The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn

Diana and her little brother, Georgie, are ghosts living in the woods surrounding old Miss Lilian’s place. They cannot go beyond the gate at the end of the lane, they are not to enter the crumbling mansion, and they can’t let anyone see them. Then Lissa moves into the trailer out back. Her father is the new caretaker and Diana decides having a new friend is more important than the rules. The main voice is Diana’s, but readers know Lissa’s side of the story through her diary entries, which Diana steals and reads. In the end, with Lissa’s help, the children confront nasty Miss Lilian’s ghost. Their remains are found in the basement room where Miss Lilian locked them, to teach them a lesson. Unfortunately, Miss Lilian had a stroke before she could release them, and their spirits are reunited with their parents. Even nasty Miss Lilian’s spirit is forgiven and can move on. Author Mary Downing Hahn still has quite a way with characters. These children and even the ghosts all seem real and the reader comes to care about them. The horror here is not bloody or gory, but nonetheless will make readers shiver with sympathy and suspense. Give this to your Betty Ren Wright fans or those looking for a more realistic feel to their ghost stories. Library Media Connection (January 2005)

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