The Ghost on the Stairs (Haunted)
Grade 4–6—A great start to a suspenseful new series. Thirteen-year-old Jon and 11-year-old Tania's mother works for a ghost-hunting television show and is married to the producer. When the siblings travel to Colorado with the show, Tania is shocked to discover that she can see the ghost of a sad young bride floating down the hotel stairs. Tania convinces her brother to assist her in solving the mystery of the dead woman's origins, and through many satisfying turns, her sad tale is revealed. Tania realizes that she has no choice but to allow the woman to possess her so she can be reunited with her heartbroken groom, whose ghost, the siblings discover, is stuck in the local cemetery. These brave kids take on this challenge without adult assistance, and the grown-ups are great supporting characters who let the kids do their own thing.Hauntedis a fun read with some thrills and chills and has the added bonus of some genuine, compassionate personalities. Pair it with Mary Downing Hahn'sWait Till Helen Comes(Clarion, 1986), Cynthia DeFelice'sThe Ghost and Mrs. Hobbs(Farrar, 2001), or Peni R. Griffin'sThe Ghost Sitter(Dutton, 2001).—Julie Shatterly, South County Regional Library, Charlotte, NCEND