer and the book is very atmospheric, and speaking as someone who loved my own childhood lake house so much I grew up and bought one right down the street, it captures everything that is excellent about living on a lake.Grade: B-
Recommended: To lake lovers? It's one of those books that is both lovely and rather dull.
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LibraryThing member laini
One boy, displaced by divorce and seeking a permanent residence of his own, haunts the house next door to his grandparents' hoping the owners will pick up and leave so he can move in. Eerily, the family he is "haunting" lost a son, brother, friend to a tragic death at Bird Lake, making them prone
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to feeling spooked. Will the family move away or will two boys experiencing deep emotional turbulence find a serendipitous friendship? Show Less
LibraryThing member mjsbooks
When 12-year-old Mitch, upset about his parents' impending divorce, plays a few pranks on the "intruders' who have moved in to the vacant house next to his grandparents lake home, he has no inkling that 10-year-old Spencer will interpret them as signs from his long dead brother, who died at the
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lake several years before. A quiet, bittersweet tale of the intense friendships that sometimes form between children whose paths only cross for a short time. Show Less
LibraryThing member shelf-employed
Bird Lake Moon starts off with an eerie feel. Mitch’s parents are getting divorced. He and his mother are planning to spend the summer with his grandparents at their home on Bird Lake. Spencer’s family is planning to spend some time at Bird Lake too. Both boys’ families are touched with
Bird Lake Moon’s chapters alternate between views of Mitch and Spencer. The families, particularly Spencer’s younger sister, Lolly, are well-developed and believable. This is a thoughtfully written novel with an element of mystery that makes it a real page-turner.
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sadness and a hint of mystery. There are secrets in these placid lakeside cottages, “a shiver went through Spencer and wouldn’t go away, as if a ribbon of ice had been tied to his spine.” Spencer and Mitch must come to terms with what is real and what is not. This is complicated by the story’s tagline, “Just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it isn’t there.” Ultimately this is a tale of two boys, of friendship, of growing up, of moving on. Bird Lake Moon’s chapters alternate between views of Mitch and Spencer. The families, particularly Spencer’s younger sister, Lolly, are well-developed and believable. This is a thoughtfully written novel with an element of mystery that makes it a real page-turner.
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LibraryThing member KarenBall
Mitch Sinclair was not planning on spending all summer at his grandparents' little house on Bird Lake. Because his parents' divorce is underway, he and his mother are now doing just that, and it's not easy. Spencer Stone hasn't been to Bird Lake in years, not since his older brother Matty drowned
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there, but his mother is finally ready to try to go to the family vacation house there again. The Stone house is right next to Mitch's grandparents, and Mitch was hoping to have the place to himself... so when the Stones show up with their intact family and beloved dog, Mitch decides to try to scare them away by making it look like a ghost is haunting the place. Told in two voices, the reader sees that Mitch's attempts at scary stunts aren't perceived that way by Spencer, as everything he sees is colored by his brother's death. This is not an action-packed mystery; instead, it is an emotionally-driven story about two boys dealing with two different tragedies, and it will be valuable to use in discussions about how two people can see the same thing and understand two completely different things from it. 6th grade and up. Show Less
LibraryThing member jasonpettus
A friend has convinced me to try my hand this year for the first time at children's literature; but I don't actually know anything about children's literature, so am starting the process among other ways by first reading a stack of existing books that have been recommended to me. Kevin Henkes' Bird
Things I took away from this book, as far as my own struggle to become a better children's writer...
--Although really well done, I can see here why people recommend so much that character-oriented novels for kids be loaded up with a lot of extra drama and unique events, with this book many times coming off as what I imagine is too subtle for many kids, and therefore with only a limited potential audience (although of course with that audience intensely passionate about the book, precisely for these reasons). Also, to reference my own reading habits as a kid, this book many times feels not like the best of someone like Judy Blume (where the characters create and drive the situations being played out) but more like her second-tier work, minor books like Deenie and Iggie's House where it feels like first an issue was picked ("I think I'll write a book about desegregation in the suburbs") and only then were characters created and a plotline written. Although I want to reiterate that Henkes does a great job with the material he's chosen here, just like adult literature these kinds of stories need to feel natural and not forced, which Henkes teeters just on the edge of many times.
--And speaking of all this, I thought Henkes treads a very fine line here as far as how dark is too dark for kids in the 10-to-13 range; this is one of the issues I find fascinating as an author, in that I imagine many of my own future kid's books will be dark in tone as well, and I'm trying to learn exactly where the balance is for the pre-YA crowd. I really loved for example that one of our heroes, Mitch, is in typical divorced-kid fashion acting out just all the time, in ways that are sometimes surprisingly destructive for a person who's supposed to be our protagonist; for example, as part of his ongoing secret campaign to convince his new neighbors to leave again, in the desperate hope that his own family could move in next-door so that his mom and grandparents will stop fighting all the time, he actually unchains their dog and lets it run away while the family is gone for the afternoon, in what could've easily led to the dog's death or permanent disappearance in the real world. The book is full of moments like these, uncomfortably real details of just how dysfunctional people can get in the middle of a divorce or the grieving of a dead child, a polarizing element that I imagine young readers will either intensely love or hate.
--And finally, I thought this book did a particularly great job at examining the subtle relationship between kids at different ages, which I'm told is a topic that's really loved by many child readers at this age; ten-year-old Mitch admires his neighbor Spencer for being twelve, Spencer admires Mitch back for his above-average athletic skills, while both have a begrudging tolerance only for their fairytale-spouting, costume-wearing chatterbox grade-school siblings. And I also think that Henkes does a great job at examining the heavily flawed parents that are around these kids, and how their only so-so dealings with these family dramas end up creating new legitimate hassles sometimes for the kids themselves; just to cite one good example, how Stewart's mother after a few days realizes that the cloud of her first son's death is hanging just too heavily over the entire environment for her comfort, even though the entire rest of the family has quite intensely fallen in love with being there by then. This is such a subtle thing in children's literature, the question of just how much of adult personalities and adult weaknesses one should add to the story in the first place -- because obviously most kids are at least a little fascinated with adult behavior, and especially when they get a chance to glance at truly adult reactions that they suspect they're not supposed to be seeing, although ultimately most kids prefer that the books they read be primarily about other kids, and of the ways those kids live their lives when the adults aren't around. I have a lot more to learn about the various ways that authors deal with this subject, and is something I always keep a close eye on whenever reading yet another character-oriented middle-school drama.
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Lake Moon was recommended as a good example of books for older grade-schoolers and middle-schoolers (so roughly ages 10 to 13) that deal with dark material in a gentle yet realistic way; it's almost 40,000 words total, on the heavy side of such books, and also contains an expansive vocabulary that will be a pleasant challenge for younger readers. It's the story of two boys who one summer move next to each other in the sleepy Wisconsin cottage community of Bird Lake; one has a set of parents who are going through a divorce, which is why they've temporarily moved in with his mother's cantankerous grandparents, while the other has a brother who drowned at Bird Lake almost a decade ago, with this being the traumatized family's first trip back.Things I took away from this book, as far as my own struggle to become a better children's writer...
--Although really well done, I can see here why people recommend so much that character-oriented novels for kids be loaded up with a lot of extra drama and unique events, with this book many times coming off as what I imagine is too subtle for many kids, and therefore with only a limited potential audience (although of course with that audience intensely passionate about the book, precisely for these reasons). Also, to reference my own reading habits as a kid, this book many times feels not like the best of someone like Judy Blume (where the characters create and drive the situations being played out) but more like her second-tier work, minor books like Deenie and Iggie's House where it feels like first an issue was picked ("I think I'll write a book about desegregation in the suburbs") and only then were characters created and a plotline written. Although I want to reiterate that Henkes does a great job with the material he's chosen here, just like adult literature these kinds of stories need to feel natural and not forced, which Henkes teeters just on the edge of many times.
--And speaking of all this, I thought Henkes treads a very fine line here as far as how dark is too dark for kids in the 10-to-13 range; this is one of the issues I find fascinating as an author, in that I imagine many of my own future kid's books will be dark in tone as well, and I'm trying to learn exactly where the balance is for the pre-YA crowd. I really loved for example that one of our heroes, Mitch, is in typical divorced-kid fashion acting out just all the time, in ways that are sometimes surprisingly destructive for a person who's supposed to be our protagonist; for example, as part of his ongoing secret campaign to convince his new neighbors to leave again, in the desperate hope that his own family could move in next-door so that his mom and grandparents will stop fighting all the time, he actually unchains their dog and lets it run away while the family is gone for the afternoon, in what could've easily led to the dog's death or permanent disappearance in the real world. The book is full of moments like these, uncomfortably real details of just how dysfunctional people can get in the middle of a divorce or the grieving of a dead child, a polarizing element that I imagine young readers will either intensely love or hate.
--And finally, I thought this book did a particularly great job at examining the subtle relationship between kids at different ages, which I'm told is a topic that's really loved by many child readers at this age; ten-year-old Mitch admires his neighbor Spencer for being twelve, Spencer admires Mitch back for his above-average athletic skills, while both have a begrudging tolerance only for their fairytale-spouting, costume-wearing chatterbox grade-school siblings. And I also think that Henkes does a great job at examining the heavily flawed parents that are around these kids, and how their only so-so dealings with these family dramas end up creating new legitimate hassles sometimes for the kids themselves; just to cite one good example, how Stewart's mother after a few days realizes that the cloud of her first son's death is hanging just too heavily over the entire environment for her comfort, even though the entire rest of the family has quite intensely fallen in love with being there by then. This is such a subtle thing in children's literature, the question of just how much of adult personalities and adult weaknesses one should add to the story in the first place -- because obviously most kids are at least a little fascinated with adult behavior, and especially when they get a chance to glance at truly adult reactions that they suspect they're not supposed to be seeing, although ultimately most kids prefer that the books they read be primarily about other kids, and of the ways those kids live their lives when the adults aren't around. I have a lot more to learn about the various ways that authors deal with this subject, and is something I always keep a close eye on whenever reading yet another character-oriented middle-school drama.
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LibraryThing member karenamorg
Mitch and Spencer are two boys going through profound family issues one summer on a Wisconsin lake. Mitch’s parents are getting divorced, and his mom packs up and takes the 12-year-old to her parents’ house on Bird Lake for the summer. Intruding into Mitch’s world is 10-year old Spencer, his
IIt is painful for Spencer’s family to return to Bird Lake, as eight years earlier, the eldest son drowned there. The boys form a friendship, with each understandably slow to reveal his inner turmoil. The book delves into themes of friendship, honesty, and facing fears, and would be an accessible novel of realistic fiction for upper elementary grade students. It may be of particular interest to boys between the ages of 9 and 12, as the main characters grapple with contemporary issues in a believable manner. There are no references to technology or popular culture that date the story and distract from the book’s core of relating the personal struggles of the two boys. Mitch and Spencer are caring and thoughtful preteens, and their growth during their time at Bird Lake is conveyed with subtlety and reflection. The author marks time with lyrical descriptions of the nature surrounding the characters, which contributes to the contemplative tone. Target audience 4th-6th grade.
Henkes, K. (2008). Bird Lake moon. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.
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younger sister, Lolly, and their parents. They own the nearby house of which Mitch is quite fond and dreams about inhabiting. IIt is painful for Spencer’s family to return to Bird Lake, as eight years earlier, the eldest son drowned there. The boys form a friendship, with each understandably slow to reveal his inner turmoil. The book delves into themes of friendship, honesty, and facing fears, and would be an accessible novel of realistic fiction for upper elementary grade students. It may be of particular interest to boys between the ages of 9 and 12, as the main characters grapple with contemporary issues in a believable manner. There are no references to technology or popular culture that date the story and distract from the book’s core of relating the personal struggles of the two boys. Mitch and Spencer are caring and thoughtful preteens, and their growth during their time at Bird Lake is conveyed with subtlety and reflection. The author marks time with lyrical descriptions of the nature surrounding the characters, which contributes to the contemplative tone. Target audience 4th-6th grade.
Henkes, K. (2008). Bird Lake moon. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.
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LibraryThing member lindap69
Mitch and Spencer both struggle with personal and family issues in their side-by-side houses at the lake. Henkes' mastery of language and story draws you in and holds you till the end. A quiet story with enough action to hold interest.
LibraryThing member tututhefirst
Birk Lake Moon is the story of two boys and the summer they spent next door to each other at Bird Lake. Mitch Sinclair is living with his rather rigid, not much fun, grandparents while his mother recovers from the trauma of her husband (Mitch's father) having just walked out on them to take up
The two boys meet, take a bit of time to decide whether to be friends, and discover that grief and loneliness is better handled with friends to help. It's a beautiful book, written with great insight into the emotions young people often try to handle without the help of adults who may be too busy handling their own problems. I think today's adults, both teen aged and older would enjoy this short but stunning novel.
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life with a younger girl-friend. No one seems to catch on that Mitch is grieving also. Spencer Stone arrives at his family's lake house several days after Mitch. The Stones have owned the house for years, but have not returned for about 10 years since Mitch's little brother drowned there. Spencer's parents aren't sure they can handle the memory, but want to try. Spencer's little sister provides some delightful and typical little sister humor to the story.The two boys meet, take a bit of time to decide whether to be friends, and discover that grief and loneliness is better handled with friends to help. It's a beautiful book, written with great insight into the emotions young people often try to handle without the help of adults who may be too busy handling their own problems. I think today's adults, both teen aged and older would enjoy this short but stunning novel.
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LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
Narrated by Oliver Wyman. Author Kevin Henkes has a lock on the inner emotional world of children. A quiet, inner-directed story. Unfortunately, the voices Wyman gave the adult women made them sound like ditzy girls.
LibraryThing member fingerpost
This quite serious book alternates chapters, telling part of the story from Mitch's point of view, and then part from Spencer's, back and forth...
Mitch is 12. His parents are getting divorced and he is temporarily living with his mother at her parents house. His grandparents are not typical of
Spencer's family owns the vacant house next door. They had not visited their vacation home in years, ever since Spencer's older brother drowned in the lake there. But they come back.
At first, Mitch is desperate to figure out a way to run off the "intruders", but in time, he meets Spencer and his sister, Lilly, and a friendship develops.
There are many launching pads for discussions with young adults here. Serious issues. Death of a sibling. Divorce. Trust...
I was somewhat dissatisfied by the ending - which wasn't really an ending. This is one of those books that just stops when it's ready. But it's a well told tale.
(Hard to believe the author of this deeply serious book is the same who wrote Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Chrysanthemum, and Owen's Way, and more - all fun, silly, picture books for younger children.)
Mitch is 12. His parents are getting divorced and he is temporarily living with his mother at her parents house. His grandparents are not typical of
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children's books. They are adults who love him, but don't really know what to do with a child and are largely irritated that he's living with them at all. Mitch desperately wants to move, and he wants to move into the vacant house next door.Spencer's family owns the vacant house next door. They had not visited their vacation home in years, ever since Spencer's older brother drowned in the lake there. But they come back.
At first, Mitch is desperate to figure out a way to run off the "intruders", but in time, he meets Spencer and his sister, Lilly, and a friendship develops.
There are many launching pads for discussions with young adults here. Serious issues. Death of a sibling. Divorce. Trust...
I was somewhat dissatisfied by the ending - which wasn't really an ending. This is one of those books that just stops when it's ready. But it's a well told tale.
(Hard to believe the author of this deeply serious book is the same who wrote Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Chrysanthemum, and Owen's Way, and more - all fun, silly, picture books for younger children.)
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LibraryThing member Sandra305
After reading Booklist's starred review, I was really looking forward to reading this book, but I found the book somewhat disappointing. The writing was beautiful and I loved the storyline of the two boys with their respective problems (or "ghosts"), but I was hoping for more substance. Perhaps it
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was lacking the substance I was hoping for because it's a M-G novel rather than a YA novel, but, just the same, I was disappointed. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Georgia Children's Book Award (Finalist — Grades 4-8 — 2011)
Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2011)
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (Nominee — Grades 3-5 — 2011)
West Virginia Children's Choice Book Award (Nominee — 2009-2010)
CCBC Choices (2009)
Call number
J4D.Hen