06/07/2021
Living with her older sister while their father looks for work, 11-year-old Zee Puckett loves exploring her sleepy mountain town’s graveyard and telling scary stories, especially to her best (and only) friend, Elijah. When Zee encounters a ghost on a school library trip, mean girl Nellie begins calling her “Ghost Girl,” a name that becomes even more apropos when Zee realizes that she can see and talk to specters, just like her late mother could. A particularly cruel run-in with Nellie leads to a physical fight that attracts the attention of their school’s new arrival, Principal Scratch, a sinister, pale-skinned man attired in all black who wears a single red glove. After Scratch visits the homes of Elijah, Nellie, and Zee, encouraging each to visualize “what you desire most,” the trio finds themselves targeted by terrifying, otherworldly dogs, amid other strange occurrences. Briefly raising themes of body positivity and feminism, debut author Malinenko writes an atmospheric tale that is rife with chilling moments and an affecting exploration of grief, but underdeveloped characters and a swift, tidy ending lessen its impact. Zee and Nellie are white; Elijah is Black. Ages 8–12. Agent: Rena Rossner, the Deborah Harris Agency. (Aug.)
"Malinenko has crafted a vivid portrait of what it's like to be young and scared, even as she reminds you that fear can only win if you let it. A good horror novel should plunge you into darkness, but it should also guide you back toward the light. Ghost Girl—just like its heroine—absolutely rises to the challenge."
"A creepy, addicting story that kept me up at night! This chilling mystery has thoughtful portrayals of family and friendship, nail-biting moments, a terrifying villain and wonderful storytelling that will surely delight fans of spooky tales."
Ghost Girl is a wondrous mix of mystery, empowering adventure, and spooky scares about a most unusual girl and the strange nightmares she must conquer. It’s the kind of ghost story that helps readers overcome their fears while putting them on the edge of their seats.
"Ghost Girl is a grand buffet for any lover of spooky tales. Within its pages you’ll find a misty graveyard, creepy hounds, terrifying spirits, moonlit chases—and a silver-tongued villain who will send chills down your spine. At the center of it all is a winning protagonist and a heartfelt message about staying true to yourself and the power of friendship. Read it with a cup of hot cocoa on a dark and stormy night!"
Ghost Girl will haunt your heart (and you’ll thank her!). Whether you’re a fan of ghost stories, fun/spooky mysteries, or books with all the feels, you’re sure to love Ally Malinenko’s fabulous debut novel about acceptance and the incredible power of friendship. Sign me up for the sequel!”
08/01/2021
Gr 3–7—Zee Puckett, who is white, loves to tell scary stories. After a stormy night, she convinces her best friend Elijah, a young Black boy, to go with her to explore the cemetery and listen to her latest tale. While there, they discover that more has blown into town with the storm than a few branches. They are chased by hounds that talk and have blood dripping from their eyes. Their new principal Mr. Scratch seems to know too much about people's darkest fears. And Zee has the ability to see ghosts, just like her late mother did. Principal Scratch somehow convinces the townspeople to visualize what they really want in life. When these things come to pass, Zee, Elijah, and Zee's bully Nellie are the only ones who recognize that they are illusions and the people are worse off, not better. The three understand that Principal Scratch is very dangerous, and stopping him is a matter of life and death. Zee is a likable character, and readers will root for her. There are some moments of symbolism that are never explained, which could cause some confusion but most likely will just add to the fright. This is not for young readers who say they want a scary story but actually mean they want suspense or an adrenaline rush with a ghost or two. VERDICT This is a chilling story that will delight upper elementary readers who enjoy truly creepy books.—Julie Overpeck, Gardner Park Elem. Sch., Gastonia, NC
2021-06-11
A girl who delights in the macabre harnesses her inherited supernatural ability.
It’s not just her stark white hair that makes 11-year-old Zee Puckett stand out in nowheresville Knobb’s Ferry. She’s a storyteller, a Mary Shelley fangirl, and is being raised by her 21-year-old high school dropout sister while their father looks for work upstate (cue the wayward glances from the affluent demography). Don’t pity her, because Zee doesn’t acquiesce to snobbery, bullying, or pretty much anything that confronts her. But a dog with bleeding eyes in a cemetery gives her pause—momentarily—because the beast is just the tip of the wicked that has this way come to town. Time to get some help from ghosts. The creepy supernatural current continues throughout, intermingled with very real forays into bullying (Zee won’t stand for it or for the notion that good girls need to act nice), body positivity, socio-economic status and social hierarchy, and mental health. This debut from a promising writer involves a navigation of caste systems, self-esteem, and villainy that exists in an interesting world with intriguing characters, but they receive a flat, two-dimensional treatment that ultimately makes the book feel like one is learning a ho-hum lesson in morality. Zee is presumably White (as is her rich-girl nemesis–cum-comrade, Nellie). Her best friend, Elijah, is cued as Black. Warning: this just might spurn frenzied requests for Frankenstein.
A didactic blueprint disguised as a supernatural treasure map. (Supernatural. 10-12)
"A girl who delights in the macabre harnesses her inherited supernatural ability. The creepy supernatural current continues throughout, intermingled with very real forays into bullying (Zee won’t stand for it or for the notion that good girls need to act nice), body positivity, socio-economic status and social hierarchy, and mental health. This debut from a promising writer involves a navigation of caste systems, self-esteem, and villainy that exists in an interesting world with intriguing characters . . . Warning: this just might spurn frenzied requests for Frankenstein." — Kirkus Reviews
"Zee is a likable character, and readers will root for her . . . This is a chilling story that will delight upper elementary readers who enjoy truly creepy books." — School Library Journal
". . . Raising themes of body positivity and feminism, debut author Malinenko writes an atmospheric tale that is rife with chilling moments and an affecting exploration of grief . . . " — Publishers Weekly
“It’s hard to put down this fast-paced book.” — The Week Junior
"Ghost Girl is a grand buffet for any lover of spooky tales. Within its pages you’ll find a misty graveyard, creepy hounds, terrifying spirits, moonlit chases—and a silver-tongued villain who will send chills down your spine. At the center of it all is a winning protagonist and a heartfelt message about staying true to yourself and the power of friendship. Read it with a cup of hot cocoa on a dark and stormy night!" — J. A. White, author of Nightbooks and the Shadow School series
"A creepy, addicting story that kept me up at night! This chilling mystery has thoughtful portrayals of family and friendship, nail-biting moments, a terrifying villain and wonderful storytelling that will surely delight fans of spooky tales." — Daka Hermon, author of Hide and Seeker
“Ghost Girl is a wondrous mix of mystery, empowering adventure, and spooky scares about a most unusual girl and the strange nightmares she must conquer. It’s the kind of ghost story that helps readers overcome their fears while putting them on the edge of their seats.” — Joe Ballarini, author of The Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting
“Ghost Girl will haunt your heart (and you’ll thank her!). Whether you’re a fan of ghost stories, fun/spooky mysteries, or books with all the feels, you’re sure to love Ally Malinenko’s fabulous debut novel about acceptance and the incredible power of friendship. Sign me up for the sequel!” — Ryan Calejo, author of the Charlie Hernández series
"Malinenko has crafted a vivid portrait of what it's like to be young and scared, even as she reminds you that fear can only win if you let it. A good horror novel should plunge you into darkness, but it should also guide you back toward the light. Ghost Girl—just like its heroine—absolutely rises to the challenge." — Alison Ames, author of To Break A Covenant
It’s hard to put down this fast-paced book.”
