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Dies Drear Chronicles #1
(The House of Dies Drear) By Hamilton, Virginia (Author) mass_market on 01-Oct-1984
A huge, old house with secret tunnels, a cantankerous caretaker, and buried treasure is a dream-come-true for 13-year-old Thomas. The fact that it's reputedly haunted only adds to its appeal! As soon as his family moves in, Thomas senses something strange about the Civil War era house, which used to be a critical stop on the Underground Railroad. With the help of his father, he learns about the abolitionists and escaping slaves who kept the Underground Railroad running. While on his own, he explores the hidden passageways in and under the house, piecing clues together in an increasingly dangerous quest for the truth about the past. Newbery medalist Virginia Hamilton creates a heart-pounding adventure with this absorbing classic for older readers. (Ages 9 to 12)
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First published January 1, 1968
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About the author
Virginia Hamilton
137 books270 followersVirginia Esther Hamilton was the author of forty-one works of fiction and nonfiction. She was the first Black writer awarded the Newbery Medal and the first children's writer to be named a MacArthur Fellow (the "Genius" grant). She also received the National Book Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 479 reviews
August 26, 2020
Damn all the whiny readers who keep comparing this novel to Scooby-Doo, which came out in 1969, while Virginia Hamilton published House of Dies Drear in 1968.
That's right, Virginia Hamilton created that plot template and used it once. Get your pop culture history straight before you gripe, and give V. Hamilton some respect. She was an African-American YA lit author before YA lit even existed as its own category.
In House of Dies Drear, Virginia Hamilton
⭐ Single-handedly invented the Underground Railroad gothic genre
⭐ Reflected the 1960s interest in historic preservation, which had only recently gotten official support with the passing of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966
⭐ Quietly sets her novel against the backdrop of a historically black college and its town
⭐ Has her African-American characters move north in the last historical days of the Great Migration
⭐Has her AA mcs express historic ambivalence: they love their small AA church while rightfully despising the segregation that forced its separation
Perhaps those whiny readers should have learned about this book in school. No, it's not a perfect book, but Hamilton was a pioneer. Dammit.
That's right, Virginia Hamilton created that plot template and used it once. Get your pop culture history straight before you gripe, and give V. Hamilton some respect. She was an African-American YA lit author before YA lit even existed as its own category.
In House of Dies Drear, Virginia Hamilton
⭐ Single-handedly invented the Underground Railroad gothic genre
⭐ Reflected the 1960s interest in historic preservation, which had only recently gotten official support with the passing of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966
⭐ Quietly sets her novel against the backdrop of a historically black college and its town
⭐ Has her African-American characters move north in the last historical days of the Great Migration
⭐Has her AA mcs express historic ambivalence: they love their small AA church while rightfully despising the segregation that forced its separation
Perhaps those whiny readers should have learned about this book in school. No, it's not a perfect book, but Hamilton was a pioneer. Dammit.
February 22, 2020
Published in 1968, the year the author turned 32, The House of Dies Drear is set mainly in a small fictional community in southern Ohio, the area where Hamilton herself grew up, and where her ancestors had settled in the 1850s after escaping from slavery via the Underground Railroad. (Ohio was a key state in the latter operation, some 40,000 escaping slaves passing through or settling there just in the years 1810-1850.) That legacy bulks large in this novel; the titular house was a station on the "railroad," and its owner and builder, abolitionist Dies Drear, was murdered there (probably at the instigation of slave owners) soon after three escaped slaves who'd been at the house were caught, and two of them killed. Said to be haunted, the house now belongs to a historical foundation that leases it to tenants --but none of those have ever stayed in it long. The newest tenants are the Small family, of which 13-year-old protagonist Thomas (the book opens on his birthday) is the oldest son; his father, an historian, is going to be teaching in the local college. But from the beginning, an aura of mystery and secrets envelops the house and its long-time caretaker, old Mr. "Pluto" (nicknamed for the lord of the underworld in classical mythology).
At 246 pages, this is a pretty quick read, with a brisk narrative pace; the plot spans just four days, and Hamilton packs quite a bit into them. (It's set in the spring, around Easter, since the public schools are "still having Easter vacation.") A strongly Gothic vibe is effectively conjured from the very first sight of the ill-regarded house, honeycombed by secret entrances and underground tunnels. (The title itself deliberately evokes mental associations with death and dreariness.) Hamilton's prose style and plotting is literate without being stilted or opaque, suitable for older kids (and free of bad language), but not so simplistic and dumbed-down that adults can't also appreciate it. (In one respect, her writing here resembles that of Henry James in the stress in places on intuited impressions and unspoken nuances in conversations, etc.) Thomas is a barely-fledged teen, but he's an intelligent one who's spent more time around adults or alone in the woods than with other kids his age (I could relate to him very well!), and most of the other important characters are adults. (We occasionally get glimpses into their perceptions, though we're mostly in Thomas' head.) All in all, this a masterfully-told tale that held my interest throughout.
A word might be in order about the 1984 movie adaptation (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264696/ ), which I watched on TV back in the 90s, and which initially put the book on my radar. The film basically resembles the book in essential plotting and characterizations, though it's been so long since I watched it that I can't do a detailed comparison/contrast. However, I can say that there are certain significant differences. The Darrows are introduced much earlier and more directly in the movie. While in the book, the child Pesty is clearly much younger than Thomas and he has two very small brothers, a set of twins (who don't do much, because they're still young enough to nurse out of bottles), in the movie the twins don't appear at all, and Pesty is Thomas' age and plays a larger role. (IMO, that's actually a plus for the movie, but that's just me!) Mrs. Small also plays a more prominent part in the movie than in the book.
Virginia Hamilton had already written one novel, also marketed for younger readers (as were all of her works), to considerable acclaim before this one. She would go on to write 41 books altogether, winning the coveted Newbery Award in 1975. (That wasn't for this book, but this one did garner the mystery genre's prestigious Edgar Award.) Sadly, she passed away from breast cancer in 2002.
At 246 pages, this is a pretty quick read, with a brisk narrative pace; the plot spans just four days, and Hamilton packs quite a bit into them. (It's set in the spring, around Easter, since the public schools are "still having Easter vacation.") A strongly Gothic vibe is effectively conjured from the very first sight of the ill-regarded house, honeycombed by secret entrances and underground tunnels. (The title itself deliberately evokes mental associations with death and dreariness.) Hamilton's prose style and plotting is literate without being stilted or opaque, suitable for older kids (and free of bad language), but not so simplistic and dumbed-down that adults can't also appreciate it. (In one respect, her writing here resembles that of Henry James in the stress in places on intuited impressions and unspoken nuances in conversations, etc.) Thomas is a barely-fledged teen, but he's an intelligent one who's spent more time around adults or alone in the woods than with other kids his age (I could relate to him very well!), and most of the other important characters are adults. (We occasionally get glimpses into their perceptions, though we're mostly in Thomas' head.) All in all, this a masterfully-told tale that held my interest throughout.
A word might be in order about the 1984 movie adaptation (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264696/ ), which I watched on TV back in the 90s, and which initially put the book on my radar. The film basically resembles the book in essential plotting and characterizations, though it's been so long since I watched it that I can't do a detailed comparison/contrast. However, I can say that there are certain significant differences. The Darrows are introduced much earlier and more directly in the movie. While in the book, the child Pesty is clearly much younger than Thomas and he has two very small brothers, a set of twins (who don't do much, because they're still young enough to nurse out of bottles), in the movie the twins don't appear at all, and Pesty is Thomas' age and plays a larger role. (IMO, that's actually a plus for the movie, but that's just me!) Mrs. Small also plays a more prominent part in the movie than in the book.
Virginia Hamilton had already written one novel, also marketed for younger readers (as were all of her works), to considerable acclaim before this one. She would go on to write 41 books altogether, winning the coveted Newbery Award in 1975. (That wasn't for this book, but this one did garner the mystery genre's prestigious Edgar Award.) Sadly, she passed away from breast cancer in 2002.
August 13, 2007
I know this book is a classic, but it drove me nuts that the first 3/4 of the book was so creepy and atmospheric...and then it turned into Scooby Doo, complete with rubber masks and meddlin' kids. Ugh.
Read
July 1, 2019Last month I read Hamilton's award-winning children's novel M. C. Higgins, the Great, and I was so intrigued by it that I'm reading through more Hamilton—next, Zeely. This one is a thriller with lots of history, lots of twists. Loved it. I'm surprised Hamilton isn't better known today.
February 15, 2008
I expected more from this book than I got. I think that I had vaguely heard a lot about it, and thus expected it to be some sort of amazingly-written work of art. Instead I just found dull, overly-descriptive, under-developed and predictable literature. The plot is interesting in that it combines history with a mystery, so perhaps that is the source of its acclaim. I, though, was not drawn in enough by it to enjoy nor to recommend The House of Dies Drear.
May 23, 2017
This was a suspenseful mystery - a history mystery! I liked it. But it was a bit too long. (Caleb age 10)
October 10, 2017
I did not like it at all(I apologize if this is anyone’s favorite book). It was very over the top and I found the plot hard to follow. This book did not grasp my interest. Now I know you might be thinking why did you read it then? Well, I had to read it for school and I had hoped that would improve. I was sadly disappointed.
October 15, 2023
Maybe I should re-read this again, but I just remember it scaring the hell out of me as a fourth (?) -grader when we had to read it in school.
August 15, 2020
Horrible! The worst book I have ever read! The concept could have been so good but it was poorly written. It was SO hard to follow the plot. It was incredibly boring!
May 16, 2023
I remembered liking this book when I was little, so I decided to re-read it. Definitely underwhelming for me...
January 23, 2018
The NY Times Review blurb on this book says "A spellbinding mystery with edge-of-the-seat suspense." No, it isn't that. Not that it's a bad book, but not spellbinding at all, and not really suspenseful, let alone edge-of-seat.
What I liked: The descriptions of the mountains of North Carolina were beautiful and spot-on. The descriptions of Ohio were lovely too, though didn't jive with my own Ohio experiences, though since the author was from Ohio, I'll just assume there are places like that I never saw. She created a feeling of being there. I also liked the look into a culture that's outside my experience (black rural America circa 1968). The writing was good and made the read fast. I like the protagonist in the first 2 chapters of the novel--a young teenager, sad to leave his old home in NC, but curious about where they're going and open to adventure. He seems intelligent and curious about the world and the history of their new house.
What I didn't like: The protagonist turns into a boy scared of everything. His mind seems to close, he makes unfounded assumptions about people he hasn't met or barely met. He believes the worst of everyone right away. He seems to be a totally different person than the way he acted in the early chapters. And he doesn't grow beyond that or really contribute much to the outcome of the plot.
The first half of the book seemed very disjointed, the pacing uneven, characters only seeming half drawn. In the second chapter, the author felt she had to tell us the entire history of the Underground Railroad where the house was concerned, but only bits of it were important to the plot later. The second half of the book was much better as far as pacing and plot goes, but a lot of questions were left unanswered from the beginning. (I can't say what those questions were without spoilers and I don't want to go there.)
I'm giving it 3 stars because of the things I liked, but I think this was a book much in need of editing. It's a shame because it had potential. I can only guess that they hurried it to press since it came out in the middle of the Civil Rights movement.
What I liked: The descriptions of the mountains of North Carolina were beautiful and spot-on. The descriptions of Ohio were lovely too, though didn't jive with my own Ohio experiences, though since the author was from Ohio, I'll just assume there are places like that I never saw. She created a feeling of being there. I also liked the look into a culture that's outside my experience (black rural America circa 1968). The writing was good and made the read fast. I like the protagonist in the first 2 chapters of the novel--a young teenager, sad to leave his old home in NC, but curious about where they're going and open to adventure. He seems intelligent and curious about the world and the history of their new house.
What I didn't like: The protagonist turns into a boy scared of everything. His mind seems to close, he makes unfounded assumptions about people he hasn't met or barely met. He believes the worst of everyone right away. He seems to be a totally different person than the way he acted in the early chapters. And he doesn't grow beyond that or really contribute much to the outcome of the plot.
The first half of the book seemed very disjointed, the pacing uneven, characters only seeming half drawn. In the second chapter, the author felt she had to tell us the entire history of the Underground Railroad where the house was concerned, but only bits of it were important to the plot later. The second half of the book was much better as far as pacing and plot goes, but a lot of questions were left unanswered from the beginning. (I can't say what those questions were without spoilers and I don't want to go there.)
I'm giving it 3 stars because of the things I liked, but I think this was a book much in need of editing. It's a shame because it had potential. I can only guess that they hurried it to press since it came out in the middle of the Civil Rights movement.
February 8, 2013
I read this book because my 6th grader is currently reading it in school. It was interesting, the imagery was fabulous. Overall, however, I found it to be hard to follow and a bit unbelievable. The language used in conversations was stilted and forced, and often very difficult to follow. Many times characters would say something, and I had no idea what it meant or why they said it. The main character in the book, an adolescnent boy, seemed mature way beyond his years. That being said, I am fairly certain that my son will be equally confused by the book, the plot, the author's motivation and point of view. However, I am positive he will enjoy the suspense and the "mystery" surrounding the historic home in the novel.
September 18, 2019
I LOVED this book when I was a kid. It got me interested in the underground railroad - a passion I still hold to this day - and secret passages!
As an adult, those things are still amazing, but the actual book is ... confusing.
Thomas sees a mystery in everything, everyone is suspicious - but why? There is no rhyme or reason to any of it. The actual plot doesn't seem to kick in until 3/4 of the way through. The POV changes a few times, but inconsistently.
The end also got pretty silly.
Still, I think this is a great kids' book.
As an adult, those things are still amazing, but the actual book is ... confusing.
Thomas sees a mystery in everything, everyone is suspicious - but why? There is no rhyme or reason to any of it. The actual plot doesn't seem to kick in until 3/4 of the way through. The POV changes a few times, but inconsistently.
The end also got pretty silly.
Still, I think this is a great kids' book.
Read
January 23, 2020I nearly forgot I read this one back in the day. Shout out to the Zora canon for reminding me!
June 10, 2009
The House of Dies Drear
by Virginia Hamilton
279 pages
Scholastic
0590135724
Thomas and his family just moved into this new house. Thomas' first impression of the house was what he expected. He knew something was up with the house. The only problem was he had to find out the hard way. Dies Drear and 2 other slaves had been murdered there, and there ghosts were said to have haunted the house. Thomas then had done some snooping around, to find out the secrets of the house.
I like this book a lot. It was really suspenseful. That is 1 thing that made me actually like this book. It had me wanting to find out more. That made me read more, and thats something i really look for in a book, which made me like it a lot.
This book was pretty suspenseful. It was able to make me keep reading more, because once u find something out like most mysteries, you want to find out the whole truth behind it. Parts of it were also shocking and kept the reader interested and entertained. The New York Times calls it " A spellbinding mystery with edge-of-the-seat suspense." Snaps to them. I would suggest this book to anyone who wants to read and be sucked in by the suspense of the book and your own questions.
by Virginia Hamilton
279 pages
Scholastic
0590135724
Thomas and his family just moved into this new house. Thomas' first impression of the house was what he expected. He knew something was up with the house. The only problem was he had to find out the hard way. Dies Drear and 2 other slaves had been murdered there, and there ghosts were said to have haunted the house. Thomas then had done some snooping around, to find out the secrets of the house.
I like this book a lot. It was really suspenseful. That is 1 thing that made me actually like this book. It had me wanting to find out more. That made me read more, and thats something i really look for in a book, which made me like it a lot.
This book was pretty suspenseful. It was able to make me keep reading more, because once u find something out like most mysteries, you want to find out the whole truth behind it. Parts of it were also shocking and kept the reader interested and entertained. The New York Times calls it " A spellbinding mystery with edge-of-the-seat suspense." Snaps to them. I would suggest this book to anyone who wants to read and be sucked in by the suspense of the book and your own questions.
February 18, 2021
This book is not for me and I'm not sure if thats due to the expected readers age (this is middle grade) or I just don't like the book.
From my understanding this is supposed to be a haunted house story but there is no haunting, like at all. The way the characters behave in literally all situations is so outside of my norm that I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to ever get into the story. Not saying that this is outside of everyones normal, just mine. The main young boy character was so all over the place with his behavior and how his parents treated him, as far as responsibilities, that I couldn't tell if he was 6 or 16. There were also large boring sections of the book that did nothing for the plot of the book, with the characters like walking around town. The plot (plot conclusion?) was far too juvenile for my taste.
The coolest part of this story is that it could potentially get children more interesting in learning about black history or the underground railroad. It is also cool seeing books about black characters from the 1960s even if I didn't personally enjoy this book.
From my understanding this is supposed to be a haunted house story but there is no haunting, like at all. The way the characters behave in literally all situations is so outside of my norm that I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to ever get into the story. Not saying that this is outside of everyones normal, just mine. The main young boy character was so all over the place with his behavior and how his parents treated him, as far as responsibilities, that I couldn't tell if he was 6 or 16. There were also large boring sections of the book that did nothing for the plot of the book, with the characters like walking around town. The plot (plot conclusion?) was far too juvenile for my taste.
The coolest part of this story is that it could potentially get children more interesting in learning about black history or the underground railroad. It is also cool seeing books about black characters from the 1960s even if I didn't personally enjoy this book.
February 26, 2013
This book wins some kind of prize for creepiest title. I love saying it, though it sticks on my tongue.
Winner of the coveted Edgar Award, this book is a juvenile historical that is structured like a mystery.
"Thomas Small, a 13-year-old African American boy, moves with his family into a house that was once part of the Underground Railroad that is in Ohio. His father, Mr. Small, tells Thomas that the caretaker of the house is Mr. Pluto. People think he is the devil because Mr. Pluto rides an old buggy driven by two horses and because Pluto is the roman name for Hades the god of the underworld. Once they move into the house, strange and scary things begin to happen. They meet a malicious family next to them, the Darrows. In the end, they learn that the Darrows are doing all they can to scare away the Smalls and get the treasure located in the underground railroad tunnel."
Thrilling and educational, I don't know why this title doesn't come up more.
Winner of the coveted Edgar Award, this book is a juvenile historical that is structured like a mystery.
"Thomas Small, a 13-year-old African American boy, moves with his family into a house that was once part of the Underground Railroad that is in Ohio. His father, Mr. Small, tells Thomas that the caretaker of the house is Mr. Pluto. People think he is the devil because Mr. Pluto rides an old buggy driven by two horses and because Pluto is the roman name for Hades the god of the underworld. Once they move into the house, strange and scary things begin to happen. They meet a malicious family next to them, the Darrows. In the end, they learn that the Darrows are doing all they can to scare away the Smalls and get the treasure located in the underground railroad tunnel."
Thrilling and educational, I don't know why this title doesn't come up more.
January 4, 2017
I know this is a classic and I'm embarrassed that this is the first time I've read it, even after having been an elementary librarian for seven years. I'm sorry, but I just didn't get it. There were good sequences and good scenes. Overall it was confusing and jumpy. Not recommended unless you are wanting to check off the classics on your list.
March 24, 2016
Took me over 1/2 through the finally understand what the author was getting too.
However, once I got there, I was able to connect the dots.
Good look at the Underground railroad and that the "War" is not over.
However, once I got there, I was able to connect the dots.
Good look at the Underground railroad and that the "War" is not over.
May 25, 2018
Good that the story concerns an important part of history that is often overlooked. However, I found the writing not cohesive in many parts. I know it was written for kids, but I still did not like the writing style. The ending was a let down after the mysterious build up.
May 31, 2019
"The ghosts of the three were said to walk its rooms..." SPOILER ALERT: there are no ghosts. Super disappointing.
October 17, 2022
Forced to read in class couldnt focus whatsoever
March 10, 2023
*3.5
If I think about what types of books I was exposed to as child and young adult, I feel like I wouldn't have ever seen this book in my school library and wish I would have. So, while I recognize that OLD Mikiko didn't love this, I know that YOUNGER Mikiko would have!
I didn't dislike the book, but there were moments when Thomas the young protagonist's behaviour and attitude were grating. BUT, of course it is because he's a youngster, and there's likely going to be a slight disconnect between an older reader and a younger protagonist. It's not a bildungsroman, but there the character does develop and grow as a person. He's definitely sweet (His relationship with his twin brothers is amazing!) and responsible. I also enjoyed Thomas wasn't behaving the way he was as a way to misbehave, but that it was his genuine curiosity that drove his behaviour which he eventually confessed to his parents. My biggest gripe though is that Thomas feels suspicious of everything without cause, but again, I wonder if this is due to his age.
In addition, I wish his mother would have played a bigger role as she seems to be written as a women who can't handle anything (raising and caring for her sons, dealing with their move, etc.), but really, this is something I wish I would have had the chance to read when I was younger.
What I loved about this novel were the gothic elements, the historical context, and the questions about preservation. The mystery wasn't really great, but the horror elements were pretty good.
If you enjoy horror stories, middle grade books, mysteries, historical fiction that provides commentary on historical events, content about preservation, or ghost stories, then this book could be for you!
[Audiobook, Scribd]
If I think about what types of books I was exposed to as child and young adult, I feel like I wouldn't have ever seen this book in my school library and wish I would have. So, while I recognize that OLD Mikiko didn't love this, I know that YOUNGER Mikiko would have!
I didn't dislike the book, but there were moments when Thomas the young protagonist's behaviour and attitude were grating. BUT, of course it is because he's a youngster, and there's likely going to be a slight disconnect between an older reader and a younger protagonist. It's not a bildungsroman, but there the character does develop and grow as a person. He's definitely sweet (His relationship with his twin brothers is amazing!) and responsible. I also enjoyed Thomas wasn't behaving the way he was as a way to misbehave, but that it was his genuine curiosity that drove his behaviour which he eventually confessed to his parents. My biggest gripe though is that Thomas feels suspicious of everything without cause, but again, I wonder if this is due to his age.
In addition, I wish his mother would have played a bigger role as she seems to be written as a women who can't handle anything (raising and caring for her sons, dealing with their move, etc.), but really, this is something I wish I would have had the chance to read when I was younger.
What I loved about this novel were the gothic elements, the historical context, and the questions about preservation. The mystery wasn't really great, but the horror elements were pretty good.
If you enjoy horror stories, middle grade books, mysteries, historical fiction that provides commentary on historical events, content about preservation, or ghost stories, then this book could be for you!
[Audiobook, Scribd]
April 10, 2021
This book has been on my list for a very long time. I didn’t particularly enjoy the first part of the book, but I still wanted to finish it. It’s a mystery! You have to finish it! I’m not just glad I finished it, but I’m glad I read it. I liked the ending a great deal.
My dissatisfaction with the beginning of the book is not with the story line but, I suspect, with the fact that the book is older (and yet not historical fiction). I have no issue with mothers who stay-at-home to care for children and provide homes for their families. But I do get irritated when the mother is treated condescendingly (albeit with affection) by her son and husband as less brave and less capable than they are. Yes, that likely is a product of the time in which the book was written, but I still find it annoying.
I really liked the ending, though, and where it left the characters. (But not enough to assign it to a class.)
My dissatisfaction with the beginning of the book is not with the story line but, I suspect, with the fact that the book is older (and yet not historical fiction). I have no issue with mothers who stay-at-home to care for children and provide homes for their families. But I do get irritated when the mother is treated condescendingly (albeit with affection) by her son and husband as less brave and less capable than they are. Yes, that likely is a product of the time in which the book was written, but I still find it annoying.
I really liked the ending, though, and where it left the characters. (But not enough to assign it to a class.)
March 1, 2022
This was a pretty good book. It revolves around Thomas Small and his adventure with his new home. He and his family move into an old underground railroad house. But unbeknownst to them, the house is haunted, among other spirits, by its old owner, Dies Drear. This book dove deep into the lives of people who went through and experienced the underground railroad, and it was a very interesting take on it. This book was a little bit slow, but otherwise, it was a fun read. I recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure historical fiction books.
September 15, 2018
A young African-American boy and his family move to a mysterious historic mansion on the outskirts of a small college town in Ohio. Thomas is determined to find the truth behind the stories about the house’s history as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Will he succeed?
March 30, 2021
Slow start....but around chapter 13/19
...things start to get scary, mysterious, and complicated!
A young family moves to a 'haunted' house and young
Thomas is about to confront the ghosts.
Ms Hamilton won 1968 Edgar Allan Poe Award
for the Best Juvenile Mystery for The House of Dies Drear.
...things start to get scary, mysterious, and complicated!
A young family moves to a 'haunted' house and young
Thomas is about to confront the ghosts.
Ms Hamilton won 1968 Edgar Allan Poe Award
for the Best Juvenile Mystery for The House of Dies Drear.
April 19, 2023
This book got me interested in the Underground Railroad when I was a kid, and I enjoyed the reread.
September 14, 2021
A young adult book about the Underground Railroad, throw in some suspense and mystery and you have a page turning story.
January 5, 2024
This is very much a middle grade novel, but I would have loved this book as a child! It combines ghosts, Civil War history, and a mystery. My imagination would have run away with me if I had read this when I was 10 or so.
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