Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts

September 1, 2020

Gr 4-7-Thirteen-year-old Eleanor Roosevelt and her 14-year-old cousin Alice could not be more different. Eleanor is practical and meek, while Alice is reckless and brash. And in this alternate version of 1898 New York City, ghosts are definitely real, and hauntings are an accepted part of life. When a haunting "erupts" in the home of the girls' beloved Aunt Bye, they resolve to overcome their differences and team up to investigate and hopefully eradicate the ghost. Their sleuthing leads to a shocking discovery that forces them to confront family ghosts, both literally and figuratively. The Roosevelt family is known for its many celebrated, larger-than-life personalities, and it is refreshing that Salerni centers these charismatic female characters. But the plot hinges on the alteration of the true circumstances of the deaths of Theodore Roosevelt's mother and first wife, a tragedy that is somewhat cheapened when retold as a ghost story. Nevertheless, the supernatural phenomena associated with the haunting are chilling, and the protagonists' plucky bravery is undeniable. Fans of presidential history will likely appreciate the novel's hint at a budding romance between Eleanor and Franklin, but true history buffs may be dismayed by Salerni's deviation from the truth. VERDICT A unique premise that doesn't quite live up to its potential, though it may appeal to ardent fans of historical fiction and ghost stories.-Dana West, Roosevelt H.S., Seattle

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2020
The Roosevelt family is haunted by a treacherous spirit. In an alternate 1898, ghosts are a common occurrence. Some are unaware of their own spectral status, most are harmless, but a few are a bit vengeful. When a peculiar spirit awakens in the old Roosevelt family house in New York City, cousins Eleanor and Alice must strive to overcome their differences and figure out just what this spirit wants. The ghost authorities claim the spirit is harmless, but the little tricks the presence pulls become more and more dangerous as time goes on. Meanwhile, another dark force has emerged in the house where Alice was born and her mother died. Are the two ghosts connected? The Roosevelt family secrets hold all the answers, and the two teen girls discover them one by one. This mix of history and fantasy creates a nifty setting for a middle-grade mystery, but there's one big problem: The Roosevelts all sound the same. Alice and Eleanor are described as total opposites, but their spoken patterns are nearly identical, making the complex relationships all the harder to decipher, even with the aid of the family tree that is provided. The constant muttering of "Wait, which one is talking this time?" kills the narrative's flow, destroying the pacing that's so crucial to a mystery's success. A poorly characterized mystery. (author's note) (Mystery. 10-14)

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January 29, 2021
Grades 4-7 In her most recent novel, set in 1898, Salerni (The Eighth Day, 2014) expertly mixes fact and fiction to create a bright historical adventure. Many readers may not expect the history of a beloved presidential family to contain an alarming amount of death and calamity, but the Roosevelts experienced more than their fair share of tragedy, particularly in the case of cousins Eleanor and Alice. Salerni places their true story of loss and friendship in a fictional world plagued by ghostly eruptions of supernatural energy, and their strength in the face of adversity is made all the more memorable and noteworthy. The young women, teenagers in the tale, must investigate an unexpected haunting that brings to light a hidden and complicated family history. Their alternating perspectives provide fascinatingly different depictions of their resilience in the face of tribulations. This book is highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and thrilling mysteries.

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