Spirit hunters

Title:

Spirit hunters

Author:

Summary:

Harper doesn't trust her new home from the moment she steps inside, and the rumors are that the Raine family's new house is haunted. Harper isn't sure she believes those rumors, until her younger brother, Michael, starts acting strangely. She knows that the memories she's blocking will help make sense of her brother's behavior and the strange and threatening sensations she feels in this house, but will she be able to put the pieces together in time?

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

276 pages ; 22 cm

Genre:

Ghost stories.

Horror fiction.

Detective and mystery fiction.

Subject Term:

Siblings -- Juvenile fiction.

Haunted houses -- Juvenile fiction.

Memory -- Juvenile fiction.

Spirit possession -- Juvenile fiction.

Publisher:

HarperCollins,

Publication Date:

2017

ISBN:

9780062430083

Publication Information:

New York, NY : HarperCollins, [2017]

Award Note:

A Junior Library Guild selection (JLG.)

Call Number:

J OH

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003250589	Juvenile Fiction	OH	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

"Oh has crafted a truly chilling middle grade horror novel that will grab readers' imaginations." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Even more impressive than the shiver factor is the way the author skillfully uses the compelling premise to present a strong, consistent message of not rejecting what you don't understand." --Booklist (starred review)

"This mystery thriller infused with diverse characters and intriguing themes will appeal to horror fans and to reluctant readers who enjoy a good scare." --School Library Journal

We Need Diverse Books founder Ellen Oh returns with Spirit Hunters, a high-stakes middle grade mystery series about Harper Raine, the new seventh grader in town who must face down the dangerous ghosts haunting her younger brother.

A riveting ghost story and captivating adventure, this tale will have you guessing at every turn!

The whole atmosphere gives Harper a sense of déjà vu, but she can't remember why. She knows that the memories she's blocking will help make sense of her brother's behavior and the strange and threatening sensations she feels in this house, but will she be able to put the pieces together in time?

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-6-Harper Raine suffered through a series of accidents but has no memory of them. She and her family have just moved to Washington, DC, but this is no fresh start: Harper begins hearing rumors that their new home is haunted. Is that why her little brother Michael is acting so strangely? The mysteries build into a truly frightening thriller, with some brutal scenes that may scare more sensitive readers not familiar with horror tropes. A spirit attacks Harper by throwing her down the stairs and stabbing her with a toy truck. In a memorable scene, the walls pulse with dark liquid and a ghost presents himself as a rotting corpse. The straightforward, direct language tempers the drama, though it occasionally results in stilted dialogue. For instance, Harper's new friend Dayo invites her to eat "jerk chicken with rice and callaloo, which are delicious Jamaican stewed greens." Dayo's Jamaican background and Harper's Korean culture aren't the main subjects of the story, but they add depth. Harper's pride in her grandmother's Korean traditions helps her defeat the house's evil spirit, and she learns that racial divisions can exist even after death: the white ghosts in a segregated graveyard don't trust a ghost who is buried in the neighboring African American graveyard. VERDICT This mystery thriller infused with diverse characters and intriguing themes will appeal to horror fans and to reluctant readers who enjoy a good scare.-Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

Harper Raine, 12, feels unsettled in her family's new house in Washington, D.C.-especially in her four-year-old brother Michael's oddly cold room. Michael's new imaginary friend, Billy, seems harmless at first, but when Michael starts acting strange and lashing out violently, Harper begins to reconsider the rumors of the house being haunted. With the help of a newfound friend, Dayo, Harper explores the house's troubled history and delves into her own past, questioning her missing memories about a school fire and an accident that left her with multiple broken bones. Occasional entries from Harper's "Stupid D.C. Journal" provide insight into her feelings about the move, the creepy goings-on, and her resurfacing memories. Her estranged Korean grandmother, who lives nearby, grounds the supernatural aspects of the story in family and tradition, and the mysterious events that led to Harper's accident and the family's move are skillfully employed, offering an engaging reprieve from the eerie events in Harper's house. Oh has crafted a truly chilling middle grade horror novel that will grab readers' imaginations. Ages 8-12. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.