A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano (2015, Bloomsbury USA Childrens; 240 pages) Pram Bellamy is special--she can talk to ghosts. She doesn't have too many friends amongst the living, but that's all right. She has her books, she has her aunts, and she has her best friend, the ghostly Felix. Then Pram meets Clarence, a boy from school who has also lost a parent and is looking for answers. Together they arrive at the door of the mysterious Lady Savant, who promises to help. But this spiritualist knows the true nature of Pram's power, and what she has planned is more terrifying than any ghost. This is a lyrical, evocative and beautiful read for a middle grade audience, to be enjoyed also by adults. Pram, the young heroine of this story is a fantastic character, compassionate, passionate, touching. One of those characters easy to fall in love with. The School Library Journal wrote that this book is a “concoction of tension and love with a cliff-hanger ending.” And I couldn’t agree more. This novel is perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman and Sheila Turnage. A note for parents from Common Sense Media: “Parents need to know that A Curious Tale of the In-Between is a ghost story from YA veteran Lauren DeStefano, her first foray into writing for big kids and tweens. Lots of talk about death, ghosts, and the afterlife lend a creepy atmosphere, but all ghosts are benign and many are helpful and friendly. The overall messages about death are positive, in that death is not seen as the end but as "just what comes next." Violence is infrequent and involves mostly vague recountings of the past (including a suicide by hanging), and the heroes are in peril a couple of times. The kids are all good models for friendship, loyalty, and bravery.” Find this title in our catalog: A Curious Tale of the In-Between Recommended by: Maite
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