Other editions of book Something Upstairs

Avi's haunting ghost story is available for the first time as a Scholastic paperback!When 12-year-old Kenny Huldorf moves to Providence, Rhode Island, he soon discovers that his attic bedroom is haunted by the ghost of a teenage slave named Caleb. Before long, Caleb summons Kenny back in time, where Kenny finds himself entangled in Caleb's murder and deeply troubled by the century-old injustice. Ultimately, it is up to Kenny to solve Caleb's murder or remain forever trapped in history. Part ghost story, part social commentary, this thought-provoking, hair-raising page turner from master tale spinner, Avi, is a perfect chilling summer read!

“What Kenny saw - or thought he saw - were two hands, then two arms, reaching up from the stain, pushing away a box of his mother’s old books that was sitting on it. These hands and arms seemed to be not flesh and blood but sculptured, glowing smoke. It was as if, from under that box, a body was struggling to be free." Kenny Huldorf is not happy when he learns that he and his family will be moving all the way across the country to Rhode Island, a state smaller than Los Angeles, the city he’s known his whole life. His new home, The Stillwell House, was built in 1789 and, like everything in Providence, it seems old-fashioned and somber. But things start to look a little brighter when Kenny’s mom shows him his new bedroom: a long, open attic with plenty of room and privacy. While he puts his things away, Kenny discovers a small room at the far end of the attic with a mysterious dark stain covering the center of the floor. All day long Kenny can’t shake the feeling that someone is in the attic with him. Late that night, awakened by sounds coming from where the small room is, Kenny opens the door to a horrifying tale from the past.

The mystery deependsThe room was shabby and dirty, heavy with heat. None of the things which Kenny called his own remained. Even the painted walls and skylight were gone.Baffled, he wondered if other things -- even outside -- had changed. Kenny went to one of the windows and looked down. On a stoop across the dark street a man was standing, gazing straight at Kenny's window. He was wearing what appeared to be a long black cape which reached his knees, and a hat, triangular in shape. Its brim obscured his face.As if suddenly realizing he was being observed, the man moved quickly into the shadows. Keeping his face averted, he fled up the street.

SOMETHING UPSTAIRSThe house is very, very old-built in 1789. In the kitchen there's a door that opens to a narrow flight of stairs that corkscrew up to a tiny bedroom. If you're curious, you may want to find this place and sleep there some night-even if you know that strange noises may awaken you. But that's not all. In the dark of night, you'll see a white glow, almost shiny, and two hands will rise from a dark stain on the floor...followed by two arms...a head...then a neck. The humanlike shape, radiating a soft, pale, pulsing light, will reach out to you...beckoning. DO NOT FOLLOW...or you may be trapped forever in the unknown horror of this haunted room! SOMETHING UPSTAIRSThe house is very, very old-built in 1789. In the kitchen there's a door that opens to a narrow flight of stairs that corkscrew up to a tiny bedroom. If you're curious, you may want to find this place and sleep there some night-even if you know that strange noises may awaken you. But that's not all. In the dark of night, you'll see a white glow, almost shiny, and two hands will rise from a dark stain on the floor...followed by two arms...a head...then a neck. The humanlike shape, radiating a soft, pale, pulsing light, will reach out to you...beckoning. DO NOT FOLLOW...or you may be trapped forever in the unknown horror of this haunted room!

The mystery deepends The room was shabby and dirty, heavy with heat. None of the things which Kenny called his own remained. Even the painted walls and skylight were gone. Baffled, he wondered if other things -- even outside -- had changed. Kenny went to one of the windows and looked down. On a stoop across the dark street a man was standing, gazing straight at Kenny's window. He was wearing what appeared to be a long black cape which reached his knees, and a hat, triangular in shape. Its brim obscured his face. As if suddenly realizing he was being observed, the man moved quickly into the shadows. Keeping his face averted, he fled up the street.