 Happy Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, and happy Middle Grade March! I've got such a fun line up of books I hope to read this month, share with my kids, and share with all of you (you can check out my hopefuls on Instagram), and today I'm starting with a new middle grade ghost story: The Girl in the Window, by Lindsey Hobson, published by Monarch Books.
Here's the publisher's description: When Izzy breaks a window in the creepy house next door, her summer plans suddenly go from playing baseball in the backyard to doing yard work for mysterious Mr. Johnson to pay for the damage. Just when she thinks it can't get any worse, she encounters a ghost girl with a cryptic HELP ME. As Izzy begins to unravel the mystery surrounding the girl's death, she discovers a whole new meaning to being friends... forever. What I liked: I always enjoy sibling stories, and the sibling dynamic in this was realistic and a lot of fun. It's been a while since I read a good kids-playing-baseball-in-the-backyard book, and I loved that element! (Anyone have any good recommendations of other books that fit that bill?) One of my favorite story tropes, no matter how often it may be done, is that of misjudging someone and learning you were wrong. It's such an important lesson, isn't it? One I need to be reminded of, over and over and over. I hope it's not too much of a spoiler, but that theme features heavily in The Girl in the Window. There were a few things that kept this from being a five-star read for me: I know, I know, my husband is an artist and I'm extremely picky. But I wish the publishers had gone with a different direction with the cover, which I felt didn't express the overall feel of the story very well. I also felt that the shift from not-as-spooky-as-you'd-think to very-spooky was very jarring. I'm all for fun twists, but the editor in me wanted to see more foreshadowing throughout. Overall, however, I found this to be a fun and interesting story that middle grade fans of Nancy Drew, who like a taste of the suspenseful and scary, will very much enjoy! For more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday recommendation, check out Always in the Middle.
9 Comments
3/4/2024 04:15:40 am
I like your constructive criticism about the structure of the book. I can't say that the cover is fantastic. It has a sort of 1980s feel to it that students might not like as well. Have a great reading week! 3/4/2024 08:31:15 am
I've just starting to read this one so thanks for not dropping any spoilers. The sibling relationships are certainly a plus. Have a Happy MMGM!
Valinora Troy
3/4/2024 11:51:05 am
One of the great things about reading is that there are so many different books so everyone can find one (or many!) they love. This book wasn't for me, but I agree with what you say about the misjudging (it was a nice twist) and I thought the family vibe at the start worked well. I don't think I saw the cover on my eARC but I agree on that too! Thanks for sharing! 3/4/2024 12:08:24 pm
I'm a fan of Nancy Drew and might enjoy this book. Thanks for being honest about your thoughts about it. 3/4/2024 03:20:25 pm
I love the trope of misjudging someone and learning you were wrong, too! 3/5/2024 08:22:53 am
The cover evokes not only a Nancy Drew feeling but does make the book look like something printed back then. Hopefully young readers won't judge this book by its cover and they'll enjoy the tale. 3/6/2024 09:12:06 pm
I would have walked right past this one if looking at covers. It's really not interesting. I'm not much on ghost stories. They disturb my sleep. That said, I have people in my family who love them. Thanks for telling me about it. 3/10/2024 10:35:04 am
Based on your review this book sounds right up my alley! I like mysteries intertwined with ghosts. Thanks for sharing. :) Leave a Reply. |
About meHi! I'm Faith. I blog about books and creativity, family and faith. Welcome! Archives
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