The Haunting of Henry Davis

April 15, 2019
Henry, the new boy in Barbara Anne Klein's Seattle fifth-grade class, dresses oddly, but that isn't the strangest thing about him. Henry and narrator Barbara Anne (or Bitsy as her parents and grandmother call her) bond over their need to escape their assigned lunch table, and Barbara Anne soon discovers the subject of Henry's absorbed sketching at recess: the boy who seems to be haunting him. Irrepressible, strong-minded Barbara Anne is not always aware of her limitations, and Siebel's voice for her is both funny and warm. Henry battles a respiratory infection throughout much of the story even as he and Barbara Anne begin to realize that young Edgar, Henry's ghost, did not survive the Spanish influenza pandemic in 1918. A session with a Ouija board and a letter and yearbook discovered in Henry's attic tell part of the story. Edgar's father's journal, found in the public library archives, reveals the rest. Siebel cleverly weaves together the story of the developing friendships among Barbara Anne and her classmates and the story of Edgar's friendship with Henry's neighbor, Edgar's playmate as a small child and now a very old woman. Henry, Barbara Anne, and Edgar present white; classmate Renee Garcia, who looks forward to eventually celebrating her quinceañera, and Barbara Anne's teacher, Miss Biniam ("she looks like an Ethiopian princess") are the only main characters of color. Convincing, humorous, warm, and definitely spooky. (Ghost story. 9-12)

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May 1, 2019

Gr 3-5-Henry Davis is new in town. On his first day of fifth grade, Henry meets Barbara Anne, a fellow fifth-grader and a resident of Henry's new Seattle suburb. The two make for unlikely friends; Henry is quiet and reserved, whereas Barbara Anne is outspoken and the leader of the pack. As the narrator of this story, she takes control of every situation; she is energetic and opinionated and inserts herself into Henry Davis's life and the mystery that soon unfolds. Barbara Anne and Henry, along with a band of trustworthy friends and associates, work to unravel a mystery that is haunting Henry. While the crew get involved in a myriad of elementary high jinks, the quick-witted banter keeps readers engaged and the story moving rapidly along. Packed with adventure, this is a perfect read for reluctant readers and thrill seekers. It is also a great option for fans of spooky tales and ghostly chills. VERDICT Children will love the fast-paced narrative and pulse-pounding adventure. Highly recommended for public and school libraries with demand for ghost stories and mysteries.-Maryjean Bakaletz, Morris County Library, Whippany, NJ

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