Amazon.com: Someone Else's Ghost (9780590469227): Margaret Buffie: Books

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1995 | Age Level: 11 and up

A young girl reads the diary of a long-dead boy and discovers that the ghost he writes about is her mother. By the award-winning author of The Haunting of Francis Rain.

#outer_postBodyPS { display: none; } #psGradient { display: none; } #psPlaceHolder { display: none; } #psExpand { display: none; } A young girl reads the diary of a long-dead boy and discovers that the ghost he writes about is her mother. By the award-winning author of The Haunting of Francis Rain.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8?A dual-narrative told through the journal of a boy who died in 1908 and through a modern teen's first-person account. After the death of her younger brother, Jess's family moves to a tourist ranch in Alberta that her father plans to operate. He is an insensitive boor and her mother is deeply depressed, so Jess must help keep the business afloat. She does so with the assistance of several likable characters who work for her father, including Ben, an enigmatic young man who is no stranger to tragedy himself. Soon Jess begins to sense supernatural presences. Her mother becomes convinced that her dead son is trying to contact her but, as the title reveals, it is not his spirit that is haunting the ranch. Several of the characters are well developed and interesting, but the parents are irritatingly dense and unable to deal with their feelings. The ghost boy feels a murderous hatred for his mother; Jess looks upon her father with disgust and, later, pity. The mystery of what happened to the family from long ago is suspenseful, and Jess's developing relationship with Ben adds a touch of romance. There is not enough action, however, to sustain readers' avid interest for the length of the novel. Nevertheless, the book is appropriate for collections in which ghost stories are popular.?Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 8-12. When Jessica Locke's brother, Scotty, dies in an accident on a camping trip that their father forced him to take, her father buries his grief by moving the family to a tourist ranch. The new home becomes the focus of all his time and attention while his wife withdraws, wrapped in a cloak of mourning and depression. When Mrs. Locke starts thinking that she is seeing Scotty's spirit, Jess begins to fear for her mother's sanity, until Jess, too, begins to sense there is something haunting the old farmhouse. After some investigation, she suspects it is not Scotty but, rather, the ghost of a young boy who died, or was murdered, in the house years before. Although many stories like this are plot driven, the strength of this novel lies with Jessica and the large cast of well-developed, believable supporting characters. The author's intermingling of events in Jessica's life with entries from the dead boy's diary works remarkably well to support the nicely crafted supernatural aspects, to build suspense, and to allow Jessica's grief, fears, and growth to remain at the center of the novel. A mystery, a ghost tale, a love story, and a touching coming-of-age narrative, this is truly a book with something for almost everyone. Jeanne Triner

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Margaret Buffie Page

My new blog/website is at http://margaretbuffie.com

It is both a blog and a website. For teachers and students, you just have to click on the tabs which indicate my books. I also have a FAQ (frequently asked questions) section on the site. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Biography:

Award winning author, Margaret Buffie, was born and raised in the west end of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the U of Manitoba. An artist for many years, Margaret began writing a story that had intrigued her for a long time - and two years later, "Who is Frances Rain?" was published and quickly became a bestseller. Margaret has published nine more books for young adults. Her new novel is "Winter Shadows".
Margaret works at her home in Winnipeg during the winter and on the veranda of her cottage in north western Ontario in the summer months.
Her books have been published in the United States, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Great Britain, Germany, China and other countries.
Margaret is the recipient of the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for Body of Work (For writing inspirational to Canadian Youth); The Young Adult Canadian Book Award; is a two time winner of the McNally Robinson Book for Young People award, and has been shortlisted for many other awards and honours.

From Margaret: I'm pleased to say that my latest novel WINTER SHADOWS has won The Silver Nautilus Award, May 2011. This award is awarded to "distinguished literary and heartfelt contributions to spiritual growth, conscious living, high-level wellness, green values, responsible leadership and positive social change as well as to the worlds of art, creativity and inspirational reading for adults, children, teens and young adults."
Silver Nautilus Book Awards Winners are carefully selected in a unique three-tier judging process by experienced teams of book reviewers, librarians, authors, editors, book store owners, and leaders in the publishing industry.

WINTER SHADOWS was also nominated for the Canadian Library Association's Book of the Year award, as well as The McNally Robinson Book for Young People award.

Five of my books are now available on KINDLE: They are, "Winter Shadows", "The Watcher", "The Seeker", "The Finder", and "Angels Turn Their Backs".

Once again, my new website/blog is at http://www.margaretbuffie.com