Out of the Wild Night

by Blue Balliett

From the New York Times bestselling author of Chasing Vemeer comes an unforgettable story about an island haunted by the past... and the ghosts who must help with the present. Ghosts are alive on the island of Nantucket. You can hear them in the wind, and in the creaks of the old homes. They want to be remembered. And, even more, they want to protect what was once theirs. The ghosts seem to have chosen a few local kids to be their messengers -- and to help save the island. But in this mystery, the line between those who haunt and those who are haunted is a thin one -- and the past and the present must come to terms with one another in order to secure the future.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mystery, Ghosts, Fiction, Paranormal, Childrens

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2018

About the author

I was born in New York City and grew up playing in Central Park, getting my share of scraped knees, and riding many public buses and subways. By the time I was a teenager, I sometimes stopped at the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Frick Museum after school, just to wander and look and think. The Met has five Vermeer paintings and the Frick three, so Vermeer and I have been friends for many years.
After studying art history in college, I moved to Nantucket Island, in Massachusetts, in order to write. I surprised myself by writing two books of ghost stories, stories collected by interviewing people. My husband and I met and were married on Nantucket, lived there year-round for another 10 years, and had our two children there.
When our kids started school, we moved to Chicago. I began teaching 3rd grade at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. One year my class and I decided to figure out what art was about. We asked many questions, visited many museums in the city, and set off a number of alarms — by mistake, of course.
In writing Chasing Vermeer, I wanted to explore the ways kids perceive connections between supposedly unrelated events and situations, connections that grown-ups often miss. Given the opportunity, kids can ask questions that help them to think their way through tough problems that adults haven’t been able to figure out — problems like the theft of a Vermeer painting!
In The Wright 3, I play with questions about architecture as art, the preservation of old buildings, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy. I wanted to continue exploring controversial ideas within the three-dimensional art world. We need kids to develop into powerful, out-of-the-box thinkers, now more than ever. I believe in making trouble — of the right kind.
My third book, The Calder Game, takes place in a small community in England, a 1,000-year-old town that I visited while on a book tour. I had a wonderful time writing this book. I had to do lots of eavesdropping, poking around, tiptoeing through graveyards, and climbing walls, and then there was all the Cadbury chocolate I had to eat. Alexander Calder's work is art for any age. I first saw his sculpture when I was 9 years old, in a show at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. It was art but it was magic, and it left me hungry for more. This, I'm sure, was the beginning of my belief that art is about adventure.
Blue Balliett grew up in New York City and attended Brown University. She and her family now live in Chicago, within walking distance of Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House. Balliett's books have now appeared in 34 languages. Warner Bros. Pictures has acquired the film rights to Chasing Vermeer.

Reviews

[jv poore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nantucket was settled by strong folks willing to work hard and, maybe more importantly, together. Of course, how else could a human take down a whale and make use of the entire animal? There is no reason for mainlanders to come to the island, and if not on a hunt, certainly no cause to leave. Living like this creates a unique bond, a bit stronger than even the tightest of communities.

Even generations after whale hunters, with tourists crossing over to visit and fantasize about a slow-paced, small-town lifestyle—which is simply the surface—the ties held tightly. And to be fair, it isn’t as if everyone eventually leaves the island. Rather, the spirits of so many souls seem to find solace in the homes built so long ago and still standing today.

The islanders, for the most part, are content to cohabit with the ghosts. Admittedly, most adults ignore, instead of acknowledge, their presence; but the children and the elderly are often wide open.

To Phee, her mother and grandfather; the spirits are no different than the living. The family treats them the same way—as they would wish to be treated. Although Phee’s mom has been on the mainland for some time now, she and her grandfather have been getting by just fine, minding their own business. Until they couldn’t.

A contractor has come to town and he has dollar signs in his eyes. Blissfully buying up old and cherished homes, gutting them only to fill them with cheap, modern amenities; he doesn’t notice that his actions are anger-inducing. Pranks in and around his work areas quickly morph into more dangerous sabotage-style attacks. Workers are injured. Still, he is not getting the message. Even with Mary Chase doing her best to bring it to his attention.

Mary is frantically reaching out to everyone around, to no avail. She worries that the folks of Nantucket no longer need the spirits of their ancestors. Then she remembers Phee and her grandfather. Soon, Mary has the help that she needs, but will it be in time to calm to ghost-culprits?

Ms. Balliett kept me captivated, guessing…and second guessing, in this Middle-Grade, ghost-story mystery. Easily evident is her admiration and adoration of Nantucket and I enjoyed learning about the island its people.

This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.

[Cameron Chaney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Out of all the hundreds of books I've read, I have only DNFed three at the most. I try to see books through to the end no matter what... but this one was an exception. I couldn't do it. When I saw this on my local library's shelf, I got very excited because I love ghosts stories and books about New England, but the prose was so purple and nonsensical that I wanted to throw the book. I gave it 120 pages but that is as far as I got. I don't see how children could even begin to understand what this novel is even about. Not recommended.

[Caitlin Snyder · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me FEEL THINGS. I think a lot was beautifully written, but a lot was truly confusing nonsense as well. It needs edited about 5 more times.

My biggest problem though comes from the complete writing off of the Native American perspective in this book. Like, they get a paragraph and a half total (not even together!) and then get written off as "oh, they didn't care about whaling and the Nantucket way of life so they didn't need to be ghosts"? For real though? For sometime who uses the term "native" to describe people who have lived in the island for more than a generation, I think she ignores a whole lot of story. Lazy.

[Suzanne Maley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is intriguing once you figure out what it is. The characters are very interesting. The book needs editing to make it more readable. It takes at 50 pages to get a sense of the story line. Some sections after that I still didn’t get. I didn’t get the last chapter. I think it could be rewritten into a good book but for now I can’t recommend it.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first fantastic book of 2024! Gorgeous storytelling, a unique and suspenseful plot, and solid, fascinating voices made for an incredible journey into the mysteries of Nantucket. While not too scary for middle-graders, there were plenty of twists to keep the reader wondering and wandering through a foggy (windless) Nantucket November filled with ghosts. A+!!

[Prince William Public Libraries · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blue Balliet, the author of the Chasing Vermeer series returns with a ghost story! And not just any ghost story, but one for people who maybe don’t care for ghosts so much. Balliet’s ghosts aren’t scary. In fact, these ghosts like children, and value their place in the world (what’s not to like?).

Nantucket suffers from a divide between the new, upscale homes being built, and the old, historic homes being purchased to be knocked down or renovated past recognition. The debate between historic preservation vs the fancy new stuff runs through the book. You may wonder what ghosts have to do with this. If the homes the ghosts haunt are eliminated, or renovated of their history, they will perish themselves. The ghosts rely on local kids to protest the renovations by any means possible.

The narration on this one gets tricky. The story is told predominantly by Mary W. Chase, a ghost, and a third person. That had me a little confused. However, the best takeaway was the local relationship with ghosts. People do not fear them, and take time to understand their idiosyncrasies (a ghost may care for/help one person, but not another for example). Balliet’s fond of Nantucket, and she’s definitely in favor of preservation, but it is great to have a book tackle the issue in a way that young readers have to think about it in a sophisticated way.

http://librarycatalog.pwcgov.org/pola...

[Georgann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of ghosts and hope and sadness and wonder, I loved the glossary, the pictures and the completely unexpected twist at the end.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich mochte dieses Buch sehr, sehr gerne. Anhand des Covers denkt man erst einmal an eine Grusel Geschichte und ist vielleicht enttäuscht das es keine solche ist. Aber dafür finde ich das, dass was diese Geschichte wirklich ist, so viel besser ist.
Es geht hier zum einen um Verlust und den Tod von nahe stehenden Menschen, aber gleichzeitig auch darum das einen diese nie verlassen und man nicht alleine ist.
Ein weiterer wunderschöner Teil dieses Buches ist die Atmosphäre die es schafft, ich bin so neugierig Nantucket selbst einmal zu sehen. Man spürt beim lesen die tiefe Leidenschaft für diesen Ort, ich bin wirklich fasziniert.
Es geht auch um alte Häuser und welche Geschichten in ihren Wänden gespeichert sind und wie wichtig es ist respektvoll damit um zu gehen und nicht einfach alles alte weg zuschmeißen und durch neues zu ersetzen.
Dieses Buch war einfach in jeder Hinsicht wundervoll und berührend. Ich kann es jedem empfehlen der neugierig auf Nantucket ist oder mit dem Verlust einer wichtigen Person klar zu kommen versucht.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

I don't mind if a story has a point or a moral, but if it's done well the point should naturally flow out of the story being told, not the other way around. I've enjoyed the author's work in the past, and thought this would be a nice seasonal read, but it's a bit too on the nose for me.

[Liana⚽️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was very confusing and I got really bored.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of the Wild Night is a ghost story by Blue Balliett. Ms. Balliet is winner of a Book Sense Book of the Year award and an Edgar Award winner. She has written many bestselling novels.
the setting of this book is a windless November on the Island of Nantucket. We have two main characters, the narrator of the story, Mary W. Chase the town crier who is also a ghost and Phee. Phee’s real name is Phoebe Folger Antoine. Ghosts are known inhabitants on Nantucket. Some try not to believe in them and even ignore mysterious shapes and footprints in the sand. Others not only believe, they accept them and “live” with them. Nantucket has become a rich person’s vacation area which makes any house that comes up for sale a goldmine. These houses are being bought up and remodeled by a developer who knows nothing about the hard-working heritage of the Nantucket people. While that would be upsetting enough to the people born and raised there, when the houses are remodel and no longer what they once were, the ghosts of the people who used to live there cease to exist. A second dying of sorts. Mary is awakened when her “home” is about to be destroyed. As the town crier is responsible to make others aware of what is happening. While Phee and her friend can see many of the other ghosts, they cannot see Mary. Phee and her friends, particularly Gabe, realize the ghosts want them to help save the homes. This will not be an easy adventure and they will have to make others believe in the ghosts and try to get them to help. This is going to be more difficult then they could imagine.

The book was enjoyable to read, but at times a bit confusing. In the end it all does make sense but being unaware of this made the story a little harder to follow at times. When the book is finished, and all is explained, you see how it is really quite intriguing and unique. Stick it out through the confusion.

This book is intended for grades 4-7. I agree with that based on the writing and story, but will they be willing to be a little confused and keep reading? Hopefully this book is not left unread by many or passed over by the not so good reviews online.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

291 pgs. This story is MORE than a ghost story. It is very, very entertaining and will really take you down a historical, yet mysterious path. I have traveled in Nantucket and it was very interesting to read about the area after having been there. I love the words the author uses to deliver the drama unfolding during renovations and demolition of some older homes. The interaction between the current residents and ghosts of past residents is very noteworthy. Some have the "gift" and can see or feel the ghosts' presence and understand what they are up to. Others react as if being attacked or take things personally. The kids in the story hang out in the local graveyard and purposely try to make contact with the ghosts. I am not really a ghost story fan, but I will say this story really makes a reader think about the connection we living people have with our ancestors and how we should go about life. The book prompts a reader to think about the importance of restoring historical homes and buildings, as a preservation measure to continue traditions and a way of life. I found the very words of this novel strangely warm and comforting at times. I could see exactly the images the author was drawing and thoroughly enjoyed this book. It might seem like it is a little sluggish in the middle, but keep going. I assure you the ending is very satisfying and a bit shocking. Well-crafted images and super storytelling are found in this book. Highly recommended for Grades 5-7.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was blown away by this book and its message. Today’s kids are just as obsessed with HGTV as the adults and the author really makes you stop and think.

The ghost as a narrator and the twists throughout keep things interesting. Loved the characters of Phee and grandpa Sal.

From advanced reader copy.

[Marney Hawes · Rating 4 out of 5]

An out-of-the-ordinary ghost story that is all about family and preserving the past in this "throw it away for something new and shiny" society. I liked it on several levels.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's rather hard to categorize this book since it contains so many supernatural elements and is in many respects a ghost story, but parts of it are set in modern times and reality. The plot focuses on the efforts of a greedy contractor, Eddy Nold, who guts some of the beautiful mansions on Nantucket and replaces their interiors with modern conveniences, destroying the houses' character and uniqueness by doing so. But the local youngsters simply can't abide his doing so, and aided by ghosts and a kind-hearted elderly man, the grandfather of Phee, whose mother is off in California studying, they decide to put a stop to his plans. There are other ghosts who have been awakened by the opening and gutting of some of these houses, and they are growing increasingly angry. The idea of spirits intervening with pranks to keep those houses from being changed was one that appealed to me. The author uses one ghost, Mary W. Chase, who styles herself as the Town Crier, to tell the story, popping in and out of the narrative at various points. While having her perspective allows readers to learn some of the history of the place, it began to feel intrusive at points even while adding a layer of interest to how the story was unfolding. But for me, the most disappointing part of the story was the ending when it finally came clear exactly what the children that I had come to care about actually were. The author drops hints about this when she inserts comments about how long it's been since Phee and Sal, her grandfather, have heard from her mother, but I still felt unsettled once the book reached its conclusion. It's clear that the author did plenty of research in writing this book, and interested readers will want to examine the photographs in the back matter.

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Popsugar reading challenge 2018 - a book by a local author

[American Mensa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghosts are everywhere in the world. Although you can not see them, they want to be remembered. They furthermore desire to defend what was in the past theirs before they died. On the island of Nantucket, a handful of adolescents were selected by them to help them in a time of danger. But the children aren’t certain how they will act, because things are often out of the ordinary when ghosts are around. Some people have problems with the spirits if they go against what they want. The kids are able to fix things, if the ghosts will let them. Read the book to find out more.

I like the way the author, Blue Balliett, defined some of the words and phrases that were used in the book that some people may not understand. Certain perplexing terms were used throughout this book, and Balliett describes them very well.

A complication that I had to conquer while reading was that this book seems to switch from first person to third person. I did not understand what was happening sometimes because of that.

I think that this book will be fun for children ages 11 and up. I give this book four stars because I like the idea of it, but I wish it was less confusing.

Lila H., 11, Central Pennsylvania Mensa

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now that I have finished reading Out of the Wild Night, I may need to go back and read it again. I found it difficult to read since I wasn't always sure whose view I was reading it from. The twist at the end makes everything clear. It was not the ghost story that I was thinking it was.

I have loved all the books by Ms. Balliett and this is a bit different from her other mysteries. Like her other books, the setting is important and I could feel like I was on Nantucket.

I'm actually recommending this to friends with ties to Nantucket as well as lovers of old houses. I'm not sure how the intended middle-grade audience will react to it, but as a an owner of an antique house and worried about preservation, I found personally that her comments on old houses and the lives that fill them were spot on.

[Rayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting twist on a traditional ghost story. The story makes a big case for historic preservation. Set in Nantucket there are a lot of little tidbits about local island life that I'm sure would help connect the reader to the story for me most of that was lost since I haven't even visited Nantucket. There is a twist at the end that neither my son or myself saw coming.

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ghosts of Nantucket have joined forces with a group of kids to help them alert the locals to the fact that newcomers are destroying the island's history by renovating or demolishing historic homes. The ghosts will perish if they can't live in their old houses, so they are on a mission to stop the renovations.

In spite of the fact that it is a story mainly told by ghosts, this isn't a ghost story that many middle grade readers will enjoy. It is confusing and rambling at times, and is basically a preservation story geared toward adults. There is a twist at the ending that I absolutely loved, which bumped up my rating from a 2 to a 3. It almost made me want to re-read the book with the twist in mind. Almost, but not quite.

Recommended as an optional purchase for gr. 5-9.

[Judy Vervalin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very different read from the books I originally read from author, Blue Balliett. Seems like she is back to her origins with the ghosts of Nantucket into a novel form.

[Rachel Seigel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this three stars not because it isn't good, but because I don't feel like it has a lot of kid appeal. I appreciate the message of the importance of preserving history and heritage, but unless it's read aloud (and maybe not even then), this isn't as accessible as some of her other novels. The writing is beautiful and there is an interesting twist, but overall, I think it just misses the target age.

[Kasie Stemle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried. I tried so many times to get past page 90, I can’t do it. This book is terrible. Don’t waste your time.

[sophia ! · Rating 3 out of 5]

the premise was cool, but all in all it was just very confusing, and felt a little flat to me.

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a ghost story set on Nantucket. The ghosts of the island befriend some local children in an attempt to save the old historical houses (and therefore the ghosts that haunt them) from damage/change. The main narrator is Mary, a ghost with a bell who is trying to awaken the island to the damaging changes that newcomers are bringing to historic houses. The children and one of their ghost-sensitive grandfathers try to make sense of the ghostly happenings which start to ramp up when houses start being torn apart (sightings that their adults are all too eager to ignore, forget, hush-up). The writing keeps the eerie feeling going from chapter to chapter and feels haunting and very Nantucket island-native.

Anything you didn’t like about it? I had to hard-core skim after 85 pages. While the story can maintain the creepy vibe, the story itself really feels like a hard sell to me for children in grades 3-7 (the aimed-at age group). The entire (REALLY heavily sold) push in the story is that Changing Old Houses is BAD (for history AND for ghosts!) Between that and the really elderly feel of the narrator ghost this story bogs down what could be a spooky story about kids helping out local ghosts. Instead, it ends up being eerie but also very slow and VERY "longing for nostalgia" story (with a way too repetitive obsession with "wonders" (old-timey doughnuts)); much to its detriment as the short sections focused on the actions of the kids are very engaging.

To whom would you recommend this book? I'd point older kids interested in historical renovation and ghosts to this one.

Who should buy this book? Middle schools with a really ghost-eager set of older readers

Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No

FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3 (for the overall story idea)
A good editor would help. Balliett knows the story so well, that it's impossible for her to see it from the perspective of a casual reader.

What is a ghost? How many ghosts are out there? How do they spend their time? When are they the most active? Do ghosts interact with each other?

I suppose it's fitting that this story wavers, sometimes clear and sharp, sometimes furry, often drifting from one topic (or person) to another. I often didn't know what was going on, ... but the characters didn't know either.

And there are a lot of characters. Too many, I'd say. What with the ghosts, the kids, their families, the original home owners, the current owners, ... too many names.

The first third or so of the book provides lots of information about Nantucket, whaling, early days, ... more info than the reader needs. Or, if necessary, could have been provided later, after engaging the reader.

p 272 During the past few years, there are newcomers who have bought historic houses of ours that they then practically destroy—truly, I believe, through ignorance of what is at stake. It's not malicious, just unknowing. Wanting everything in their homes to feel new and fresh, they toss most of the old. They enjoy the story of Nantucket, but they don't want to live with it. And in the way they've seen the island‚ or not seen it — they have endangered the very soul of our town.

Nantucket was long an outpost where folks who used everything at hand could build a home and live. Working people were the untitled kings and queens, tolerating visitors but setting the rules. We did things our own way.

These paragraphs are the core of Balliett's message. I sympathize. I feel the same way when 'newcomers' build their massive modern homes in the Rocky Mountains. These structures are inappropriate -- you can see them anywhere and everywhere. They don't fit with the place, and the owners are totally unaware of what they're ruined. (This is a peeve of mine, but I will not elaborate further.)

[Jene · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the island of Nantucket, ghosts are everywhere. And native Islanders are perfectly okay with that. Perhaps some are more accepting of it than others, but children are raised believing that the ghosts will never hurt them. Ghosts are, after all, family from long ago. But ghosts come with the old Nantucket houses, pieces of history that are seeped in memories. And those very houses are now under attack.
Blue Balliett is one of those writers for the thinking kids. Generally, she is excellent with puzzles and mysteries for middle grade and early young adults. Except, there’s nothing very puzzling about this story, although it seems like Balliett wants it to be mysterious. If anything, this book’s composition is similar to other Balliett books. Word choice, sentence structure, and narrative choice is all much more sophisticated than what I find in practically all other children’s and young adult books. Seriously, this book reads differently. And that is likely off-putting to many potential readers.
The story is all about gentrification – the process of native islanders being unable to buy a house on their own island. Big-time renovators are infiltrating the island, buying up historic property and gutting the character and history of the island. Page after page after page is dedicated to character conversations about why the renovations are cruel, heartless, and wrong. It’s not that I disagree with the timely message of this book: it’s that I think it beats the reader over the head with it and fails to make it really interesting for most readers.
Balliett includes several author notes, glossaries, and photographs at the end.
I won’t actively recommend this book, but I wouldn’t prematurely pull it from the collection.
Recommended for: early young adult
Red Flags: None
Overall Rating: 3/5

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an upper elementary teacher, I try to read as many books as I can that I think my students might like. This past year, my students liked ghost stories, so that’s what I’ve been reading. This one was not quite what I expected.

Yes, it’s a ghost story. Yes, it’s written for pre-teens. However, It’s a bit challenging - the language is regional and that can be tricky for students without a lot of exposure. The author (a little more on her later) makes some assumptions that students will accept some of her premises on face value. As an adult reader, I understood what she was trying to do, but I’m not sure a “novice reader” could see that. Finally, the crux of the story took a bit of time to get to. I believe some students might get frustrated and abandon the book.

With that said, once the story hits its stride, it’s pretty entertaining. There’s also some thoughtful plot twists that I think students will enjoy (I did). I leave that to you, the reader, to find for yourself.

I’ve read other books by Blue Balliett. Her stories are complex and thoughtful, but they do require a reader with some knowledge of fine arts, or, in this case, regional differences. Kids can definitely learn a few things from Balliett, but I believe it will take a reader with a bit of grit - you’ve got to work your way through her stories to get the full effect. I was ready to abandon this story, but had I done that, I would have really missed out. It was a solid ghost story.

[Amanda Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This ghost story set on the island of Nantucket is geared toward middle schoolers, but I found it so confusing and poorly written that I wouldn't recommend it to my 7th grade daughter.

Nantucket is only so big. So, when people want to buy a house there, there are only so many to choose from. But, renovating old houses into new, modern versions is starting to take a toll on contractors and home owners, and not from any human threat as it turns out.

For Nantucket is known to be full of ghosts, and this community has decided ruining the old houses in which they used to be human is unacceptable. And they're taking out anyone who works on demolition and reconstruction of these houses.

And, there's a group of kids who can see these ghosts. And a grandfather, too. And I'm not sure who else, really because I found this one of the confusing parts. I think, though, in the end there was some sort of twist similar to "The Others" but by the time I got to it I really just wanted the book to be over and didn't care enough to try to figure it all out.

I won a copy of this book from First Reads.

[D Taberner · Rating 2 out of 5]

According to the narrator, gutting and renovating the interiors of historic Nantucket homes results in the death/displacement of the ghosts that reside within. Balliett makes it clear to her reader that the spirit of the island is being killed by wealthy summer residents who are buying up old houses, modernizing them, and driving up home prices in the process, thereby making it difficult for islanders and seasonal workers to find affordable housing. Anyone who has worked on the Cape and Islands, myself included, knows exactly what she's talking about. The problem is, despite her passion for historic preservation and economic justice, her audience is on average TEN years old! What's worse, the story is worked into the social commentary instead of the other way around, which makes for a real slog of a read. This would have been better written as a literary essay - in the vein of Hawthorne's "Our Old Home" - for the travel section of the Times, where wealthy adults could actually be reached and influenced. Instead, the worthy messages embedded within this confusing mess of a novel will reach no one except disappointed 5th graders who were looking for something fun to read.