Shadow Breakers

Gr 6–8—Plot twists and a compulsively readable style give this exciting novel an edge over the pack. After her beloved father dies, Miranda Keira May, 12, moves to a creepy town on the English coast with her mom and baby brother. Weird things start happening: a school bus freezes, computers explode, and the tween has frightening dreams. Miranda is invited to join a team that has been organized to research and deal with the strange happenings and solve the mystery of their source. The gang includes a sympathetic teacher and four of her students, each of whom has a special supernatural talent; there's a haughty girl, a cute guy, a computer geek, and a child genius, all of whom feel like familiar characters. Our heroine is smart, sassy, and basically a good kid. She also has a special ability that allows her to know when the supernatural phenomena are going to occur. Magical ley lines, science, ghosts, and myth all play a role in the story. Is the other new girl, Jade, responsible for the current weirdness? Or is it someone closer to home-say, Miranda herself? While much of the supporting cast is straight out of central casting, Miranda's mom has some nice moments. Ultimately, this scary story reads like a combination of Ghostbusters and Buffy.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library