Shadow Breakers

November 15, 2012
A fresh and often funny paranormal mystery for the middle school set. Twelve-year-old Miranda May, who has been plagued with disturbing dreams featuring a menacing shadow, has just moved with her family to Firecroft Bay, a sleepy town on the English coast steeped in fog and mystery. Miranda is soon drawn into a group of students who, she is surprised to discover, meet in a secret lair to hatch their plans to bring high-tech gadgetry, smarts and telepathy to bear on the paranormal elements in their midst. The group enlists Miranda's help in subduing the Animus, the ominous shadow that has been haunting Miranda and wreaking havoc in the town. The trouble is that Miranda doesn't quite trust this merry band of spook hunters, or perhaps it is they who don't quite trust her. The only sure thing is that something is not what it seems. While the focus is a bit scattered initially and the dramatic tension is slow to build up, confusing character arcs and plot elements begin to coalesce about halfway through the story and then hum along to a satisfying ending. A relatively tame paranormal mystery with interesting and likable, if not memorable, characters, this one is a good choice where demand for the genre is strong--which will be just about everywhere. (Paranormal suspense. 9-12)

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January 1, 2013

Gr 6-8-Plot twists and a compulsively readable style give this exciting novel an edge over the pack. After her beloved father dies, Miranda Keira May, 12, moves to a creepy town on the English coast with her mom and baby brother. Weird things start happening: a school bus freezes, computers explode, and the tween has frightening dreams. Miranda is invited to join a team that has been organized to research and deal with the strange happenings and solve the mystery of their source. The gang includes a sympathetic teacher and four of her students, each of whom has a special supernatural talent; there's a haughty girl, a cute guy, a computer geek, and a child genius, all of whom feel like familiar characters. Our heroine is smart, sassy, and basically a good kid. She also has a special ability that allows her to know when the supernatural phenomena are going to occur. Magical ley lines, science, ghosts, and myth all play a role in the story. Is the other new girl, Jade, responsible for the current weirdness? Or is it someone closer to home-say, Miranda herself? While much of the supporting cast is straight out of central casting, Miranda's mom has some nice moments. Ultimately, this scary story reads like a combination of Ghostbusters and Buffy.-Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library

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March 1, 2013
Grades 5-8 Not only must Miranda adjust to her new home and school in Faircroft Bay, England, but she must also deal with the shadows, shapes, strange events, and sleeplessness that plague her. At 13, it is hard to make new friends, but after the events of the first week of school, she is tired of being watched by the four Weirdos. Even though she thinks they are hiding their true mission from her, Miranda sees no alternative to joining their group, and she reluctantly shares her vision of a girl (or is it a woman?) and the haunting, melodic phrase ring around the rosie. To move the action along, the author employs a time code within the chapters. This 24-hour clock, as well as some idiomatic English phrases, may befuddle some readers, but the suspense will keep fantasy fans engaged. The story comes to a satisfying end even while preparing the way for another installment. Mary Downing Hahn's ghost stories are also a good fit for this age group.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)