Serafina and the Black Cloak (The Serafina Series, Book 1)

This story (for ages 8-12) is set in 1899 at the Vanderbilt Estate in Asheville, NC. A young girl gets involved in a mystery of missing children. But she is a mystery herself. From some of the things she can do, you can't tell if she is a girl or maybe part cat. She has yellow eyes and can see in

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the dark! And there's the evil man with the black cloak -- but which one is he and what is he doing with the children? Overall, an exciting children's book :)

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Serafina and the Black Cloak
by Robert Beatty
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion (July 14, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1484709012
ISBN-13: 978-1484709016
Approximate Lexile: 1180

Publisher’s Blurb:
Disney Hyperion presents an exciting new

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novel for children & adults: a spooky historical mystery-thriller about an unusual girl who lives secretly in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate.

"Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul."

Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of Biltmore Estate. There's plenty to explore in her grand home, but she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate's maintenance man, have lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember. She has learned to sneak and hide.

But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore's corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of the Biltmore's owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak's true identity before all of the children vanish one by one.

Serafina's hunt leads her into the very forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic, one that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.
***

This spooky mystery features a young girl whose father has kept her existence hidden for most of her life. Serafina is different, but not so different that readers can’t relate to her. With the help of the Vanderbilt’s nephew/adopted son (who, alas, doesn’t appear to have really existed), she solves two mysteries: that of the disappearing children, and that of her own existence.

Beatty’s writing is full of rich imagery and description. I had a hunch while reading the book that it might be at a higher Lexile level and the passage I ran through the Lexile analyzer proved that to be true. It is intended for younger audiences, so it could be a stretch for some.

My small quibble is that Beatty chose unusual spellings—Braeden, Gidean. Maybe I’m just a crotchety old purist, but I find it unnecessary, and unlikely that those in the time period in which the book is set would have chosen those spellings.

Possible objectionable material: Scary situations. Mild violence. Children disobeying adults.

Who would like this book: Mystery fans. Those who like a bit of magic. If they are at the low end of the publisher’s suggested age range, they should be strong readers. I think this is a book boys would like just as much as girls. The strong female protagonist is matched well by a male secondary characters.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the Advanced Reader Copy,.

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This is a novel that is fun to read for both children and adults. I think it would be perfect for sixth grade and up.

The book focuses on Serafina who is twelve years old and has secretly been living with her Pa in the basement of the Vanderbilt estate where he works as a handyman. There is a bit a

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mystery and magic surrounding Serafina's birth. When young children go missing from the estate in North Carolina, Serafina becomes involved in trying to discover who the sinister man in the black cloak is.

She befriends the young nephew of the Vanderbilt's and the two quickly become involved in trying to stop anymore disappearances.

ALthough it is a bit spooky, the book is geared towards middle school age. The ending of the story is a bit too quick and neat, but I thought the entire book was wonderfully written and very creative.

I enjoyed every bit of the book and received a complimentary e-book via Netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

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Years ago, Serafina's father helped build the Biltmore mansion. The house has many secrets -- and Serafina is one of them. She sleeps most of the day and prowls the house at night, catching rats and observing the midnight life of the house. She does not, however, venture into the woods surrounding

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the estate, because her father has often warned her of the many dangers that lurk there. But when danger comes to Biltmore, Serafina may be the only one who can stop it -- if she is brave and daring and willing to move beyond the confines of her hidden life.

This book has fascinating notes of mystery and suspense. It's definitely on the creepy side, though it has its moments of sweetness as well. The atmosphere and setting are the best parts of the book -- while the plot is also fairly good, I thought the characterization faltered in spots. But it's still an enjoyable read, one that will appeal to kids who enjoy books like The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier and Doll Bones by Holly Black.

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Bought this for my granddaughter and wanted to read before giving to her to ensure it was appropriate.
It's a nice little book with magic, good over evil and the idea that we can be different but still okay.
I was a bit disappointed hoping it would be more like The Golden Compass which I thoroughly

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enjoyed, but it isn't quite up to it.
My granddaughter is a young 12 but I think this book is more for ages say 9-10.
That said, if you want a quick sweet little tale this will be fine. I think they could make a great Disney movie out of it though😊

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Serafina hides and scurries and watches from the dark recesses of Biltmore house. As the C.R.C (Chief Rat Catcher) of the estate she she stalks and destroys the mangy beasts from the deepest corners of the basement that she calls home.

It was on one of those evening rat chases that she comes across

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something completely different -something evil lurking in her domain. A man wearing a black cloak attacking a young girl in a yellow dress. Serafina tries to save this girl, fighting desperately to help her escape - when the girl simply disappears in the folds of the cloak and the dark, putrid smelling cloaked man turns his attentions on Serafina. She narrowly escapes with her life.

This encounter changes Serafina and her connections to her Pa and to the only home she has known. She begins to question her Pa's wisdom of staying hidden in the darkness. She longs to figure things out and that draws her upstairs into the edges and shadows of the rooms where the beautiful people live. Here a chance encounter with Braeden Vanderbilt changes her entire future.

This book follows a girl's self-discovery journey. There were things I really liked about this book and things I didn't. I thought Serafina's inner dialogue was a bit stilted - not really the words of a young frightened girl. And there were moments bogged down with description of the behind the scenes workings of a huge estate. I felt at times that this Disney published book was trying to jump on the Downton Abby craze with American's own aristocracy. But - it's an interesting story with twists that I didn't quite expect. That makes it fun to read. I did care about Serafina and her quest to figure out who or what she is and what is happening to the disappearing children.

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I received a free e-copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

There were lots of great things going on with the book. I thought the setting--Biltmore Estate and the surrounding environs--was used excellently, and I enjoyed getting a bit of a history lesson in with my

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suspense and magic. However, I felt the pacing was a bit off, and even though there was a lot going on early on in the book (and perhaps because of that), I felt it took awhile to really build up steam and pull me in. There just seemed to be too many things going on at once--Serafina's mysterious past, the Man in the Black Cloak, Seraphina's burgeoning friendship with Braeden--and while everything was nicely concluded at the end, it definitely left me wanting just a bit more.

Still, as a middle grades fantasy novel, I think it would be an enjoyable read for its intended audience, and I would recommend this book to young patrons, especially fans of horror and the supernatural.

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I read this book to my grand-daughter [9] over the summer months. We both loved it. Although there were some longish gaps between reads she retained the story really well and each time we resumed she very quickly got caught up in the story again. She was intrigued by the fact that it is set is an

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real place and I showed her photographs of the Biltmore Estate. Now that I know the author lives nearby I can understand how the place inspired him. I think Beatty is a real story teller, sucking you into his world, by great descriptions, lovely writing and intriguing characters. We loved it so much that I had to buy book 2 so that we could move onto it seamlessly.

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There's something dark and sinister taking place at the Biltmore Estate. The mansion and grounds are owned by the Vanderbilt family, but Serafina and her father live in the basement where Serafina works as the Chief Rat Catcher and her father is a mechanic: Children are disappearing without a

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trace.

This is a well constructed work of fiction for Young Readers that will keep you turning pages and looking forward to seeing how the adventure unfolds. I loved Serafina's character, as she demonstrates confidence and a fearless attitude. She also provides a great example of how to capitalize on your strengths to solve a problem (or mystery in this case). Definitely one of the more engaging books I've read for this age group.

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This was our March 2016 book for our ILEYA Reads Book group.

I loved that this was set at the Biltmore Estate. I read this twice before our meeting and enjoyed it both times. Serafina and her father live in the basement of the Biltmore her father is the maintenance man for the Estate.

A mysterious

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cloaked man appears and children visiting the Estate begin disappearing, and Serafina feels it is her obligation to make contact with someone from the upstairs to stop this mysterious visitor.

A magical creepy thriller, fans of Lemony Snicket and Goosebumps would enjoy this book. I can't wait to see what else this author writes.

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I was provided the opportunity to read Serafina and the Black Cloak by NetGalley, and I am grateful for the chance. The book is not quite as dark as Coraline or The Graveyard Book, but middle grade readers of this genre should find the book appealing.

I love the setting and the time frame - rural

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North Carolina in the late 1800s on the site of the Biltmore Hotel. Serafina knows the back rooms and hidden passage ways of the famous hotel having grown up there. It is up to her to solve the mystery of why children have disappeared, and it seems only she can save her newfound friend from a similar fate. Fun, captivating, just dark and mysterious enough.

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This was a quick read with some interesting world building. I liked Serafina and Braden, though the rest of the characters lacked depth. I honestly didn't know where the plot was going. At first I thought that the book was doubly in the mystery and fantasy genres, but it broke the rules of mystery

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by letting the main character (and the reader) suspect the real villain before the reveal. He may not have been my only suspect, but the fact that I held him in my list of top-three suspects was somewhat disappointing to me, as I wanted to be shocked. The wrap up seemed a bit quick, and I didn't think that Serafina's father behaved quite normally when she returned at the end.

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Serafina is a young girl (or is she?) who lives in the basement of the Biltmore House with her father, the home's chief repairman, in the years shortly after the magnificent house was completed. Robert Beatty seems to be writing for a movie. Action sequences are decent, but conversations and

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Serafina's frequent self-reflection sequences are stilted and unbelievable. The plot involves a mysterious black cloaked man who attacks children at the Biltmore house, seemingly making them vanish without a trace. The intrepid Serafina is determined to find out who he is and stop him. The answer to the mystery is rather obvious long before it is revealed, and the conclusion is both predictable and a bit corny. With a good scriptwriter and a good director, this may be one of those rare cases where the movie is better than the book.

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Serafina has grown up in the basements of the Biltmore Estate where her father is a maintenance man. It is a secret the Serafina and her Pa live there. Serafina has learned to live there without being spotted by any of the other people on the estate. She knows the hiding places and the secret ways.

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She has appointed herself the Chief Rat Catcher and she is able to use her hunting skills to find and catch them. She can see in the dark and move without sound.

One night, while prowling the basements, she sees a man in a black cloak who is chasing after a girl in a yellow dress. When he catches her, he wraps her in the cloak and the girl disappears. When he spots Serafina, he chases her but she manages to escape. Soon the estate is mobilized to search for the missing girl and Serafina meets Braeden Vanderbilt who is one of the few people who notice her.

She and Braeden need to work together to find the man in the black cloak and keep him from harming more children. Serafina needs to explore the woods near the estate which her father has told her are filled with dangers. In the forest, Serafina learns some secrets from her past and learns who she is.

This was a scary middle grade fantasy with an intrepid main character. It would make a great read-aloud because each chapter ended an an exciting bit that almost demanded that the reader keep reading.

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This novel is supposed to be considered horror, I think. It’s definitely paranormal!

Serafina has been hidden her entire life in the Biltmore Estate basement, a famous estate owned by the Vanderbilts. No one knows she exists except her father. She’s also hidden because she has an unusual look.

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She considers herself a night person because she has excellent night vision and feels that she has an important job at the estate as the CRC--Chief Rat Catcher, which is night work. She can stay perfectly still and catch rats and mice. She takes them to the edge of the woods and throws them in. Her father’s job is to fix and maintain much of the equipment and electrical at the estate.

Things turn dark when children begin to disappear. Serafina sees what happens--a man in a black cloak wraps the child in the cloak and the child disappears. He wants Serafina, but she knows all the nooks and crannies of the estate and escapes from him. She’s determined to save the nephew of the Vanderbilts who lives on the Estate. Braeden Vanderbilt has few friends; he prefers his dog and his horses. When they meet, Braeden doesn’t treat Serafina any differently even though she looks strange, dresses strangely, and has never been seen before. Together, they are determined to catch the man.

This novel is definitely strange. You’ll know who the “bad guy” is fairly quickly. There aren’t a lot of surprises except Serafina’s own history. If you are looking for strange with a little bit of horror, try this book

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Being close to Halloween, this made for a wonderful read. As well, I now need to head to Ashville to visit the Biltmore Estate after all the wonderful descriptions in this book.

Serafina is a gutsy 12 year old heroine. She always knew that she was different, but not sure why. Her father, Pa, and her

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live in the basement of the estate. He is the mechanic, she is the Chief Rat Catcher. He warns her not to let anyone see her, find out her name, where they live and to never go into the forest. When she encounters a strange man in a Black Cloak chasing a young girl in the basement she is not sure what to do. When the girl vanishes into the cloak, she runs and hides for her own safety. She knows she has to tell someone what happened, but her Pa does not believe her. She finally decides that she needs to tell Master Braeden. The story takes off from there. Who is this mysterious man? What is happening to the children? Is Braeden his next victim? With her own life in danger, Serafina hatches a plot to destroy the man in the black cloak and save Braeden. A great read for middle graders, YA and even adults. Very imaginative and scary at times. I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the next one in the series. There is so much more to learn about Serafina. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

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Serafina lives with her father in the basement of the Biltmore Estate. But Serafina lives in secret as the residents of the estate know nothing of her. He tells her to stay away from the forest as evil lurks there. But one day she is chased by a man in a cloak and escapes from him. This is a novel

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for children filled with mystery, magic, fantasy and such. I found it to be a book that opens the wonders of a young person’s mind. Much fun. Adults reading this to think it‘s for them and giving it a bad rating just irks me.

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If I could give this book a 10 I would. An amazing read and I felt like I was 12 years old again reading and exploring new lives through books for the first time. I wouldn't change a word or event in this book. It was perfect and I highly recommend it for young or old.

Serafina lives in the basement of The Biltmore mansion with her Pa. He is a maintenance man and is mainly in charge of keeping the electricity working. The Vanderbilt family is unaware that Serafina and her Pa are living in the basement, so Serafina keeps out of sight, but she longs to have a

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friend. While the Vanderbilts are entertaining guests, children begin disappearing. One night, Serafina sees what is happening. Nobody believes her, so she determines to solve the mystery herself.

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..........SPOILERS..........

Serafina and the Black Cloak is the first book in the Serafina trilogy. Serafina is determined to rescue the children taken by the man in a black cloak.

Plot 5/5: A good mystery that kept me guessing.

Characters 5/5: Interesting characters who I grew to love, and others I

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disliked quite a bit.

World building 5/5: This story is set in the Biltmore Estate and the surrounding areas. I had never heard of this place, but after reading this story, I would love to visit.

Pacing 5/5: The pacing was fairly quick, with slower parts here and there.

Writing 5/5: The author's writing is very good, and the story telling kept me entertained.

Overall 5/5: I really loved this story. It's a mystery, but also a story of acceptance and finding out who you are, where you're from, and where you fit in.

Favorite Quote:

"Our character isn't defined by the battles we win or lose, but by the battles we dare to fight." - a grave marker in a cemetery.

Favorite characters: Serafina, Braeden, Gidean, and Waysa.

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Starts slow and pickup; plot somewhat implausible; Serenity is likable, her perception seems a bit too mature for a 12 year old

It's definitely a very entertaining book. Something that you can't put down until you finished it. I'm hoping this would be a Disney movie pretty soon. I love the plot twist and the flow of the story. I have requested to borrow this book from my local library and it took two months. But it's worth

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the wait.

Serafina is a 12 year old girl who lives in the basement of Biltmore Estate all her life. She never had a friend and her father hide her from the world because of her uniqueness. She only comes out during the night and explore the estate when everyone is asleep. But all that change one night when she encountered the man in black cloak. It's a cute story about friendship and embracing your uniqueness. I definitely recommend this to young readers and to those who love fantasy stories regardless of their age.

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It's definitely a very entertaining book. Something that you can't put down until you finished it. I'm hoping this would be a Disney movie pretty soon. I love the plot twist and the flow of the story. I have requested to borrow this book from my local library and it took two months. But it's worth

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the wait.

Serafina is a 12 year old girl who lives in the basement of Biltmore Estate all her life. She never had a friend and her father hide her from the world because of her uniqueness. She only comes out during the night and explore the estate when everyone is asleep. But all that change one night when she encountered the man in black cloak. It's a cute story about friendship and embracing your uniqueness. I definitely recommend this to young readers and to those who love fantasy stories regardless of their age.

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Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
★★★★

Although this novel is one for young readers , I read for two reasons: first, it was recommended by my daughter and she and I have similar tastes, and second, the story is set shortly after the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., was

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constructed in the late 19th century, a place I have visited several times. Serafina is the adopted daughter of one of the employees hired by the Vanderbilts to maintain the estate. Her father discovered her as a foundling in the woods. She possesses certain innate abilities, such as the ability to run fast, squeeze into tight places, and seeing acutely in the dark. Having no home in the village, her father and she hide and live in the basement after the other employees leave for the day. While her father sleeps, Serafina moves about the mansion and grounds doing her job she claimed for herself, Chief Rat Catcher. No one with the exception of her father is aware of her existence.

During one night, she encounters a man in a hooded cape chasing one of the many visitor's daughter. As the man catches the girl, his cape becomes animate and envelops the girl and absorbs the girl within its folds. The next night another child is found missing. As the Chief Rat Catcher, she believes it is her responsibility to discover who the caped man is and to stop him before he takes another especially the Vanderbilt's young nephew.

I found the book enjoyable and suspenseful. Although this books is rated for 9-12 year olds, some in the younger age bracket might find this book too disturbing. Some of the book's scenes were the subject of my nightmares as a imaginative child.

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