Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story

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More About This Book

Overview

Since its publication in 1986, the deliciously frightening novel Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story has not only haunted countless readers, but has also won eleven state book awards. The spine-chilling tale begins when twelve-year-old Molly and her ten-year-old brother, Michael, learn that they’ll be moving to a refurbished old church in rural Maryland with their mother’s new husband, Dave, and their younger stepsister, Heather. Heather is an insufferable brat, but that turns out to be the least of the family’s worries. When she strikes up a friendship with Helen, the malevolent ghost of a seven-year-old girl who died in a mysterious fire more than a hundred years ago, things really heat up . . . and Heather’s unsettling threat, “Wait till Helen comes,” becomes a grim reality.

Molly and Michael dislike their spooky new stepsister Heather but realize that they must try to save her when she seems ready to follow a ghost child to her doom.

Editorial Reviews

"A ghost story par excellence in which a difficult seven-year-old is drawn into a frightening relationship with the ghost of a dead child."
School Library Journal
Gr 4-7 Ghost story fans have a spooky treat in store with Hahn's eerie new novel. Molly, the 12-year-old narrator, and her brother Michael dislike their bratty 5-year-old stepsister Heather and resent the family move to an isolated converted church in the country. The adjourning graveyard frightens Molly, but Heather seems drawn to it. Molly discovers that the ghost of a child (Helen) who died in a fire a century ago wants to lure Heather to her doom. Molly determines to save her stepsister. In so doing, she learns that Heather's strange behavior stems from her feelings of guilt at having accidentally caused her mother's death by playing near a stove and starting a fire. Eventually, Molly wrests Heather from Helen's arms as the ghost attempts to drown them. The girls discover the skeletons of Helen's parents, and their burial finally puts to rest Helen's spirit. This is a powerful, convincing, and frightening tale. The details of everyday life quickly give way to terror. The pace never slackens. Characterization is strong, and descriptive passages set a mood of suspense. There should be a heavy demand from readers who are not ``faint at heart.'' Judy Greenfield, Rye Free Reading Room, N.Y.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780380704422
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 11/28/1987
  • Edition description: Reissue
  • Pages: 192
  • Sales rank: 196,637
  • Age range: 9 - 12 Years
  • Lexile: 750L (what's this?)
  • Product dimensions: 5.12 (w) x 7.50 (h) x 0.48 (d)

Meet the Author

Mary Downing Hahn, a former children's librarian, is the award-winning author of many popular ghost stories, including Deep and Dark and Dangerous and The Old Willis Place. An avid reader, traveler, and all-around arts lover, Ms. Hahn lives in Columbia, Maryland, with her two cats, Oscar and Rufus.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One

"You've Bought a church?" Michael and I looked up from the pile of homework covering most of the kitchen table. I was in the middle of writing a poem for Mr. Pelowski's English class, and Michael was working his way happily through twenty math questions.

Mom filled a kettle with water and put it on the stove. Her checks were pink from the March wind, and so was the tip of her nose. "You and Molly will love it," she promised. "It's exactly the sort of place Dave and I have been looking for all winter. There's a carriage house for him to use as a pottery workshop and space in the choir loft for me to set up a studio. It's perfect."

"But how can we live in a church?" Michael persisted, refusing to be won over by her enthusiasm.

"Oh, it's not really a church anymore," Mom said. "Some people from Philadelphia bought it last year and built an addition on the side for living quarters. They were going to set up an antique store in the actual church, but, after doing all that work, they decided they didn't like living in the country after all."

"It's out in the country?" I frowned at the little cat I was doodling in the margin of my notebook paper.

Mom smiled and gazed past me, out our kitchen window and into Mrs. Overton's window directly across the alley. I had a feeling she, was seeing herself standing in front of an easel, working on one of her huge oil paintings, far from what she called the "soul-killing life of the city." She has a maddening habit of drifting away into her private dream world just when you need her most.

"Where is the church? " I asked loudly.

"Where is it?" Mom poured boiling water into her cup and added honey. "It's in Holwell, Maryland, not far from the mountains. It's beautiful. Just beautiful. The perfect place for painting and potting."

"But what about Molly and me? What are we supposed to do while you and Dave paint and make pottery?" Michael asked.

"You promised I could be in the enrichment program this summer," I said, thinking about the creative writing class I was planning to take. "Will I still be able to?"

"Yes, and what about Science Club?" Michael asked. "I'm already signed up for it. Mr. Phillips is going to take us to the Aquarium and the Science Center and even to the Smithsonian in Washington."

Mom sighed and shook her head. "I'm afraid you two will have to make other plans for summer. We'll be moving in June, and I can't possibly drive all the way back to Baltimore every day."

"But I've been looking forward to Science Club all year!" Michael's voice rose, and I could tell he was trying hard not to cry.

"You'll have plenty of woods to explore," Mom said calmly. "Just think of all the wildlife you can observe and the insects you can add to your collection. Why, the day Dave and I were there, we saw a raccoon, a possum, a woodchuck, and dozens of squirrels." Mom leaned across the table, smiling, hoping to convince Michael that he was going to love living in a church way out in the country, miles away from Mr. Phillips and Science Club.

But Michael wasn't easy to convince. Slumping down in his chair, he mumbled, "Id rather stay in Baltimore, even if I never see anything but cockroaches, pigeons, and rats."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Michael!" Mom looked exasperated. "You're ten years old. Act like it!"

As Michael opened his mouth to defend himself, Heather appeared in the kitchen doorway, responding, no doubt, to her built-in radar for detecting trouble. Her pale gray eyes roved from Mom to Michael, then to me, and back again to Mom. From the expression on her face, I imagined she was hoping to witness bloodshed, screams, a ghastly scene of domestic violence.

"Why, Heather, I was wondering where you were!" Mom turned to her, infusing her voice with enthusiasm again. "Guess what? Your daddy and I have found a new place for us to live, way out in the country. Won't that be fun?" She gave Heather a dazzling Romper-Room smile and reached out to embrace her.

With the skill of a cat, Heather sidestepped Mom's arms and peered out the kitchen window. "Daddy's home," she announced without looking at us.

"Oh, no, I forgot to put the casserole in the oven!" Mom ran to the refrigerator and pulled out a concoction of eggplant, cheese, tomatoes, and bulgur and shoved it into the oven just as Dave opened the back door, bringing a blast of cold March air into the room with him.

After giving Mom a hug and a kiss, he swooped Heather up into his arms. "How's my girl?" he boomed.

Heather twined her arms possessively around his neck and smiled coyly. "They were fighting, " she said, darting a look at Michael and me.

Dave glanced at Mom, and she smiled and shook her head. "We were just discussing our big move to the country, that's all. Nobody was fighting, Heather." Mom turned on the cold water and began rinsing lettuce leaves for a salad.

"I don't like it when they fight." Heather tightened her grip on Dave's neck.

"Come on, Michael." I stood up and started gathering my books and papers together. "Let's finish our homework downstairs."

"Dinner will be ready in about half an hour," Mom called after us as we started down the basement steps.

As soon as we were safely out of everybody's hearing range, I turned to Michael. "What are we going to do?"

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 346 )

Rating Distribution

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(283)

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(37)

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2 Star

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(9)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 349 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 26, 2007

    This book is great!!!!

    Wait til Helen Comes is about a girl named heather whose mother died in a fire years ago. Now her father is married to Jean who has two kids, Michael and Molly. Heather tells lies to her father to get them in trouble. Heather is a hateful little girl and hard to get along with. Yet she makes a ghost friend when they move into a church. This book teaches you an important lesson about being friends and being brave when something bad is about to happen. I liked this book because it is scary. This book is great for you if you want to be scared. Check it out!!!

    18 out of 19 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 29, 2012

    A half to read !!!!!

    I am pretty picky about ghost storys. I did not really know if i would like it or not, but i read it and WOW it is now my all time favorite book. I can really relate to Molly too!! I WOULD RECOMENDED FOR AGES: 8_ 12 love this book!!!

    4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 27, 2002

    My Favorite!!!!!!!

    I thought this book was more than great!It was just creepy enough.If you are looking for a book you can't put down,GET IT!!!!!

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 12, 2012

    WOW

    I was so scared for Molly and Heather I almost cried. It is a great book

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 13, 2012

    Best book

    Omg i love this book i couldnt put it down once i started it!
    Such an intence mystery!

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 17, 2012

    Best ghost story ever!!!!!

    I think this is the best ghost story evr cuz it keeps u guessing on what will happen next. I really love how at the end they all love each other and start to get along really well.

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 19, 2011

    I Also Recommend:

    9780547398532 9780618873159 9780316015844

    ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ

    this is a great ghost story.but i wouldnt recemened it for young readers like 5 and 6 year olds. but great book for 10 and up.

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted September 18, 2011

    Love

    This book is my favorite book ever

    2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 9, 2008

    Wait Till Helen Comes

    I read this book three or four years ago and I don't remember much about it except that I loved it. I highly recommend it!

    2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 21, 2012

    OMG SO FREAKIN AMAZING

    4 anone who hasnt read it... READ IT!!!!! ITS SO AMAZING!!!!!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 18, 2012

    Wait till helen comes

    OMG!!! I love this book sooo much! Trust me you have to read it!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 14, 2012

    Amazing book!

    Read this book in one day. The author keeps you hanging until you get to the end! Very recommended!!!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 4, 2012

    Mary downing hahn

    This is one of hahns best books it kept me guessing til thee end

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 1, 2012

    Great book

    Man this book is really spooky

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 1, 2012

    Anonymous on march3,2012

    This is a great book.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 29, 2012

    wait till helen comes

    this book was so so awesome

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 26, 2012

    Awesome

    My 5th grade teacher read this book to us and it was awesome it is an edge of ur seat kind of book.
    Get it get it not a waste of money

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 19, 2012

    Amazing book

    My teacher read it to the whole class and everyday we were BEGGING her to read more this book is a perfect mix of horror, loss, and sibling rivalry. I would not reccomend this to children under the age of 7 because the author is so good at what she does it was a true thriller.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 6, 2012

    Zuzu lixvvts :)-

    Amasing best book ever

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 13, 2012

    :)

    Ive read mary d.h. books since 4th grade and im in 7th grade!this was on my top favorites for her books. I would also recomend deep dark and dangerouse, and daphneys book. Im also a girl...... from-the:)

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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