The Witches of Ruidoso

Gr 8 Up—An octogenarian recalls his childhood in 1895 Ruidoso, New Mexico. Thirteen-year-old Elijah becomes fast friends with Beth Delilah, who has recently moved to town with her father to run the local general store. Told in a nostalgic tone, each chapter is a vignette of the pair's adventures with the townspeople, a rumored ghost, and a seductive witch. Elijah and Beth Delilah are three-dimensional protagonists, but many of the secondary characters are not fully developed. More of a collection of short stories than a straightforward novel, this is a good choice for reluctant readers because of the story structure, font size, and language. Supernatural elements are woven throughout, from the dreams Elijah and Beth Delilah have to the ghost who is searching for her dead baby. A general purchase for a population that is thirsting for ghostly short stories.—Jeni Tahaney, Duncanville High School Library, TX