Customer Reviews

The Old Willis Place: A Ghost Story (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(9)
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Mary Downing Hahn's book The Old Willis Place, is a ghost story like no other. Hahn perfectly illustrates all mental images. You could picture exactly what Oak Hill Manor looks like, or even the Caretaker's Trailer and the River Hideout. If you are looking for a ghost story with a happy ending, then this is the book for you.
Georgie and Diana live in a tin shed in the woods by The Old Willis Place. Even though they have no parents, they still must obey the rules embedded in their minds long ago. Their favorite thing to do is to scare the Caretakers so much that they leave Oak Hill Manor; usually they are old and grumpy men. But, this time it's a middle-aged man with a daughter named Lissa. Diana does not yet know how much Lissa will change her life. Then one day, the thing that Diana and Georgie most fear is released, the ghost of Miss Lillian. She comes looking for them to punish them for what they did to her long ago.
This book will have you on the edge of your seat from the beginning to the heart-wrenching end that will emotionally slap you in the face. The Old Willis Place is an appropriate book for all ages, though it might be scary for people who thought that some of her other books like Time For Andrew and Wait Till Helen Comes were scary. This book is at the top of my list, and once you read it, it will be at the top of your list too.

The following review is from my 10 year old nephew:
"This book is an amazing book with lots of scary twists inside of it....it even gave me nightmares. It is the best ghost story I have ever read. The characters were very brave and went to any lengths to sustain a friendship."

This book held you from the "get-go" and kept you caught in it's magical web of double-mirrors and fun-house antics. This is like the "I see dead people" film but in book form and not as guesome but more age appropriate. It would also make a great movie--one of the few childrens books I found complete and fully closed once it ended, and left feeling satified that I had made a good choice in purchasing it. Great book for those who like ghost stories with a twist.

The Old Willis Place is an interesting book that you should read. It starts out fun and funny but at the end it gets so misleading, disturbing, frightening, and unexpected. Can you really say why the children died? Or what happened to Mrs. Willis, or even who she really was? It all ties up in the ending and that's what got me hooked to this wonderful book.
This book, The Old Willis Place, is a creepy mysterious book that ties up in the end. This book takes place on Mrs.Willis' farm. Diana and Georgie have many rules they must obey and they try to figure out their own cause of death. During this process they meet a friend, Lissa, and her father Mr. Morrison. This was a problem because in the rules no one was allowed to see them. But Diana and Georgie were so lonely they have been with each other and only each other for such along time. Their friend found Diana and Georgie to be very suspicious but at the same time trustworthy. This was misleading and not understandable but Lissa wanted a friend too so much that she would do anything. Besides she thought that is what made them interesting.
Diana was dying to tell who she really was, where she really lived, and how she got here in the first place to Lissa but she couldn't that was against the rules. The two girls ended up to be close friends and for that matter they called themselves," Friends forever". But Lissa didn't know that soon Diana would be going far away. Since she had no idea of who Diana and Georgie really were, she just concluded whatever she wanted them to be. For example a strange religion because she acted so strange and had so many rules. She also made up that she was a vegetarian since she was never hungry nor thirsty. Diana would just say," Oh yes" or "Sure" to whatever Lissa said.
An interesting, frightening conflict they had that kept popping up was that Mrs. Willis was haunting Diana and Georgie. The way she got up from her death sleep was that Lissa opened the door she died. She did not want Lissa she wanted Diana and Georgie because of what they done in the past. They disobeyed all the rules possible. Disobeying is a very big risk but Diana took it all for a friend.
Mary Downing Hahn is a great author to read your first mystery book. Especially this book, I could never put this book down. The Old Willis Place is also very descriptive and gets you hooked the first paragraph you read. I loved this book and I bet you will too!

This book is very scary but very interesting. I read it in my classroom at school and I really liked it so I want to buy it and read it with my mom because. I think you should be 8 or older to read this book because it gets really scary, but don't worry it ends in a good way. If you like ghost stories yo should read this book in the drak, in your bed with a flash light with the blinds closed. It will make the story seem a lot scarier and it will make it more fun to read! (this is how we read it in class) Well if you read this book I hope you enjoy it, I know I did!

This is the best book ever!
This book is about two kids who live in the woods. When a new caretaker comes to take care of the Old Willis place Diana and Georgie want to make friends with the caretaker's daughter. When Diana takes a risky move to break the rules and shows herself to Lissa, Diana creates a problem. This problem will create many lies and might even ruin their lives!

If I were to recommend this book to any one I would recommend it to kids 9-12 years old, also to people who like happy endings or scary ghost stories. If you like books that might relate to real life this is the book for you. When you read this book you'll never get enough of it.

Mary Downing Hahn has done a fabulous job with "The Old Willis Place: a ghost story." From the first chapter, I was intriqued to discover the secrets of the old farm.

Diana and Georgie are two children who reside at the old Willis farm. They have been there for many, many years, and there is an air of mystery about them from the beginning. A new caretaker is moving in to take care of the old farm, one of the many Diana and Georgie have seen come and go; however, this one is different. He brings his daughter, Lissa, to the old farm with him.

Diana longs to have a friend. She and Georgie watch Lissa from afar and finally Diana shares her wish with Georgie. He becomes angry and reminds her of "the rules." These rules appeared in Diana and Georgie's mind after the bad thing happened. Diana and Georgie are not allowed to be seen by anyone and cannot leave the farm.

With each turn of the page, the reason for these rules become clearer. And, with each turn of the page, Diana wants to become friends with Lissa. At last, Diana shows herself. She and Lissa become friends, but Diana has broken a rule. The events that happen afterward are indescribable. You wouldn't believe it unless you read the story yourself!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good ghost story. The characters, plot, and setting are all extremely well developed. I found myself trying to stay awake for one more page, something I had not done in a very long time. I could not put the book down, as it has a spellbinding effect. Even though this book is found in the juvenile section, I think everyone from 4th grade to old age will find something in it that they enjoy!

Diana is so tempted by the prospect of having the new caretaker's daughter, Lissa, as a friend that she's willing to break the rules that have guided the lives of her and her brother Georgie for so many years. Diana and Georgie have done everything they can to protect each other and stay together. It's interesting to see what happens when another child comes into the mix and how the story resolves itself.

Diana and Georgie are characters are not only haunted by the bad thing, they will haunt you for a long time to come. This is a beautiful look at the tragedy of human life and the importance of friendship and forgiveness in life.

I'm not usually a big fan of `ghost' stories but I read this through in one sitting. It's fantastically written, enchanting and fast-paced. I highly recommend it for middle school age and above who like a good story and who have the constitution for some scary stuff.

This review is from my 8 year old daughter:

This book was the most thrilling and exciting book I have ever read. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to get it at my school book fair. My favorite character is Miss Willis. She owned the old Willis Place. When she started to haunt the farm again I started to get really excited and a little scared. It is a great book and just the right amount of scary. I love the book.

For years something has been running the caretakers off from the Old Willis Place, so when Lissa and her father move in, she's a little curioius about what might be going on. And well she should be; right from the start, we discover that two children, Diana and Georgie, are watching her every move, trying to decide how and if they should interact with her. Do they hold the key to what's going on? Or are they part of the problem?

Hahn has created a wonderfully creepy tale that reveals itself in carefully distributed layers. What seems to be happening at first shifts as the story progresses, and the story becomes darker with each turn of the page. Will Lissa be able to help the children or will the children become victims of a more sinister force? Hahn does an excellent job of pulling the reader along and making one question what is going on. A good, haunting read that is not overly scary. Recommended for children around ages 9 and up.