Rules for Ghosting

June 1, 2013
Dahlia's solitary, ghostly existence is disrupted by the sudden arrival of living and nonliving visitors. Confined for decades to Silverton Manor and its grounds, the forever-12-year-old is overjoyed to meet Mrs. Tibbs, a very proper ghost sent to engineer Dahlia's release. However, their plans are interrupted when a living family moves into the manor. Although his parents were hired to watch over Silverton while it is being renovated for auction, Oliver yearns to make it their permanent home. When a nefarious schemer arrives at the manor masquerading as a handyman in order to trap a ghost and gain fame, Dahlia's very existence is placed in peril. To prevent any further tragedies, Oliver and Dahlia must find a way to collaborate to determine the source of the rumors surrounding the manor and the cause of Dahlia's death. Chapters alternate between Dahlia's and Oliver's perspectives, and Paquette creates vividly detailed depictions of a ghostly existence. She delves into the practicalities of being a ghost, offers a hilarious interpretation of a ghost-run bureaucracy, and describes fanciful ghost-tracking and -trapping gadgetry. As Dahlia and Oliver search for answers, surprising plot developments will keep readers re-evaluating the clues until the story's thrilling conclusion. Paquette's high-spirited tale featuring a benign, good-natured ghost offers readers an imaginative, intriguing mystery. (Mystery. 9-12)

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June 1, 2013

Gr 4-6-Due to some unfortunate paperwork errors, 12-year-old ghost Dahlia Silverton has been stuck in Silverton Manor for years, lonely and with no memory of her life after age 10, or how she died. Finally addressing her case, the Spectral Investigative Council, or Ghouncil, sends a Liberator to help her discover what is anchoring her to the manor so that she can cross over. Meanwhile, Oliver Day arrives with his family of professional house-sitters charged with making the mansion ready for auction in six months. Tired of moving from place to place, Oliver is determined to make Silverton Manor the Days' new home. When Dahlia's Liberator, Mrs. Tibbs, is captured by a ghost hunter posing as a repairman, Dahlia may have to break the most important of all the Ghouncil's rules and make contact with the living to get Oliver's help. The novel's strength lies in the two main characters. Dahlia and Oliver are likable and capable protagonists. Dahlia's desire for closure and knowledge of her past and Oliver's craving for a real home drive their actions, but both are quick to come to each other's aid along with Oliver's younger sister, Poppy. The story is nicely paced with short chapters, though some readers may wish for more details of the climactic moments in Dahlia's life once her memory returns as well as more on how the Ghouncil operates. Still, this is an entertaining read for children who enjoy gentle ghost stories.-Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2014
Dahlia, twelve-year-old resident ghost of Silverton Manor for fifty-eight years, enlists the help of new residents Oliver and his siblings to outwit a ghost hunter and solve the mystery of her death so she may finally cross over. Chapters alternating between Dahlia and Oliver's perspectives fuse the characters' stories, while interesting language and vivid details bring this spooky, quirky mystery to life.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)