Ruby and Olivia

August 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Twelve-year-old Olivia has always been a good kid, until a misdeed precipitated by her twin sister causes her to wind up at Camp Chrysalis, a community service day camp for wayward youngsters, three days a week for the summer. Always positive, Olivia tries to make the most of the situation until she arrives at camp and discovers the opinionated and annoying Ruby-her sister's ex-best friend-is there as well. The campers soon learn that they will be cataloging the contents of the Live Oaks historic mansion. There are all sorts of spooky rumors about the owners of the house and what happened to them. As the campers explore the mansion, strange music begins to play, doors slam, and it's not long before both girls think the mansion might actually be haunted. Ruby and Olivia learn to work together to solve the mystery, discovering important things about themselves and their relationship along the way. VERDICT This is a lightly creepy haunted house mystery for fans of books like Neil Gaiman's Coraline or Jonathan Stroud's The Screaming Staircase-though not as scary. A solid addition.-William Anderson, Scott County Public Library, IN

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 15, 2017
Working in a scary house helps two preteens both connect and find their own identities.It's always been EmmaandOlivia, until Emma shoplifts a tube of lipstick and her identical twin, Olivia, takes the blame so Emma can still attend the summer camp of her dreams. Forced to enroll in another camp, the one for Bad Kids who need "positive redirection," Olivia's summer gets even worse when Ruby appears in her group. Even though Emma and Ruby had a falling-out over a boy, Olivia still blames Ruby's friendship with Emma for straining her own relationship with Emma. The only good thing about this "camp" is cataloging artifacts from Live Oak House rather than picking trash--until creepy dolls talk, the mansion seems hungry to eat them, and other oddities occur. But the haunted house really serves as a vehicle to bring these white 12-year-olds together. Alternating chapters in their respective voices reveal Olivia's suppressed anger and need to form a life apart from her twin and Ruby's misperceptions of Olivia and lingering grief over her deceased grandmother. As they work to solve the mystery of Live Oak House, Ruby and Olivia become fast friends while also encouraging the best in each other. Maybe they still need Emma--but on their own terms. This lightly spooky story demonstrates the complexities of preteen girl relationships. (Mystery. 8-12)

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September 18, 2017
Ruby Kaye and Olivia Willingham, two very different 12-year-olds, reluctantly band together when a local historic house shows signs of being haunted. Reserved, rule-following Olivia takes the blame for her twin sister’s shoplifting, which earns her a spot at Camp Chrysalis, a day camp focused on community service; sister Emma, meanwhile, gets to attend sleepaway camp. At Camp Chrysalis, Olivia spends her days with one of Emma’s former friends, an opinionated girl named Ruby. Strange happenings and ghostly music that only Ruby and Olivia seem to notice draws the girls into the odd and tragic history of Live Oak House, named after the massive oak at its center. Hawkins (Journey’s End) keeps the frightening elements of this story light and slightly opaque, focusing on the growing friendship between Ruby and Olivia, who are starting to see the importance of looking beyond initial impressions. Olivia, who must learn to stand up for herself—especially against Emma—feels very much like the central character, even though the girls get equal attention on the page in their alternating narratives. Ages 8–12. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary.