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5.0 out of 5 stars
Tibbetts is a writer to watch!, March 22, 2004
This review is from: The Road to Weird: Carly's Ghost / Harpo Marx is Seeing Things (Paperback)
Today is a first for me. I have never reviewed a middle-grade or young adult novel. But don't get me wrong. That doesn't mean that I have never read one. Much of my youth was spent surrounded by Judy Blume, Margaret L'Engle, and in my high school years, Holden Caulfield, the uber bad boy of Catcher in the Rye fame.
But reviewing one, well, I hadn't done that--until now. So forgive me if I get the language wrong, or if I don't totally understand the genre. The truth is, I love good fiction. And Peggy Tibbetts' The Road to Weird is more than good fiction. It's great fiction by a very, very strong writer. This book is actually two stories: Carly's Ghost and Harpo Marx is Seeing Things, both books about normal teens, or tweens, who find themselves visited by the paranormal.
In Carly's Ghost, young Carly Baillie is forced from her home in Minnesota to the wilds of Colorado, when her parents follow their dream and move to Steamboat Springs after buying an old lodge. Along with her snotty teenaged sister, Jackie, Carly is forced to start completely over in a place completely foreign to her. It doesn't help that her sister is bent on making her life miserable and tortures her relentlessly. When Carly discovers a hidden room beneath her own bedroom, she is fascinated to find the diary of the girl who lived there before her: Amanda Sawyer. The unexplained--doors that slam with no one around, or the sounds of footsteps when no earthly body is there--become easily understood in her mind after she becomes convinced that her new home is inhabited by an unearthly creature. But she can't convince anyone else of what she knows to be true. Her life takes a sharp turn when she realizes that this ghost, or visitation, is firmly on her side. I won't reveal what happens, but it's well worth the read, especially for tweens and teens caught up in the angst of "it's not fair." This ending is definitely fair.
"I love this book because the writing let's me see the pictures in my head," my tween-aged daughter, Carissa, said. I can't put it any better.
In Harpo Marx is Seeing Things, the protagonist is a thirteen-year-old girl with a sharp wit and dull vision. We are introduced to Harpo in the hospital, after she suffers a fall off the balance beam during gymnastics, and now has short term memory loss. The figures surrounding her are distorted, and she surmises although she is not sure who she is, she must need glasses. Yes, Harpo is her real name--although for a minute we are left in the dark and wondering if we have crossed over into some weird episode of the Twilight Zone--and yes, her parents do possess a great sense of humor, as does she. But that's not all Harpo possesses.
After her fall off the beam, which resulted in a concussion in the exact same spot she injured several years before, she now has visions. When her brother opens the curtain at the hospital to expose her unconscious roommate, she sees exactly what has happened to the woman, as though she were there.
She wants to dismiss this, and as her memory comes back, she does a fairly good job--until she is watching television several nights later and sees the story of a missing hunter and his son. Again, she "sees" what has happened to the missing hunters, and despite her misgivings, she shares her visions with a police officer who doesn't believe her. Not to be deterred, she also approaches the son of the local police captain heading the investigation. What happens next is an experience in "weird," as Harpo sees her fifteen minutes in fame explode in ways she could never imagine. The resulting scenes, however, are tender, as young Harpo faces not being able to try out for her gymnastics team again, being the source of teen ridicule, exploring young love, and becoming involved once again in an event that could become disastrous if she doesn't take steps to stop it.
This book is well worth the money spent to purchase it, and Tibbetts is a writer to watch. She will definitely be a staple at our house from now on, next to the tomes of J.K. Rowling and Lemony Snicket.
"She's really good," Carissa said. Again, I can't say it better.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
a touch of the abnormal, May 4, 2007
This review is from: The Road to Weird: Carly's Ghost / Harpo Marx is Seeing Things (Paperback)
A two-story collection for those who like a touch of the abnormal, "The Road to Weird", is a gem among pebbles. Peggy Tibbetts has captured youth and created a couple of memorable tales that will be enjoyed by older readers and their parents alike, IF the kids will share their copy!
In the first story, Carly has moved to a new home, an old log cabin, complete with its very own ghost. Carly finds a hidden trap door in her closet, and discovers a clue to what might be making her door slam, her room cold and footsteps to be heard in the night. Her teenaged sister thinks Carly is pulling pranks and Carly is determined to clear her name. Will her parents believe her? Will she find friends in this rural community? This mystery and ghost story will have the reader turning pages to find out exactly what is up with Carly's ghost.
The second story is maybe a little weirder, but an awesome adventure in itself. Harpo Marx awakens to find herself in a hospital bed. She isn't quite sure who the folks around her are, nor why she would be called Harpo Marx, but figures her parents must have a good sense of humor or are just a tad wacky. As her memory clears she begins to see things in her mind, things like accidents happening and the cause of her hospital roommate's head injury at a construction site. Apparently, falling on the balance beam during gymnastics can cause more than a bump or concussion: it can cause psychic phenomena! Harpo is the victim of teasing, headaches and a major problem with gymnastic team tryouts. Doctor's orders aside, her visions become the cause of adventure, instead of much needed rest. Is there a higher purpose to her newfound ability? Will Harpo's life ever get back to normal? Readers of all ages will love this story. It's easy to get sucked into the trials and tribulations of intrusive teachers, rumor spreading and life saving weirdness.
Ms. Tibbetts is a talented storyteller. "The Road to Weird" will surely bring her great admiration, as kids everywhere will spread the word about her wonderfully weird collection. Peggy, thanks for bringing a bit of the strange into an enjoyable read!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
creeped me out, January 18, 2007
This review is from: The Road to Weird: Carly's Ghost / Harpo Marx is Seeing Things (Paperback)
Reviewed by Haylee Lawler, age 12, for Reader Views (1/07)
"The Road to Weird" book is amazing! The story about Carly's Ghost is awesome. The footsteps creeped me out, but when Carly found out that Amanda was haunting her house, she and her sister weren't scared anymore. Amanda is kinda like our BOB... weird things happen here and we were scared at first, but now we just put it off on BOB.
The story about Harpo and her visions is amazing!!!! When Harpo had these visions I thought that was sooo cool. When I read that part about Adam being strange around Harpo I thought he liked her. Then, at the end of "The Road to Weird" when Adam asked if he and his dad could come over, I thought Harpo and Adam could love each other forever.
Book received at no charge.
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