FICTION

The Secret of Goldenrod

by Jane O'REILLY
376p. ebook available. Carolrhoda. Oct. 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781512401356.
COPY ISBN
Gr 4–6—When Trina's dad, Poppo, agrees to renovate Goldenrod, an abandoned mansion in New Royal, IA, over the course of a year, Trina hopes they can make a home for themselves. However, her new life doesn't go quite as planned. Trina finds out Poppo forgot to enroll her in school, a local bully targets her once she does get there, and a creepy presence at the house makes Trina wonder if Goldenrod is really a haunted magnet of bad luck. When Trina unexpectedly finds Augustine, a talking antique porcelain doll, her luck turns and life in New Royal may just become what she was hoping for. Though the slow start may dissuade some, those who keep reading will be rewarded by this unique twist on the traditional haunted house story.
VERDICT A strong additional purchase for those who enjoyed Jennifer Chambliss Bertman's Book Scavenger and Tess Hilmo's With a Name Like Love.
Reviewed by Rebecca Quinones, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Trina and her handyman father move to rural Iowa for Poppo to restore Goldenrod, a formerly grand mansion now in disrepair and rumored to be haunted. With the help of an extraordinary doll, small-town gossip, and the house itself, Trina discovers Goldenrod's secret. This multilayered novel is a solid ghost story but also a tale of fitting in, growing up, and finding one's place.
 , Aug 01, 2016

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