01/29/2018
Two interrelated problems have raised tensions on Nantucket, a normally serene island off the Massachusetts coast. One is the clash between a chronic shortage of affordable housing and wealthy outsiders buying up rickety homes that once belonged to lobstermen and sea captains. The second is ghosts (including Mary Chase, who narrates despite being dead for a century), who don’t want the homes they’ve haunted for years renovated by rapacious contractors who swap out weather-beaten siding for Viking stoves and marble flooring. Into this conflict enters an ethnically diverse gaggle of local kids who feel (oddly) compelled to stop the renovations with a rash of “accidents” on construction sites. Balliett, a former island resident, writes lovingly about its rich history and unequivocally sides with the preservationists (“Some say Nantucket has the greatest number of pre-1850 houses of any residential community in this country,” notes one character). But many readers may gloss over the housing issues to focus on the shivery exploits of the marauding ghosts and a twisty finale that adds poignancy. Ages 8–12. Agent: Doe Coover, Doe Coover Agency. (Mar.)
Praise for Chasing Vermeer:"Balliett is an original... Thick with devilish red herrings, this smart, playful story never stops challenging (and exhilarating) the audience." — Publishers Weekly"Puzzles, codes, letters, number and wordplay, a bit of danger, a vivid sense of place, and a wealth of quirky characters enrich the exciting, fast-paced story that's sure to be relished by mystery lovers." — School Library JournalPraise for TheWright 3:* "Another tour de force." — Kirkus Reviews, starred reviewPraise for The Calder Game:* "Balliett outdoes herself with this ambitious novel." — Publishers Weekly, starred review* "Balliett again offers readers new ways to think." — Booklist, starred reviewPraise for The Danger Box:* "This highly satisfying story will enlighten readers even as it inspires them to think." — School Library Journal, starred review"A spine-tingling tale... kids are in for an adventure." — Chicago Sun-TimesPraise for Hold Fast:"[Blue Balliett's] latest and most heart-rending novel... [The] multi-faceted Early Pearl, ever observant and always pondering, shines as bright as any diamond." — New York Time Book Review* "Wonderful... will pierce all readers." — Booklist, starred review* "A moving story of homelessness, family, and the love of words and books... Enthralling and satisfying." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Balliett paints a vivid picture, a literary composition reminiscent of an Impressionist painting . . . Excellent." — School Library Journal, starred review"This novel abounds in heart, shining a spotlight on the gritty truths about homelessness." — Publishers Weekly"Vivid and compelling." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
01/01/2018
Gr 4–7—A lyrical, suspenseful ghost story and a love letter to Nantucket. A windless November has settled upon the shores of the island, as Mary W. Chase awakens from the afterlife to fulfill the role of Town Crier and narrator. One night, mysterious footprints shuffle ashore, piquing the interest of the children on the island. These ghosts have returned in response to renovations of historical island houses, an effort headed by the sneaky Eddy Nold. Phee, her grandfather Sal, and friend Gabe, along with the other members of the North End Gang, conspire to help the ghosts in preventing the renovations. Soon, the increasingly violent nature of the ghost's actions become alarming. Balliett's vivid descriptions and stunning prose capture the sense of place extraordinarily, casting Nantucket and its rich lore as a character itself. Back matter consists of an authentic Nantucket recipe and glossary of old language. The clever technique of a ghost narrator will appeal to many, yet the meandering plot with several deviations and the introduction of various nonessential tertiary characters require the sustained attention of sophisticated readers. Plenty of spooky scenes punctuate the story and a surprising twist at the end will have readers flipping back through the pages to revisit the clues buried deep within Balliett's nuanced descriptions. VERDICT Hand this to strong readers who enjoy being transported to another place and who love old ghost stories.—Amy McInerney, Falmouth Elementary School, ME
When ghosts on the island of Nantucket rise up to defend their homes from a greedy developer, a group of children works tirelessly to help the townspeople understand the dead's wishes. With bright, firm tones and stirring intensity, narrator Alison Edwards dives readily into Balliett's haunting prose. Her compassion and enthusiasm shine in her portrayals of the characters: the brave, determined children; the seasoned islanders; and the narrating ghost who is watching these extraordinary events unfold. Edwards's even pacing and attention to detail help listeners discern past from present and keep them rooted in each moment. Against the rich seaside of Nantucket, Edwards delivers this ghost story grounded in family, redemption, and history, a love letter to a place and way of life told through those who value it most. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
When ghosts on the island of Nantucket rise up to defend their homes from a greedy developer, a group of children works tirelessly to help the townspeople understand the dead's wishes. With bright, firm tones and stirring intensity, narrator Alison Edwards dives readily into Balliett's haunting prose. Her compassion and enthusiasm shine in her portrayals of the characters: the brave, determined children; the seasoned islanders; and the narrating ghost who is watching these extraordinary events unfold. Edwards's even pacing and attention to detail help listeners discern past from present and keep them rooted in each moment. Against the rich seaside of Nantucket, Edwards delivers this ghost story grounded in family, redemption, and history, a love letter to a place and way of life told through those who value it most. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
★ 2017-11-22
Nantucket's ghosts work alongside living islanders to face the challenge of development that guts old houses.One year after a tragic boating accident, the ghost of Mary Chase, dead over 100 years, wakes in a windless, 21st-century November. She's the new Town Crier, needed to warn others about the imminent destruction of her 18th-century house, one of many being "rehabilitated" for new, off-island owners. She watches the Old North Gang—Gabe Pinkham and Paul, Cyrus, and Maddie Coffin, all white island children of mostly English descent; biracial Phoebe Folger Antoine, whose mom is white and whose dad is Jamaican; and Dominican-Cape Verdean twins Maria and Markos Ramos—as they encounter ghosts from an earlier time and begin to work with them to thwart the developers through a string of "accidents." And, at a crucial moment, when Phee's house is threatened, once-quiet Mary finds her voice, screaming to wake the world. The author of such well-loved, intricately plotted mysteries as Chasing Vermeer (2004), Balliett outdoes herself here with this surprising story, set in a lovingly depicted present-day Nantucket and peopled with ordinary citizens who, like their predecessors, work with their hands. Phee and her grandfather have even started an organization to help homeless island workers. Mary's first-person, present-tense account weaves in and out of an omniscient observation of the children's actions as the line blurs between the living and the dead.Modern themes and old-fashioned values in a ghostly Nantucket wonder, with a twist. (Fantasy. 9-13)
