Ghosts in the Family [Hardcover]

Marilyn Sachs (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

Alone in the world after the death of her mother, Gabriella Russell seeks out her father's family, who had disinherited him after he had married a Mexican woman, and learns to face the ghosts of her family.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6?A failed attempt to meld racial and class prejudice, an ancestral ghost, and an irresponsible father into a believable story. Gabriella Russell, 11, is told that her father Philip's wealthy family disowned him for marrying her poor, Mexican-American mother. The ghost of ancestor Gabriel Valencia, whom her father claims was a Spanish general, frequently visits the girl. When her mother dies while Philip is out of the country, she meets her Grandmother Russell and Aunt Isabel for the first time and goes to live with them. Gabriella learns that Philip had not been disowned after all, that he often visited them, and that he has lied about Valencia, who was a murderer. Philip then returns home, Gabriella sees him for what he is, and stays with her aunt. There is nothing new in the poor versus rich conflict or in the mean spinster turned loving guardian subplot. The father's motivation is poorly defined, and the ghost scenes do not fit with the rest of the story. Further, the dialogue is often stilted and contrived. At one point, Gabriella divulges the book's central themes of pride in one's heritage and in oneself in a tidy monologue. Real children do not give such eloquent speeches. Skip this title, opting for Johanna Hurwitz's Class President (Morrow, 1990) for a strong Hispanic protagonist, or Mary Downing Hahn's Time for Andrew (Clarion, 1994) for a spooky ancestral ghost story.?Denise E. Agosto, Midland County Public Library, TX
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5^-8. Gabriella's eleventh year is filled with unsettling events that might approach the level of melodrama if not for Sachs' skillful storytelling. Gabriella's mother dies, and her father, who is traveling at the time, cannot be notified. Gabriella remains in the care of a neighbor, since her only other relatives, her father's mother and sister, have never had any contact with her; Gabriella believes they have shunned her and her mother because of their Mexican heritage. After several months pass with no word from her father, Gabriella begins to pace, day after day, in front of her grandmother's huge house. Finally, when the aunt takes Gabriella in and tries to track down her brother, many things come to light concerning their haunted family history. Gabriella's aunt is shocked to learn that Gabriella had been living only a few blocks away, not in Mexico as Gabriella's father had told her--nor did she know under what difficult circumstances they lived. Gabriella, too, learns some hard truths about her beloved "papi." In the meantime the grandmother dies, and Gabriella's father returns after the funeral because, as his mother's favorite, he expects to receive a sizable inheritance. The story's psychological undertones and vivid characterizations make it poignant and convincing. This parable of a grieving child dealing with the ugly reality of having a selfish and deceptive father is skillfully drawn and without a moment's mawkishness. Shelley Townsend-Hudson

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525454217
• ISBN-13: 978-0525454212
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,714,851 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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