You know how there are those books that give you book hangovers? They are the ones that you finish and you close and want to pick up again. Or just hold them because you don't want the feeling to go away. This book gave me a book hangover this summer, big time. I was on an airplane home to Chicago for the ALA conference and I finished it and then sat there. I let thoughts swirl around in my head about this book because I just couldn't let it go. And then I talked about it, a lot!
The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street
by Lindsay Currie
published by Aladdin
October 10th
What's it about? Check out the book trailer here:
Ghost stories are a favorite among some readers. They look for them, ask for them, but I don't have a big range. I am so excited to be able to hand readers this book this October! It's a ghost story, but it's more than your regular ghost story. Lindsay has made this story very unique:
- It's a ghost story but underneath the scary part of the story is theme of friendship. Rather than keep it a familiar, scary, and typical ghost story, Lindsay has woven this other thread through the story - both for the main character and for the ghost story itself, of friendship.
- It's creepy, don't get me wrong, but it has just the right amount of shivers. My 12 year old is like me - this genre is not the first she'll pick up and she has to read them during the day. As she was reading this book, she would stop and say, "this book is so scary!" and then go right back into it! There was no way she was going to stop reading it, even if it did give her the shivers.
- I like that the ghost story has roots in Chicago history. Lindsay has done quite a bit of research and uses is within the story. Again, this goes to show you it's more than a "typical" ghost story by having some real history and some local (for me) folklore within the story. Here's a link to Lindsay's website that will give you more information about the Chicago ghost connections!
- I also appreciated that there was not any violence and gore in the story. We don't know if the ghost is mean or not, and creepy things happen, but it stops from being violent. We have enough of that in our world, I'm glad we don't have to read about it too!
I have no doubt that this book is going to be very popular with students this fall. I hope you have a few copies ready to go because there will be a long wait list for this one! Happy reading!
Goodreads summary:
A girl unravels a centuries-old mystery after moving into a haunted house in this deliciously suspenseful mystery.
Tessa Woodward isn’t exactly thrilled to move to rainy, cold Chicago from her home in sunny Florida. But homesickness turns to icy fear when unexplainable things start happening in her new house. Things like flickering lights, mysterious drawings appearing out of nowhere, and a crackling noise she can feel in her bones.
When her little brother’s doll starts crying real tears, Tessa realizes that someone—or something—is trying to communicate with her. A secret that’s been shrouded in mystery for more than one hundred years.
With the help of three new friends, Tessa begins unraveling the mystery of what happened in the house on Shady Street—and more importantly, what it has to do with her!
Author Bio:
Tessa Woodward isn’t exactly thrilled to move to rainy, cold Chicago from her home in sunny Florida. But homesickness turns to icy fear when unexplainable things start happening in her new house. Things like flickering lights, mysterious drawings appearing out of nowhere, and a crackling noise she can feel in her bones.
When her little brother’s doll starts crying real tears, Tessa realizes that someone—or something—is trying to communicate with her. A secret that’s been shrouded in mystery for more than one hundred years.
With the help of three new friends, Tessa begins unraveling the mystery of what happened in the house on Shady Street—and more importantly, what it has to do with her!
Author Bio:
Lindsay lives in Chicago, Illinois with one incredibly patient hubby, three amazing kids and THREE DOGS! She's fond of tea, Halloween, Disney World and things that go bump in the night!
An author of young adult and middle grade fiction, Lindsay is represented by Kathleen Rushall, of Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Her middle grade novels are published with Simon & Schuster/Aladdin. Her young adult novels are published with Flux/Llewellyn and Merit Press. More information about her can be found at: www.lindsaycurrie.com.
Fun facts:
I'm a Disney World fanatic
I love Sweden
Halloween is my favorite holiday
I jumped off of the JAWS bridge two years ago
I've always wanted Anne Shirley's red hair
Find Peculiar Incident on Shady Street:
I absolutely loved this book! Tessa and her friends are brave and adventurous. It's such a great read for the middlge grade crowd.
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