The Swallow: A Ghost Story

Gr 5–7—Polly and Rose live side by side in a pair of old homes high above a cemetery. Polly, an excitable child, feels ignored by her large family, especially since the arrival of a new baby. Her parents no longer have time for her, and she is left with the company of a pestering set of younger twin brothers. Rose, an only child, spends a lot of time alone, often left in the care of a cantankerous nanny whose brusqueness leaves her feeling wispy and unattached. Polly's fascination with the legend of a "ghost girl" have her wishing more than anything to see one. Rose, on the other hand, is plagued by her ability to see ghosts. Haunted by their presence, in her house and out in the world, Rose retreats not only inside of herself but inside the depths of her home, only to discover a secret passageway that leads to the attic next door. In that space she meets Polly. As they explore their mutual interests in the supernatural, they discover family secrets, sorrows, and a tombstone in the cemetery with Rose's name on it. Could she be the ghost girl? Set in 1960s Toronto, this title evokes an era that seems timeless, but the absence of historical landmarks unmoors the overall sense of time and place. The alternative narratives of the two girls is dampened by their similar voices, but readers seeking a good chill won't mind. An additional purchase where middle grade ghost stories are popular.—Meg Allison, The Moretown School, VT