SOLVED. YA/ Middle Grade fiction. One quote in the first chapter of this book stands out to me, "You'd get famous for having a hangnail around here." Missing person/ghost story set in a rural town. [s]

[Wednesday]

I read this book as part of a summer reading program between my 4th and 5th grade years, back around 2007ish. I forget most of the plot of the book, I just remember really liking it and reading it over and over again during that summer break. The part of the plot I remember was, the main character's family member (aunt/mom/cousin) goes missing after leaving to use the outhouse one evening, and she often reappears in their yard as a ghost. I vaguely remember it being coming of age, where the main character is a preteen or young teen. Definitely children's reading level but I'd love to read it again for nostalgia.

[Robert]

Don't know the plot, but All Alone in the Universe has the line "This is not hard to do in Seldem, where you can become famous for having a hangnail"

[Mir]

I don't recall the quote, but Richard Peck has some books with kids in a small town (historical but I don't recall when -- 1920s?) who have encounters with ghosts, and I can see that line fitting with his sense of humor. The ghosts are more or less like real people, not like spooky sheets or poltergeists. I think the first one is a girl who drowned and she wants a grave marker or something like that.
The Ghost Belonged to Me

[Wednesday]

it was all alone in the universe!! thanks Robert!!