Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart by Lauren DeStefano
Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-61963-643-9 $16.99
Paper ed. ISBN 978-1-61963-645-3 $7.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-61963-644-6 $11.99 R Gr. 4-6
Marybeth is quiet, well-mannered, and obedient, and Lionel is none of those things, preferring to be connected with animals more than people. Nonetheless, the two have bonded closely in a house run by a woman who does her best with many orphans but doesn’t have much patience or love for any single one of them. When Marybeth is taken over by a blue light that turns out to be a ghost possessing her, Lionel’s skills at taming wild things are needed to help Marybeth regain her own body and mind. The significant wrong done to the dead girl haunting Marybeth is, unfortunately, not able to be made right, but the friends are able to bring her peace. The idea that things that can be okay even if they’re not perfect is carefully and deeply explored, giving readers a chance to ponder this important concept. The author effectively makes these kids special but not magical; Lionel’s abilities with animals, for example, are impressive but also carefully developed over years of quiet, focused effort on his part. Offer this to readers who appreciate ghost stories with plenty of character development. [End Page 119]
