The Ghost Children
Eve Bunting
Hardcover
(Bantam Skylark Book, March 15, 1991)
Grade 4-6-- Newly orphaned Matt and his little sister Abby are invited to live with their great-aunt Gerda in California. Upon their arrival they discover seven life-sized dolls in the front yard that their aunt refers to as her "children." Vandalism and a deliberately set fire turn out to be only the tip of the iceberg as Matt discovers that someone is trying to force his aunt out of her home. When two of the dolls are stolen, Matt becomes convinced that he must get Abby away. In the course of their flight the thief is accidentally discovered, and all is happily resolved. Mild doses of suspense and mystery, an interesting situation, and smooth writing make this an adequate choice. For really spine-tingling suspense mysteries, direct readers to Betty Wright's The Dollhouse Murders (1983), A Ghost in the Window (1987), and Christina's Ghost (1985, all Holiday). --Lisa Smith, Cold Spring Harbor Library, N.Y. Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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