Peeled by Joan Bauer.

Bauer does it again with this engaging story of a young journalist who faces off against her own hometown paper.  Hildy Biddle knows how to stand up for the truth.  Her father was a newspaperman before he died and she has grown up to be very like him.  When a house in their community is declared one of the most haunted places in the state, all sorts of strange things start happening, all attributed to the ghosts.  Hildy and her friends on the high school paper refuse to accept the tales being told in the local newspaper and continue to ask questions.  But how will she reveal the truth once the high school paper is shut down?  Can the truth be heard?

Hildy is a grand female character, gutsy, funny, smart and determined.  Best of all, she is not the stereotypical smart-girl who lacks romance.  Instead Hildy has a string of ex-boyfriends and a boy she has her eye on.  This adds to her believability and strength as a character.  Additionally, the secondary characters are well-written and complete. 

Bauer also uses her ability as a writer to present readers with tough situations through clear language and a thoughtful approach.  As Hildy grabbles with the ethical dilemmas of revealing truth, so does the reader.  Bauer allows the reader to learn, question and think on their own.

Highly recommended for teens, this book contains no sexual content and could easily be used in classrooms with teens.