Books › The ghost sitter
The ghost sitter
First published 2001 · 131 pages
A sunlit summer vacation slowly gives way to a gentle, spine-tingling mystery about the ghosts we leave behind.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a perfectly normal, sun-drenched summer vacation that slowly reveals a chilling, yet deeply sympathetic, shadow. It balances the cozy familiarity of neighborhood block parties and new friendships with the creeping unease of a haunting. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging pace, pulling the reader through a mystery that is less about terror and more about understanding. The prose is grounded and accessible, anchoring the supernatural elements in the everyday reality of sibling annoyances and loyalties. It is a quintessential middle-grade ghost story, just scary enough to provide a delicious shiver, but ultimately wrapped in a warm, emotionally satisfying exploration of grief, sisterhood, and the importance of helping lost souls find their way home.
- Mood
- eerie
- suburban
- nostalgic
- cozy-spooky
- Tone
- earnest
- suspenseful
- warm
- gentle
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- sibling bonds · unresolved grief · summer friendships · letting go · hidden histories
- The writing
- Clear, accessible, and grounded in everyday middle-grade reality with subtle touches of the supernatural.
- The arc
- Moves from the unsettling disruption of a normal summer to a compassionate, heartwarming resolution of lingering grief.
- Who it's for
- Middle-grade readers who love a gentle scare mixed with friendship dynamics and family mysteries.
Content notes
- child death
- grief
- mild peril
About the book
Charlotte is looking forward to spending the summer in her new home-she has her own bedroom, a nearby pool, a friendly neighbor, and there's a big block party coming up. Then her little brother suddenly starts asking for his new friend, "Susie." Is someone else playing with him? Someone only he can see? Soon Charlotte realizes that her all-too-normal house is haunted-by the ghost of a girl who doesn't realize that she's dead...."Has several strong appeals: new best friends solving a mystery together, a just-scary-enough ghost girl, and a deathless bond between sisters that provides the book with its resoundingly satisfying conclusion." (The Horn Book)
Description from Open Library.
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