review: The Old Willis Place

The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn. Clarion, 2004 (0-618-43018-0) $15; 2007 (978-0-618-89741-4) $5.95 pb


Diana and her brother Georgie live near the spooky Old Willis Place,
bound by a set of rigid "rules" to always stay hidden and alone. With
no one to talk to but each other, the two amuse themselves by spying
on and teasing the estate caretakers that constantly come and go. But
when a new caretaker arrives with a daughter about Diana's age, the
urge to make a friend becomes irresistible. Will breaking the rules
lead to a horrible punishment--or might it be the means to their
rescue? Equal parts scary and sad, this is a compelling ghost story
with an unexpectedly tender message of redemption. (9-12)