Riley’s Ghost

by John David Anderson

From John David Anderson, acclaimed author of Posted , comes a ghost story pulled from the darkest shadows of middle school. Riley Flynn is alone.  It feels like she’s been on her own since sixth grade, when her best friend, Emily, ditched her for the cool girls. Girls who don’t like Riley. Girls who decide one day to lock her in the science closet after hours, after everyone else has gone home. When Riley is finally able to escape, however, she finds that her horror story is only just beginning. All the school doors are locked, the windows won’t budge, the phones are dead, and the lights aren't working. Through halls lit only by the narrow beam of her flashlight, Riley roams the building, seeking a way out, an answer, an explanation. And as she does, she starts to suspect she isn’t alone after all.  While she’s always liked a good scary story, Riley knows there is no such thing as ghosts. But what else could explain the things happening in the school, the haunting force that seems to lurk in every shadow, around every corner? As she tries to find answers, she starts reliving moments that brought her to this night. Moments from her own life...and a life that is not her own.

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

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 11, 2022

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

John David Anderson once hit himself so hard on a dare by his sister that he literally knocked himself out of a chair and nearly blacked out. He has since translated this passion and singularity of purpose to the related arts of novel writing and pizza eating. The author of STANDARD HERO BEHAVIOR, SIDEKICKED, MINION, THE DUNGEONEERS and the soon-to-land MS. BIXBY's LAST DAY, Anderson is a firm believer in wearing the same pair of jeans for three days in a row (four in the winter) and the power of writing to solve 73% of the world's problems. He lives with his beautiful wife and twins in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Reviews

[DaNae · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was fine. Kind of a let-down of a ghost story. Working in education, I have certainly run across plenty of children walking around with the rage issues Riley seems to have. But that was the only genuine element of her character. Her inner voice was all too wise-cracky, wise-ass smooth to be believable as a 12-year old. The plot was draggy as hell.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel that this was a beautiful and very well executed book about the possible trials of jr high. At first, we grasp that Riley is bullied and extremely unhappy, that many of her classmates and at times her parents feel that she brings this on herself. In recent years, we've been trained not to blame the victim, but in the course of extraordinary events, Riley is able to see how her own actions did affect others. Not that she deserved her treatment, but that her actions were less than admirable, that others perceived and experienced them differently than she herself did. There is an undercurrent of deep and dark emotion throughout, and many of us experienced those deeper darker emotions, and thought we were alone in them, or as often labeled, "freaks". Anderson does an excellent job of approaching that darkness without crossing the line into craving the darkness. It's a good discussion novel, as Anderson's books often are, and I hope parents find a way to connect with their children through it. I like that a female character is shown displaying actual anger, first because so often it is males shown "acting out", and two because it lends her strength when she learns to truly embrace it as a part of her, but one that needs moderating.
Truly loved the distinction between a "horror" story and a "ghost" story, very nicely put.

[Ms. B · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of a suspense story than a horror story. I couldn't stop turning the pages as I wanted to find out who or what was haunting Riley when she finds herself locked in a supply closet by classmates after school. Could it be that Riley deserved to be locked in that closet? She definitely has a few secrets of her own With a Dad who's away from home for work and a Mom who works late hours at a hospital, will anyone come back for her or find her before it's too late?
If you like suspense stories, Caroline B. Cooney's They Never Came Back or enjoyed Lois Duncan back in the day, give this a try. I know junior high me would have loved discovering this book.

[Carmen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a copy from HarperCollins Children's Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ditched by her best friend, Emily, Riley Flynn is a lonely middle schooler who is bullied by the cool kids at school. When Riley gets targeted in science, it quickly goes south, leading her to face off with Emily and her new friends. Just when her day can’t get any worse, Riley finds herself locked in the science closet and left in the hands of the ghosts of her middle school.

We follow Riley, a lonely girl who goes back and forth between battling her hot temper and facing off with the kids who target her at school. I think the book perfectly captures how horrible middle school can be, especially when you don’t fit in with part or most of your peers. Everyone wants to be different, but those who are different get singled out, and that’s where Riley finds herself.

Locked in the science closet, Riley finds herself at the hands of the school ghosts. She meets Max, a ghost possessing one of the frogs being dissected in class, who just wants to escape the school. If he helps Riley, then she can help him finally be free of the hold the school has on him. The only problem is that the school is full of the ghosts who were once the bullies in Max’s class, and they’re all facing off against one ghost: Heather.

I think this book has an interesting concept, but we spent so much time bouncing around Riley’s memories leading up to the present that it honestly seemed like we were going to find out that Riley was a ghost all along. It would’ve been great if it turned out that Riley was Heather, and that she had no idea that she had been dead for many years, but that wasn’t the case.

It also seems like the overall message is to forgive your bullies rather than holding onto all the hurt they caused. While that’s a nice sentiment, we see the process jump from A to Z by the time the book is over. I just wish that we got to see more of the process of healing for Riley to get to the point of being willing to forgive and let it all slide. We see that process begin for her, but the process is expedited once she learns what happened among the ghosts and that’s not a realistic example for readers who are currently being bullied.

Overall, I think this is an interesting concept, but I’m not sure about the message for readers. This turned out to not be my cup of tea, but I think young readers who enjoy ghost stories will likely enjoy it.

[Cassie Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I walk around the halls of our middle school on a daily basis I hear the whispers and see the emotions across faces - emotions filled with fear, anger, sadness. The stillness in looking for someone they might know or could feel elated to see, but a lot of time there's a loneliness to the hallways. Students who don't feel like they belong, or who are forcing themselves to belong - not always making the wisest decisions on who they spend their time with.

I dug into Riley's Ghost without realizing how obvious the connection to real life middle school truly was. Fear. It lives within the students on a day in and day out basis, and Riley's Ghost is a story that every single kid I teach could relate to.

I appreciated the complete honesty throughout this story that Anderson has written - he has such a way of connecting with middle school readers. I know the flashbacks may be harder for a younger group to follow along with, which could. make this for a good read aloud/discussion, but when it comes to 5th and up - I highly recommend.

There's a little bit of Riley in all of us, and I think sometimes facing those fears, the things you don't believe in until they're in your face, help us grow in ways we never thought possible.

[Dayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I was expecting this to be spookier, I appreciated the exploration of bullying and the complex world of a child's loneliness. I think I related a little too much to the bullying memories in this and it definitely left me thinking after the book was done.

I do wish this had a bit more of a focus on the haunting of the school instead of the constant back and forth of memories of the MC being bullied and being left alone at home by overly busy parents.

I enjoyed this but if you pick this one up, know that it's not really a story about a haunted school. This is more about a girl trying to find her way in life despite the high level of bullying that she experiences. I really wish I could give her a hug.

Happy reading!

[Andrew Eder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing. I’m usually interested in Anderson’s books but this one just fell flat. It was too long, too fluffed, and nothing really even happens. We don’t even get to a ghost part until like 100 pages. There isn’t a lot of dialogue and there’s WAY too much internal thoughts. I also wasn’t a huge fan of how the chapters started. There was some attempt at back and forth, then and now, style writing that just did not land. Not giving this an anti-recommendation because it seems like some people liked it and maybe I just wasn’t meant for this one, but I’m very happy I borrowed it from the library and did not purchase.

[Teresa Grabs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Riley's Ghost is a slow-moving tale that follows Riley through the trials of growing up. A lot of realistic things happen (which can be a good thing) in this ghost tale but, in the end, it didn't do much for me. I know a lot of people will see themselves in the characters (which is a great thing) and find their voice.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

[Theresa Grissom · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enormous thank you to Netgalley for an eARC of this book!!

I am a huge fan of John David Anderson and his books. I have read everything he has published and will continue to do so. Riley's Ghost is among my favorites of all he has written. This book is darker than his other books and I have to admit a bit scary at times, which I love. There is such a huge and important message in this book that kids need to hear. Riley's Ghost is very relatable and truly written in a perfect middle school voice. I can't wait to get this into student's hands.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely upper middle grade writing and at over 350 pages will need readers with some stamina. It will grab those who like creepy, unsettling stories - especially those at the age and also facing the “horrors” of middle school. The parallels of darkness were super creative and will be relatable for readers.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is sad, creepy and thought provoking at the same time. Riley is a character who is not afraid of what others think, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t care about their opinions on her. When she is locked in a supply closet overnight and befriends a ghost in the body of a dissected frog who was a former student at her school, a mystery begins. As she roams through her school at night, she is haunted by another former student, whose scenarios of being bullied continuously play out in various locations of her school. I didn’t rate this book 5 stars because the plot is not 100% understandable and it is kind of creepy for a middle school book, (though that might just be me,) but it is still a story that makes you think and appreciate life. (Tip though: don’t read this late at night. I learned that the hard way.)

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first reaction upon beginning this novel: “I can so relate to this horror at having to dissect a once-living creature in science class. Although I was lucky, I guess, because mine was a worm. Not a frog, kitten, or pig.”
As I read further, my thoughts were, “Boy, some things about middle school have not changed, even over three+decades. Some people are just natural targets for bullies.”
I kept reading, and relating to Riley in many ways, and I was intrigued.
When the ghost parts started, the book took a sharp turn towards being pretty dark for middle-graders. Still fascinating enough to keep me reading, but by the end, I felt somewhat…unsettled, for lack of a better word.

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! What a beautifully written ghost story! One of the best books I’ve read in awhile! Highly recommended for fans of goosebumps !

[Brenda Kahn]

Nearly DNF this one. The pace was glacial. The mc was incredibly unsympathetic.

[Emily]

The bullying was spot on and extremely uncomfortable, but I wish the ghost elements had been scarier.

[themysteriousbooklogger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anderson has swept up a tale that dives deep into the darkest shadows of middle school, while also providing a meaningful message that will stay with you for a considerable amount of time; for fans of a simple, easy to understand storyline, you may be disappointed as the author constantly switches back and forth between the past and present creating some difficulty to differentiate the two.
Filled with suspense, humour, and the twists and turns that make the creepy genre so notable, Riley's Ghost is a memorable ghost story, with a whole other storyline masterfully woven in between the lines; if it hadn't been for that one flaw, it would have been a solid four stars.
Recommend for ages 11+.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows Riley Flynn through a terrifying night trapped by a ghost (or ghosts) in her middle school. Throughout the night she learns not only about the story of the ghosts haunting her, but also a lot about herself. It's a story that everyone can relate to, whether you were one of the faceless kids at school being bullied, one of the many ignoring the kids being bullied, or even the bully him/herself. Though it's technically a "ghost story" and set in the paranormal realm (complete with a frog possessed by a human spirit), the real beauty of the story is in its depiction of the normal, the human, and how we treat each other. This is well worth the read and a great book to read with your pre-teen or teen child as a way to talk about some of these real issues in school.

[Heather Addai · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a very good YA book. It had a bit of mystery and a lot of real life stuff that can happen in middle school. Bullying is very real, even in books. Good book!

[Danielle Hammelef · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so much more than a ghost story. What real life middle grade pain this author made Riley deal with (and others too) makes it darker, scarier, yet hopeful. This is definitely upper middle grade/lower YA with the language, violence, and alternating flashback chapters for readers to keep track of the time frame. The anger issues, bullying, and friendship drama gave this novel a very solemn tone and may reflect what some kids experience in middle school and even high school. The ghost story part was creepy, yet just didn't work for me--I had a difficult time believing in the haunting and how it happened.

[Shirley Freeman]

I read the advanced copy of this new middle reader coming in January of 2022. I like Anderson's books and his deep understanding of middle schoolers paired with his quest to help young people be nicer to each other and feel validated even when they feel completely bonkers. But the ghost story didn't really work for me though I'm guessing there are kids who will get into it. There are some funny lines and whacky scenes that should have middle school appeal. Main character Riley deals with bullying but also has an anger management issue herself. She is lonely and she eventually learns how to do something about her loneliness. Not my favorite John David Anderson book but we'll see what the kids think.

[Río · Rating 3 out of 5]

General rundown of the book (minor over-arching spoilers):
Riley gets trapped in a school by bullies and struggles to get out. She works to use the various lessons she has learned from parents, friends, school, etc. as well as the resources on hand to craft a plan (and another ..and another, as they keep failing). She encounters a ghost, of sorts, and a mystery, of sorts, as she recalls scary stories and is rightly frustrated by things not working. While occasionally impulsive with her anger, and (rightfully) upset by how people treat her, overall Riley is logical, methodical, and intelligent. This makes for a less frustrating read (seriously, dumb people in horror/suspense/etc stories can be pretty annoying)

Thoughts:
I must have not fully read the description for this book before reading, because it took me longer than it should have to realize that essentially the entire story was spent inside the school. I had anticipated a story that included interactions stretched across time, so it was a bit of a disappointment to realize it was in one location over one night. Anderson did fairly well with this though, considering. The book was deeply reflective. Trapped in the school grounds the entire book, the only way to diversify the setting was through Riley's mind, so there were many flashbacks.

Actually, Anderson used flashbacks for more than expanding the setting. At times he used flashbacks to increase suspense (e.g. when Riley recounted ghost stories her father had told her, adding tension to otherwise quiet moments), to give context (e.g. explaining Riley's [ex-]friendships and home life), and, which I found particularly interesting, to educate (e.g. defining horror stories vs. ghost stories). The educational element was interesting because Anderson could describe hypotheticals, like when he said "if this was a horror story, then ..." and went on to a creepy description, but he also used these moments to explain *how* one might enjoy such genres, breaking it down in a way that might inspire those hesitant to give new genres a try.

Conclusion
Overall, the story was ok. I enjoyed Anderson's writing and would have enjoyed seeing it in a different genre, so I may have to check out some of his other work. Below are some passages and quotes that stood out to me:

"...but this was Middle School. Mean and stupid came with the territory." (Chapter 1)

"The problem with principles is that sometimes they contradict each other. One tells you to stand up for yourself, the other tells you to turn the other cheek. One says to inform the teacher, the other says don't be a tattle-tail. One says to own up to your mistakes, the other says to stay out of trouble. Sometimes the best thing to do isn't always right." (Chapter 31)


[reflecting on a time she was teased for her tears] "Nobody ever caught her crying again. Cussing, yes. Kicking, glaring, spitting, pouting, sneering, and worse than those, but never crying. She showed her anger, her disappointment, but never her sadness." (Chapter 33)


"Horror stories scare you in the moment. Ghost stories, on the other hand? Scare you afterward. [...] It's a different kind of fear. The kind that follows you. The kind you can't seem to let go of." (Chapter 35)

[Elna · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy for review*

This is a tough one - the book is so raw and real that it's incredibly effective, but I think I would hesitate to recommend it to the kind of kid who would need it.

Riley is in 7th grade and just as lonely as she'd predicted; her one friend has ditched her and she's the frequent target for bullies (sometimes for no reason, but it doesn't help that she's not very good at controlling her temper). With no one to meet her at home until late, Riley takes her time leaving school but runs into an old enemy. When she antagonizes her, Riley finds herself locked in a supply closet and abandoned. Just as she abandons hope, the closet unlocks and one of the dead dissection frogs try to talk to her. He eventually manages to explain that he's a ghost stuck at the school, and he's not the only one. There's the ghost of a girl haunting the school too, and her story is very similar to Riley's...

(Spoilers everywhere.) The other ghost is a girl named Heather, who's only friend was Max, our friend possessing the frog. He drifted away and froze her out, and she moved away and was killed in a car accident shortly after. She was briefly made fun of (out of habit, since she was horribly bullied her whole school career), but quickly forgotten, and her ghost haunts the school and Max. Max is convinced she's doing it out of malice and hate, but Riley realizes Heather just always wanted someone to care about and remember her, and hoped it could be Max. It's unclear whether or not it was actually Max or Heather holding Riley trapped in the school, but somehow she promises to remember Heather or something, and Max's ghost is released as Riley's former friend returns to rescue her. Later, in an incredibly short epilogue, 8th grade Riley reassures incoming 6th graders that it eventually gets better.

There's some pretty upsetting scenes of bullying in here, and not hinging is really actually resolved: the resolution with Heather is unclear, and Grace and her cronies are never faced with any on-page consequences. Since these are the main components of the plot, it's a strange and noticeable lack. What happened to Heather is truly tragic, and what Riley is going through is painful and just as tragic, and it hit too close to home for me. I was actually really upset after reading this book, since I was introduced to these two sad girls in unimaginable pain and left with only cliches to comfort me. It reminded me too much of myself. If I had read this book in middle school when I was in the thick of my depression and loneliness, I think much the same thing would have happened.

It's well written and engaging, if a little slow, and not scary but not vague enough to pass as realistic. I'm not sure who the audience is.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Riley's Ghost was a slow-moving ghost story that deals with Riley's tribulations through middle school. Although she is being bullied at school, she does have some anger issues and her behaviour towards other students as well as her parents and I was interested to see how this would be dealt with by the author. I did feel like the things that happened to Riley were quite realistic, but I wanted to see how the ghost story would figure into all of it, and this is where I was somewhat disappointed.

First of all, I wasn't sure what to think about Riley throughout the story. That she was prickly didn't bother me as she was being bullied and that can so often be a defence mechanism, but I really feel like her issue with Emily wasn't resolved in a satisfactory way as we never learned why Emily chose to hang out with a different group of friends. Riley did demonstrate some poor behaviour and I was worried that this would not be taken seriously in the book. So I did appreciate Riley's growth as she reflected on some of her actions throughout the book and how she caused some of the problems, especially the arguments with her parents. I also liked how the author put an emphasis on how hurtful words can be to children, especially when used thoughtlessly.

I normally love this author, but I did find this book to be somewhat slow, and I wasn't a huge fan of the ghost story as I felt it was 'preachy'. You know, the kind where it was all your fault because you abandoned me, and the lesson was to always stick by your friends no matter what was happening. I get the message, and I think kids will as well, but not sure I like the delivery. However, creepy was always my thing, even as a kid, so being locked in school after hours would have definitely been creepy for me.

Riley's Ghost was a pretty good portrayal of middle-school kids and their behaviours, and I definitely liked the added bonus of a ghost to teach lessons. I did find the overall ghost story to be somewhat slow and the overall theme, while good, did not necessarily address the issues: it was more of a lesson about sticking with your friends no matter what happens and there is always more to the problem than that. Personally, as a kid, I would not have found this creepy enough, but I probably would have liked it quite a bit. For those readers who are looking for something that is not too creepy, this one is probably for you.

[Jennifer Baldwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclosure – I won this book as part of a contest from Goodreads. I received an advance reader’s edition to review. I am not being paid for my review (although I would love to be)

Book Release Date – January 11, 2022

Genre – Juvenile Fiction, Middle Grade Fiction

Book Setting – The mainly takes place in the middle school but there are some flashbacks to Riley’s younger days. We see her watching TV with her dad and being read bedtime stories by him. One scene that made me cry was a memory of Riley sneaking down to the lake to swim in the middle of the night. There’s an exchange between Riley and her mother that really touched me and made me miss when my oldest was that age.

The main characters – Riley is a seventh grade girl just trying to navigate middle school while dodging bullies and her own emotional baggage. Emily is a main character ish in that she was Riley’s best friend, until she wasn’t. Then there’s Grace, Riley’s nemesis. We can’t forget Max, the talking frog. Sort of.

The storyline – Riley’s just trying to make it through middle school. Until one day, a bullying incident goes farther than just bubble gum in the hair. Riley is locked in a supply closet. When she gets out, no one is in the school. She is alone. She tries the doors, the phones, even the fire alarm, but nothing helps her escape. Not even the weird talking frog that is dead. She desperately tries to escape but the voices, movements, lights, and scenes that surround her keep her from getting home. Riley learns there’s more to middle school than bullies and friends. It really could be life and death.

How was the book set out? The chapters read more like scene breaks. But that’s ok. It made it feel like the book moved fast that way.

What did you like about the book? I honestly could relate to Riley. Middle school sucks. I know what it’s like to be the odd girl out. My oldest has the same experiences. In fact, I’ve recommended this book to her to read.

What would have made it better? I feel like the ending wasn’t very well explained. Without giving away too much, I have a lot of questions: what happened to Max, what happened to Heather, had anyone else reported the school being haunted.

What didn’t you enjoy in the book? It feels cliffhangery to me. Like, I didn’t get closure.

Would you read another book by this author? Absolutely. In fact, I’ve already added Posted to my TBR.

Your star rating. 4 stars.

Overall I loved this book. It took me three days to go through. It really did a great job of painting the picture that is the middle school experience. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who has been in middle school, anyone with a kid in middle school, anyone who has a history of being bullied, and anyone who enjoys a good ghost story.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riley is thirteen years old. During the summer, she makes a best girlfriend, Emily. They swear to be besties forever. When school starts, Emily becomes friends with the “cool girls”. Riley is forgotten. One day at school, she is watching a video on frog dissection. The classmates are busy dissecting their frogs. Suddenly Riley feels something on her lips, she wipes her lips. She can’t see or hear her classmates as she has headphones and glasses/visors to watch the video. She decides to take off the equipment she was using and caught the classmate putting the frog lips to her lips. When she says something to him, he responds with a snarky answer. The classmate gets in trouble and goes to the principal’s office. When the cool girls find out, they grab Riley at the end of the day and lock her in the science class with the dead frogs. Riley can’t get out. Her mother won’t be home as she is working the night shift and her dad is away working his job. What will Riley do? Riley’s problems go from bad to worse. Will she be able to survive the night?

The author has written a ghost story that involves more than one ghost. The author has included in the story the message of anti-bullying. The story’s narrative mixes Riley’s memories with the present horror she is experiencing, giving her a short reprieve from her fears. It slowly presents an account of outcasts, the friends who betrayed them and the trauma that Riley experiences. I liked how Riley stands up for herself even though she tries to control her anger. It’s a great book even though it’s creepy at times to read as it makes you realize people aren’t outcasts, they are real people.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[Melissa Killian · Rating 5 out of 5]

If these walls could talk. Riley's middle school is haunted by all the drama and trauma its walls have seen over the years.

Riley is a bit of an outsider. She has a temper that scares others, but also puts a target on her as a way to press her buttons. She finally finds a friend in new girl Emily, but then Emily joins the volleyball team and starts hanging out with the popular girls there, leaving Riley behind. One night, the mean girls lock Riley in the science closet after school, while Emily watches and does nothing, and Riley has to find her way out.

This story is a giant metaphor for finding your way out of middle school, not only physically but emotionally as well. There are some ghosts of students past in the building and through some library/yearbook research, Riley finds out their identities. The big bad, Heather, was a girl who was bullied much like Riley is, and who had one close friend, Max, who one day didn't want her around anymore. Through learning about these ghosts and their past, Riley also learns about her own past and the choices she made that could have been different.

Reading this brought back all the middle school feels of people teasing someone and then when that person gets upset, telling them they are being too sensitive and can't take a joke. Also, coming home to an empty house after feeling alone all day. Parents who are loving, but who don't quite understand. And a lonely child who finally finds a friend, and then clings to that friend so desperately that it smothers the friend and makes them want to get away. Navigating these relationships is a lot like navigating the halls of a locked, haunted middle school with the unexpected around every corner, and I really appreciated that parallel.

[Magdalena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first posted the following review on my personal blog:

Seventh-grader Riley Flynn has gotten herself in trouble and attracted negative attention from her peers once again by tattling on a classmate who pulls a prank, trying to make her kiss a dissection frog. A group of stereotypical mean girls, including Riley’s ex-best-friend, retaliate by trapping Riley in the science room’s supply closet at the end of the day. By the time Riley escapes from the closet, the school is deserted.

But as Riley explores the school, looking for a way out and trying to figure out why the doors won’t open from the inside, she realizes she’s not alone. One of the dissection frogs has become animated with the spirit of a former student named Max Trotter. And there’s another ghost, someone more sinister and powerful. Riley realizes that, in order to escape, she needs to find out who that ghost is and what it wants.

This story takes place in a single day, but it’s interspersed with flashbacks and introspective passages allowing the reader to get to know Riley intimately with all of her flaws, past mistakes, and fears. Although Riley’s parents never make a direct appearance in the story, their relationship with Riley plays a significant role. In particular, her father’s ghost stories are alluded to constantly, mostly in the context of analyzing different kinds of fear.

While this is a spooky, atmospheric ghost story that will appeal to fans of the genre, it’s also full of middle school drama and insightful discussion about friendship, loneliness, reputations, and bravery, which will appeal to kids who might usually prefer realistic fiction.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley Flynn is in middle school, which is a sad state of affairs, as middle school can be a quagmire of social dysfunction. Her best friend has ditched her for the mean girls, so add loneliness. Home isn't much better with her Dad, a train engineer, away from home for days on end, and her mother working long hours at the hospital, leaving Riley to fend for herself until late evening. On top of this, Riley is being bullied, but she has always been an independent sort, so she often responds with revenge, which she has come to realize is wrong (sometimes). That is the background of Riley's life in real time. Intertwined are flashbacks to her elementary days, which document her creative responses to being bullied, as well as wonderful descriptions of her father's ghost and horror stories, of which he has carefully explained the differences. This information comes in handy when Riley was forcibly locked into the science supply closet by the mean girls, and left to fend for herself for the rest of the night. She found she wasn't really alone, but to escape the closet and finally the school, she needs to unravel the the identities of the two ghosts, one who has taken over the body of a dissected frog. Both were students at the school in the '80s, and from the sounds of things not much had changed. Schools can be eerie when they are deserted, and that sets the stage for some very scary episodes. Thoroughly enjoyed this book which was provided by netgalley and Walden Pond Press/ HarperCollins.

[Beth Mendelsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Walden Pond Press and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Riley Flynn, age 13, has been alone for a while. Her father is a long-haul train engineer and her mother is a nurse working long hours at the hospital. Her best friend, Emily, has ditched her for the volleyball team. Riley isn’t the easiest person to get along with. She is quick-tempered and keeps to herself mostly. Her temper gets her in trouble when she is leaving school and Grace from the volleyball team gets in her face about an incident that occurred earlier in the day. Instead of walking away, Riley slaps Grace hard across the face. Grace exacts her revenge by locking her in the science supply closet. Riley yells, bangs on the door, and tries to pick the lock but nothing works. Then, suddenly, the door opens but there is no one around – everyone had left for the day. When Riley tries to leave the school, she finds herself trapped, that the doors will not open for her, a window crashed down almost crushing her fingers. Even more creepy things start to happen and Riley wonders if she’ll ever get home.

This is a creepy, and sometimes scary, middle grade novel. The bullying Riley received is very sad but all too common in middle school. The ending seemed a little off to me – I had to reread it but it didn’t seem to wrap everything up – maybe a sequel? My rating is really 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. Recommended for those who like scary stories in fifth grade and up.

#RileysGhost #NetGalley

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invigorating. Mystifying. Powerful. This novel is a train, hurtling forward and hitting you with full impact. Nothing is sugar coated or glossed over, showcasing the devastating effect of bullying in a dazzling tour de force. Riley is a kid with her fair share of emotional issues. She's quick to anger and has made her fair share of mistakes. Nothing is excused, just explained. At the end of the day, Riley is just a kid seeking connection, but that connection is severed wherever she goes. While this novel is most definitely a ghost story, it is also the universal story of middle school. While things do get better... eventually... it can be a long, tough road to get there. And not everyone gets there. The part that stands out to me most is when Max exclaims that it isn't fair for him to be punished, to be haunted. Why couldn't the teachers help? The parents? The other students? Why did it have to be him? The answer isn't clean and it isn't simple. It's messy and complicated. But I hope this novel teaches everyone who reads it to be more kind to their fellow human. To be more understanding. The bystander effect doesn't have to be all powerful. Allow yourself to be the flashlight, illuminating the dark. #netgalley