Freya Hooper: A Hauntingly Good Book for Kids

By Freya Hooper (Open Post)

Well, why not start off this Halloween month with one of my favorite middle grade books this year. Normally, I am not one to love a ghost story, I am the true definition of wimpy, but this book may have just converted me to the spine tingling genre. It has heart, fabulous writing and a mystery that needs to be solved.

Don’t forget to visit my blog at www.onegreatbook.com for more inspired book choices for kids.

Title: The Night Gardner

Author: Jonathan Auxier

Target: Grades 5 and up

Series: No

What this book is about:
Two orphans, Molly and Kip, travel to a home in the woods to find employment. Nothing about this crumbling manor house seems quite right, but they are desperate for work so they ignore their fears and begin their jobs. The large looming tree which has embedded itself around the house hold secrets, and once it gets its roots into you, it is extremely difficult to ever leave. While they try to help the family living there, they too are tempted to fall prey to the allure of the tree.

Why I love this book:
Without a doubt this is one of my favorite books of the year. The writing is beautiful and while it is a good old fashioned scary story, at it’s heart it is about getting what we wish for, how what we wish for defines us and the difference between stories and lies. Insightful lessons wrapped in a creepy and bone tingling narrative. What could be better?

Who this book is for:
Great for kids who love books such as How to Catch a Bogle. Set in the same Victorian time frame with the imaginative evil that only an old fashioned setting allows us to believe is real, these books are just fun.

Final thoughts:
My current Newbery contender. This is a gem of a book.

I am a local mom of three with a passion for literature! No matter what book series our kids devour, as they come to an end, we as parents ask the inevitable question - what is next? I am ever on the job, trying to answer that question. I try to do it with a variety of books. Some are silly, some true to life, some pure fantasy, but in the end I hope they make my children love words, explore new ideas, and laugh!