Grace's Ghosts

by Stephenie Wilson Peterson

Grace has friends. They just lack heartbeats.

Her best friend and cat, Midnight is a ghost. All of her friends are ghosts, but she doesn't mind. It's the living bullies at school who give Grace the creeps.

The town where Grace's family has lived for generations is haunted. No one but Grace knows the tiny town's giant secret: the dead outnumber the living in Tansy.

Grace is fine with her strange life until the ghosts tell her why there are so many of them. Her town is cursed. The spirits are all trapped in Tansy, unable to move on to the afterlife because of a magical error a lonely witch made 300 years ago. They beg Grace to help break the curse.

But what is a twelve-year-old outcast going to do? It's not like magic is taught at her school.

As she searches for answers, Grace makes discoveries about the secret her family hid for generations and a world of magic hidden in her own backyard.

Dark forces stand in her way at every turn. Grace soon realizes that if she succeeds in breaking the curse, she'll lose Midnight and all of her ghost friends, but if she fails, everyone living in Tansy will be cursed in the afterlife. Grace must act quickly before the window to break the curse closes forever.

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

176 pages, Paperback

Published April 28, 2020

About the author

Stephenie is the author of several books for kids. Stephenie and her family currently live near Raleigh, North Carolina, but she grew up just outside of Seattle. Stephenie writes, teaches creative writing, and homeschools her three amazing kids.

Reviews

[Kristiana Y. Sfirlea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghosts! Witches! Mages! Mermaids! Fairies!

Grace's Ghosts has a little of everything for the fantasy lover. It packs a lot of content in under 200 pages! My favorite aspect of the story was - finally! - POSITIVE parental relationships! Moms and dads in MG who aren't totally useless? Color me impressed.

This quick and cozy ghost story, mixed with interesting magic and budding friendships, is a welcoming weekend read.

[Laura Stegman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Grace has spent her life surrounded by friends only she can see. The fact that they're ghosts doesn't bother her as much as the idea that one day they beg her to find a way to break a spell that has trapped their souls from reaching their ultimate "hereafter." Grace's Ghosts, by Stephenie Wilson Peterson, captured my heart from the start to its touching ending. Well-written and fast paced, its an engrossing tale about fitting in, the power of friendship, and the importance of revealing family secrets. Highly recommended!

[Ruth Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a super cute story about a 12-year-old girl with a ghost cat for a pet and spirits for friends. (I want a ghost cat. This would totally solve my allergy problems.) For some reason the dead in Grace’s small mountain town can’t seem to move on to the next life. Since she is the only living person that can see them, they seek her help to lift a possible curse on the town. As she helps to lift the curse Grace uncovers secrets about her small mountain town, her family and herself.

Described as Casper the Ghost meets Sabrina the Witch, Grace’s Ghosts is full of magic and mystery and even mermaids. In case you are a scaredy cat like me, this book has spooky moments but it is not too scary.

[Risa Nyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful and engaging story this is. Grace’s Ghosts is definitely not your typical ghost story. Some of the ghosts are charming and friendly, while others are grumpy and complaining, but they all bond with Grace as true friends. Grace has an indomitable spirit, and she assumes the heavy responsibility of freeing her ghost friends from the curse that keeps them trapped in the town of Tansy.

We follow Grace as she learns about the curse and her own family history in the process. It opens her eyes to the extraordinary powers she has.

Ms. Petersen’s descriptions of the ghosts, the town and the magic are so vivid. This story would make a wonderful movie.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute, lightly spooky book that’s perfect for middle graders! Magic, ghosts, and a mysterious black cat are the perfect ingredients for little Grace’s self-discovery story. I’d recommend for ages 8-12.

[Pete Fanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read! Grace's Ghost is a spooky tale that is fun for all ages. I enjoyed rooting for Grace throughout her journey, as she learns the past, helps her friends, and celebrates her uniqueness amongst a stellar cast of characters. Add it to your list!

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the moment that it started. The way the author wrote pulled me in and connected me to the characters. I would definitely suggest this book.

-Kaydra Pocock

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute story of Grace a child who sees Ghosts but then starts questioning why there are so many in her town. I liked the way she was brave enough to try and find a way to help them, even though that means she will lose her ghostly friends. A story I think children from about eight to twelve would like, and maybe an adult also as I know I did. I like the way Bain comes into her life. This is a new Author to me. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[S.G. Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one ghost tale that goes in directions you don't expect—and they're all good directions! The ghosts are just as compelling as the living, which is hard to pull off in this type of story. But I shouldn't even say "type of story," because the way it mixes genres makes it a wholly unique book!

[The Forgotten Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from my Daughter, She read it first!

The book, "Grace's Ghosts" is an amazing story with 166 pages of thrilling mystery and hardships. The main character is a young girl in 6th grade who isnt very popular with the living, yet very popular with the dead. All her life she has been surrounded by ghosts of all ages and ethnicity. In the beginning of the book it states that the town is cursed and shows the ghostly friends of Graces begging for her help. Of course she helps her friends but not without questions like, "magic is real?? Curses exist?"

I recommend reading this book for multiple reasons, one is that she has to face the realization that once she frees the town from the curse all of her friends will leave her.. and another is that there is a ghost cat! Who doesn't like ghost kittens??

[Melissa Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book! It's perfect for its middle grade audience, but even as an adult I related to Grace and loved all of her ghostly friends. Stephanie writes with great emotion and the ending moved me to tears. The themes of friendship, love, and grief were simple, yet profound. Great for any young reader who loves stories about magic.

[Katie Karambelas · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son LOVED this novel so much. He finished it in about a day because he would not put it down!

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally just finished this book! I hate that it took me so long to get to it. I cannot believe how good this book was!! I love a good mystery MG, & this had that & so much more. Ghosts, magical powers, a curse, & one of my favorite things-a MG cat! Lol...I loved the family in this story & their history..I loved all the ghosts so much! I really felt for Grace, & got emotional from that a few times-shows great writing! This author is an amazing story teller. I LOVED this lol this book needs waayyyy more hype! I will definitely be on the lookout for more books from her. Thank you so much for sending me this copy to read & review! I will cherish it! Definitely gonna be a reread in the future. It’s out & available for purchase!💜💜





Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Grace and her feline best friend, Midnight, have a secret: Midnight is a ghost. But then again, so are the rest of Grace's friends.

Since she’s the only person in hundreds of years with the ability to see them, the many ghosts of Tansy have flocked to Grace since birth. She doesn’t mind. She prefers the company of the dead to that of the cliquey kids at school.
Grace is happy with her strange life, until one day, the ghosts tell her about the secret her town has hidden for centuries. There’s a reason there are more ghosts than living people in Tansy. Three-hundred years ago, a lonely witch cast a spell that mistakenly trapped the soul of every person to ever set foot in the tiny town. So when the spirits beg her to find a way to break the curse, Grace is eager to help.
As she searches for answers, Grace makes discoveries about the secret her family hid for generations and a world of magic hidden in her own backyard.

Grace soon realizes that if she succeeds in breaking the curse, she’ll lose Midnight and all of her ghost friends, but if she fails, everyone living in Tansy will face the same fate. Can Grace break the curse before it’s too late?

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace's Ghost by Stephanie Wilson Peterson

Young Grace is a bit of an out cast among her peers. Her best friend is her cat Midnight, but he is not just a cat, he is a Ghost. Actually all of Grace's friends are Ghosts. Soon Grace learns of a three hundred year curse put upon her town by a Witch, the Ghosts need her help in lifting this curse and Grace is their answer.

A fast paced original story with likable characters. Grace is super sweet, caring and wants to help the Ghosts. Then their is Midnight a cute cat-ghost. The characters are well developed and likable. There is also a bit of mystery and secrets revealed. Overall I found Grace's Ghosts enjoyable and highly recommend to middle school readers (and up).

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace’s Ghosts is a clever coming of age story about a loner whose only friends are the town spooks. While she has a strong connection to the ghosts that only she can see, she wonders why her small town is so haunted.

Though grace has many spectral pals, her best friend is a ghost cat named midnight. I like that dynamic because there’s a level of friendship that one can only have with an animal, and the added layer that only Grace sees her is great.

Grace and her ghoulish buddies work to break a 300-year-old curse that is trapping keeping them from moving on into the light. The central theme of the book hinges on making a choice to face who you are and where you come from as Grace has to face an old truth about her family’s past. It’s a fun read that sets up nicely for a sequel.

[Paula Dyches · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Magic & Paranormal Mystery

This was such a fun read! It's clean enough for any audience but I would say 4th grade and up. Grace deals with bullies and her best friends no one can see because they are ghosts. When she discovers the curse that's on the town her adventure begins. There's magic, adventure and amazingly has positive good parental relationships for the MC! My 11 year old finished it in record time and said it was 5 ⭐s! Definitely a recommended book.

The narrator did a wonderful job and has a good range of kid to adult voices... Simply fun to listen to.

—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Erin Hohol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace’s Ghosts is a wonderfully spooky story that children of all ages can enjoy. Grace’s adventure is filled with fantasy and supernatural wonders. Readers get sucked into her story, getting to know all the characters so well. Will Grace succeed? Can the curse be broken? Follow Grace on her journey and find out!

[Juliette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace’s Ghosts is a deep story that connects the present world and the past. Fun and witty, readers become immersed in Grace’s story, not wanting to peel away from it. Stephenie Peterson had taken a topic that is usually reserved for horror novels, and turned into a tale of discovery.

[laura8759 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to stephenie Wilson Peterson for the pdf download of grace’s ghosts the story was amazing and so was the writing it was about a gilr named grace who could see and talk to ghosts in town the ghost are her friends I loved how the book had paranormal elements and a lot of magic like spells her town of tansy was cursed by a lonely witch who mistakenly trapped the souls of every person to ever set foot in town, while trying to help the spirtis who begged her to help break the curse grace discovers secrets about her family and magic in her own backyard grace also realizes that if she breaks the curse she might lose her ghost friends and ghost cat midnight but if it does not work every one in tansy will have the same fate can she break the curse or will it be to late to save the town perfect read for a cold day this book is a middle-grade fantasy (intended for kids age 9-13) perfect for fans of fantasy and magic ghostly twist and turns on every page that kids would like and the write amount of pages I would recommend this to my friends and family LAURA8759.

[Billy Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace’s Ghost is the spooky story of a girl who can see ghosts. In fact, her cat, Midnight, is a ghost too. In this delightful book for 9 – 13 year olds, the hero must find a way of helping all the ghosts in her small town. To do it, she must find a way of shattering a witch’s curse; and so the adventure begins! There are many, MANY aspects to this story that I enjoyed.
Firstly, it is excellently plotted with plenty of spooky twists and turns to keep children happy. There’s never a lull in this exciting adventure; and there are plenty of comic moments and tiny cliffhangers that children will enjoy. In terms of the genre, it reminded me a little of Tiffany Sparrow, Spook Slayer by Billy Bob Buttons. And also Vicky Angel by Jacqueline Wilson.
I also enjoyed meeting many of the ghostly characters. The author seems determined for her young readers to understand all her characters – even the secondary - and, I must say, she’s very talented at it. At the end of this book, I felt I knew Grace so well. She’s a wonderful character to fall in love with! I like cats too so, for me, Midnight was the best. But all of them jump (pardon the pun) off the page and add much to the story.
Finally, there’s the writing style. It’s light with a good balance of speech and plot-driven narrative. Written in the first person, you really get to know the girl and what she is facing; and, trust me, she is facing a lot. All in all, this is a well-constructed story full of interesting characters and, also, a dilemma for the hero to unravel and overcome. I would recommend it to children who enjoy adventure with a spooky element to it.

A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review

[Cary Kreitzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun original premise! Ghosts as friends? Oh the possibilities:) it’s like Harry Potter meets Sabrina the teenage witch. I could totally picture this as a Disney TV show my kids would love!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Grace’s Ghosts is a fabulous middle school age children’s paranormal fantasy by Stephenie Wilson Peterson. It is a well woven tale of friendship, ghosts, an old curse, secrets, magic, mystery, and adventure.
Ghosts are drawn to Grace, and ever since she was born they’ve sought her out, so having them around is nothing new to her. In fact, she gets on better with ghosts than she does the living. She’s a bit of a misfit with the other children her age, so all her good friends are ghosts. Her best friend is her cat, Midnight- and you guessed it, Midnight is also a ghost. Grace learns of a curse placed on her town by a witch hundreds of years ago. This curse keeps the souls of everyone, trapped, in the town. The ghosts desperately need Grace’s help to lift the curse- and so the adventure begins. Grace uncovers startling secrets and uncovers much more than she could ever have imagined. It is race against time to find a way to free the ghostly souls, before it’s too late. But considering all her friends are ghosts- where will that leave Grace if the curse is broken?
Grace is a really sweet and caring young lady. I really liked her- and I thought Midnight was a really cute addition to the story.
A great read!

Thank you, Stephenie Wilson Peterson.

[Diana Corbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghosts have always fascinated me, so this book is right up my alley. Such a fun read. It’s about a girl named Grace who has never fit in. Gross Grace is what the mean kids call her. And she definitely is different. But not because she’s gross. Because she can see ghosts. Grace has had this ability ever since she can remember, and the tiny little town of Tansy is packed with ghosts. With some research, she discovers the reason for the unusual amount of lingering spirits is a curse binding them to the town. The ghosts are trapped there, and it’s up to Grace to help them move on. This is a wonderful story for kids who, like Grace, feel they aren’t like everyone else. It’s a story about family, about friendships, and about working together to get things done. The characters are rich and well developed. The voice is light and playful. This is a very well-written tale that both MG kids as well as tweens would love. And what’s even better, the ending hints at a sequel.

[Amy Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace's Ghosts is the delightful tale of a young girl who discovers she's a witch with the ability to speak to the dead. She also finds out that she has a limited time to break a dark curse trapping all those who've died in her small town.

First of all, there was a lot of intriguing and unique characters in this book. Grace is quirky. I love her gray clothes and her odd nature. But there are so many minor characters to love as well. Ghosts with individualized personalities. Minor villains.

It's cool that this book took a fresh view with including parental roles in the story while still allowing the protagonist to save the day. The relationship that Grace had with her parents and grandparents displays a positive take on familial roles and provides a great example for youth that could be realistic.

There is so much wonder and magic in this book. Lots of fun creatures and witch power abilities and clever creativity.

I especially loved the ending of this book. It was sweet and tender and fulfilling and everything an ending should be. A book of magic and whimsy for kids who need to be reminded that what they have to offer the world is desperately needed. Great read!

[Lidia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my review of the audio version as posted on Audible:

Great for younger teenagers, good for others:)
"Grace's Ghosts" is targeted at a younger audience, probably teenagers between 10 - 14, as the main character is a 12-year-old turning 13 soon, a loner who sees ghosts and just discovers she's not what she thought she was... She has powers:)

It's a great story for younger kids, girls especially I think, but even an adult who like me likes getting back to times when life felt simpler (childhood does feel like that now:)) it's still a very entertaining story - a bit simplistic and linear, but engaging and satisfying listen.
The plot is quite fast, developing at a steady pace, with a quest for Grace to save the town she lives in. She has to find some magical items and convince some magical creatures to help her, which supposedly won't be that easy... Well, there are some small problems on the way to the happy ending but the evil creatures are not too frightening, so I think the level of scariness is just about right for kids. The main characters are likeable, the secondary cast also quite well-done so I think your kids will like the book a lot.

Narration by Ms Penate is very good. She reads clearly and at the right pace, and the voices match the characters' personalities. It's a very well done interpretation of the book.

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Stephenie Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace's Ghosts is a a fun, spooky story full of magic and friendship. I couldn't the main character out of my mind a few years back. Grace is the only person in her small town who can see the many ghosts who haunt it. She's always surrounded by the dead and ignored by the living.

Grace's best friend is her ghost cat, Midnight. I loved the idea of a pet who could go to school with Grace, so even when her classmates aren't being kind, she's okay, because Midnight never leaves her side. The kids who've read the book so far love Midnight. I think we can all relate to the idea of wishing our pets could come everywhere with us.

While the book is a fun read for kids, it's also a lesson in tolerance, relationships, and family. Grace must help the ghosts break a 300 year old curse that traps them in her town. Along the way, she learns about the generations of intolerance that forced her family to keep their true identity a secret. Grace must work to help her ghostly friends while facing the reality that she's been lied to her entire life.

Grace is faced with tough choices throughout the story, and she learns a lot of lessons about family and friendship. In the end, I hope this magical story serves not only to entertain, but also to help kids learn to embrace their own unique selves.

[Sarah Fairbairn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the tiny mountain town of Tansy, this story follows Grace’s adventures with the town’s ghost population, magic curses, the class bully, and magical family secrets.

As the reader, I found 12-yr-old Grace to be easily likable. She is an outcast relentlessly bullied, with her only friends being members of the strangely large ghost population of Tansy.

Once we’ve gotten to know Grace a little bit, we find out that her ghost friends are in trouble, then it is a race against the clock to uncover the truth, save their souls and break the curse on Tansy. Along the way, Grace discovers she comes from a long line of female Mages and that she too possesses great power (which explains the whole talking to ghost’s thing), her mother and grandmother join in to help break the curse and Grace even makes some human friends and stands up to her bully!

By the end of the book, the main plot is resolved giving the reader enough closure for a satisfying ending and all over satisfying reading experience, yet leaving the thread of Grace’s great-great-aunt, a white mage who went dark, open for exploring in a follow-up book. *Finger crossed*, as I’d read it!

Grace’s Ghosts is a fast-paced and fun middle-grade urban fantasy. A beautiful story of self-discovery, family secrets, and lost magic. A story filled with adventure and magical mayhem. A story for the whole family to enjoy.

[Laura Furuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace's Ghosts
By Stephenie Wilson Peterson
5 out of 5 stars

The story Grace's Ghosts by Stephenie Wilson Peterson is an entertaining and intriguing book to read. It is a story that I found interesting from the very beginning and didn’t want to put it down until I had finished the last page. I loved the character of Grace. She is a twelve-year-old who has the unusual ability to see ghosts. While her life may be a bit strange, Grace is happy with it. Then she is told a secret about the town of Tansy where she lives. From there she is asked to help find a way to break a curse. Will Tansy be able to help the ghosts who reside in Tansy? What will she find out about her family along the way? What will happen to the ghosts in Tansy if the curse is broken? Read this book to find out. Tansy is such a wonderful character. She is intelligent, kind, and caring. I also enjoyed reading about Midnight who is Tansy’s feline best friend. This is a story that will capture your imagination. It is a story that includes magic, magical creatures, mages, and a curse. The book is exciting to read, and you can’t help but root for Tansy to find a way to break the curse on the town. I also enjoyed reading about the additional characters that interact and help Tansy. This is an amazing story that I would recommend reading.

[Anantha Rusum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a twelve-year-old girl Grace, whose only friends are the spooky sweet ghosts including her cat, Midnight.
She starts enjoying the company of the ghosts till one day she finds out the reason why there are so many ghosts around her. There is a spell which was cast on these people three hundred years ago, which turned them into ghosts. Grace realizes that she has magical abilities and she is the one who is destined to break this spell. But breaking it comes with its own consequences, she will lose everyone who is near and dear to her, including Midnight.
Will Grace succeed in her effort forms the plot of the story. It is a sweet and a spooky story, especially meant for teens and middle grade students. When I read this book, I was reminded of this movie Casper, which is about a sweet little ghost which befriends a girl in the castle. This book is similar to the movie. It brings forth the emotions of Grace, her courage, determination and her turmoil all described really well. There are all types of ghosts, some friendly, some grumpy, and each character is unique. It is a fast paced, fun read with a spooky element in it. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Suzanne Hare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Grace has a secret, all her friends are ghosts, even her cat, Midnight. You think she would be upset about it but in fact she prefers them to the live people in the small town she lives in. One day tell her that they are stuck and can’t move on. And ask her for her help. She wants to help but what can she really do?

This is a paranormal adventure made for middle graders. It is based in a small town full of wonderfully crafted characters complete with positive and negative characteristics that make them interesting and engaging. You want to see what will happen. There is a large variety of paranormal types. The story is told from Grace’s point of view allowing the reader to visualize what she is experiencing, her past, her feelings, her motivations and her actions. It was great to see the changes in her confidence and ability to connect with the living. The story itself is filled with surprises, unexpected twists and turns and suspense. It is a great children’s book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.