Noah McNichol and the Backstage Ghost

December 1, 2020
The Plattsfield-Winklebottom Memorial Sixth-Grade Players tackle Hamlet--and not the bowdlerized "No-Trauma Drama" version, either. To be sure, "Hamlet, the Tale of a Gritty Prince Who Learns To Be Patient," is what the inexperienced young players are handed--but hardly has oddly elusive new director Mike stepped in to sub for the annual event's customary one (who has, with fine irony, broken her leg) than every script magically reverts to the Bard's original and they find themselves plunged into a bloody, complicated, and much cooler scenario. But who is Mike, and how is it that he can apparently not only appear and vanish at will, but conjure elaborate sets and costumes out of thin air? Taking a cue from his erstwhile literary hero Nate the Great, Noah (aka Marcellus, Gravedigger One, Rosencrantz, and Fortinbras) sets out to solve this double mystery. Electrifyingly, Mike turns out to be a renowned stage director...who died in 2014. That's far from the only twist that Freeman delivers on the way to a triumphant performance--and a rush of family revelations. Her characters quote Shakespeare at one another as immersive rehearsals lend hard-won insights into the play's linguistic and thematic slings and arrows. Noah, who is Jewish, describes Plattsfield as predominantly White; there are a few students of color, including Fuli, a girl cast as Hamlet who emigrated from Nepal. Color-blind casting and race are explored to some degree. The play's the thing, on the boards and...beyond. (Paranormal mystery. 11-13)

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January 8, 2021

Gr 3-5-When Miss Magnus breaks her leg prior to the production of Hamlet, Noah and the Plattsfield Winklebottom Memorial Sixth-Grade Players are left without a director. Coach Fig steps up to the plate to help, but is more interested in his phone than directing the play. Things look grim until an old-fashioned, older man named Mike offers aid. Claiming to have theater experience, he takes over helping the children. Something is strange, however, about Mike. He seems to disappear and reappear out of thin air and talks strangely. Could Mike really be a ghost? Will Noah and the players succeed in pulling off the production? The characters are well developed and engaging. Character and family dynamics are realistic and enjoyable. The plot is fairly simple for a middle grade novel, but is humorous and draws readers into the story. The screenplay format intermixed throughout is fun and adds an entertaining element. VERDICT Fans of mystery, adventure, fantasy, and theater will enjoy this title. Recommended for libraries where wacky mysteries are popular.-Kira Moody, Salt Lake County Lib. Svcs.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2021
Grades 3-6 Theater-loving Noah has long anticipated acting in his small town's sixth-grade play, and this year the selection is Hamlet--or, rather, an abbreviated, sunnier, "no-trauma" version that the theater's benefactor deems more appropriate. Nonetheless, the drama students are excited, even when the director withdraws from the production after literally breaking a leg. When Mike, a mysterious assistant with weirdly outdated clothing and a penchant for disappearing, takes over the proceedings, everything gets a little strange. Is he a ghost? Noah wonders. And if Mike is the famous (but deceased) Broadway director whom he resembles, what is he doing haunting a school theater? Freeman's story is wonderfully fast and funny, with quick-witted screwball banter, and in a clever touch, family dinners at Noah's house are presented in script form. The drama kids are a diverse bunch, and issues of race and privilege are touched upon. A suspenseful, silly story full of humor and heart that will make a theater lover of any young reader.

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