Sydney Mackenzie Knocks 'Em Dead

Gr 5–8—West Coast native Sydney Mackenzie is not ready to give up suntans and her friends when she and her family inherit a creepy cemetery in Delaware. It is not exactly the laid-back, chic location this California dreamer wants to call home, and, to make matters worse, the old Victorian house the Mackenzies move into is on the cemetery grounds. As Sydney begins to acclimate herself to this new life, she meets local kids who think living in the town cemetery is cool and exciting. After admitting to her new friends that she believes that the house is haunted, the kids hold a séance. In a surprising plot twist, they discover the story of an enslaved girl with ties to the Underground Railroad. The girl, Ivy Shaw, communicates with Sydney. Sydney feels compelled to learn the secrets of Ivy Shaw's life—leading her and her friends on a mystery worthy of the Hardy Boys. What starts as a "city mouse in the country" novel quickly evolves into an absorbing mystery exploring the history of American slavery. Though the narrative does deepen at this point, the inclusion of typical middle grade humor (fart jokes and silly pranks) often sits uncomfortably with the heavier themes.