Ghost Girl by Delia Ray (0-618-33377-0)
In the remote Blue Ridge Mountains, April, called Ghost Girl because she is so blonde and skinny, lives with her parents. Her entire family is still grieving the death of her younger brother. When President Herbert Hoover builds a school for the children in her area, April desperately wants to attend, but her mother refuses. Luckily, April’s grandmother, Aunt Birdy, steps in and convinces her mother to let her attend. This is the first step in a series of changes in April’s life and future.
When I started this book, I had expected the normal poor girl off to school story, but this becomes something different part-way through. It becomes a story of courage, of individualism, and of honesty. The story has its own rhythm that is very natural and unforced. When picking it up again, it is like returning home. Lovely writing combined with interesting characters and a plot that has nice pacing, makes this a great book to recommend to kids. I only wish the cover was a bit more kid-friendly. It will take a bit of pushing to get kids to try this, but I expect that they too will tumble happily into April’s world.