The Trespassers [Paperback]

Zilpha Keatley Snyder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 9, 2005 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

It all starts the summer after Neely finishes fifth grade. She is trying to entertain her little brother, Grub, when they accidentally find a way to sneak into Halcyon House, a magnificent mansion that has been deserted for years. Inside they discover a wonderful surprise -- a playroom full of fabulous old-fashioned toys. Despite the spookiness of the house and the rumors about a ghost that haunts it -- and despite the fact that they don't belong there -- the playroom becomes their secret hideaway.

Then the owners suddenly return to Halcyon House. Neely befriends Curtis, a boy her own age whose wild boasts and black moods make her uneasy. When Neely is warned to protect her little brother, she thinks first of the ghost -- or could there be a present-day evil lurking in Halcyon House?

Zilpha Keatley Snyder's mesmerizing characters and vivid details will pull readers into an everyday world charged with mysterious menace in this suspenseful, haunting story.


From the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-The trespassers are Cornelia (Neely) Bradford, 11, and her 8-year-old brother Gregory (Grub). When they climb inside the open window of an old, formerly grand estate, they find a dusty nursery, fascinating toys, a mystery, and-perhaps-a ghost. Then relatives of the original builder, including troubled sixth-grader Curtis, move into the house. Although now a welcome guest, Neely discovers that she must protect Grub from an unexpected enemy. As in Snyder's books about the Stanley family, particularly The Headless Cupid (1971) and Blair's Nightmare (1984; o.p., both Atheneum), The Trespassers is a rich blend of fantasy and realism. Snyder's evocative descriptions of Halcyon House bring the place alive and leave readers as captivated, and as curious, as the Bradfords. Some of the characters veer toward stereotypes (the dysfunctional rich family; the beautiful, odd little brother), but Neely is unique-a bright, confident, caring girl anyone would love to have as a sister or friend. The book is tinged with enough suspense to keep the pages turning, and the ending is both hopeful and satisfying. The Trespassers is a well-written alternative to mass-market thrillers, appropriate for youngsters who like to shiver-but not too much.
Ann W. Moore, Guilderland Public Library, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 5^-7. Halcyon House sits along the Monterey coast, a handsome old edifice that fascinates 10-year-old Neely Bradford and her 7-year-old brother, Grub. They know that it is the familial home of the Hutchinson family, but no Hutchinsons have lived there for years, so exploring the grounds doesn't seem very dangerous to the children. And when they find an open window, the inside of the house has an irresistible allure, especially for Grub, who forms a bond with the ghost of a former young occupant. When a current crop of Hutchinsons moves in, Neely and Grub expect to get the boot. But odd, troubled Curtis Hutchinson, who is Neely's age, has his own reasons for wanting their company. Writing in a style that is immediate and completely true to the point of view of her characters, Snyder offers a story that has both a ghostly gloss and the real-life horror of an unloved boy who is willing to take his unhappiness out on those around him. Snyder is also an exceptionally fine writer of description, a talent put to good use here, where Halcyon House, with its grand staircases and evocative rooms, is almost a character itself. Ilene Cooper --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (August 9, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440412773
• ISBN-13: 978-0440412779
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,120,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Trespassers, January 21, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Trespassers (Hardcover)

The Trespassers is a wonderful book. I very much enjoyed it. It is about a girl,Neely;and her brother Grub(Gregory).They find a way into a beutiful old house. Halcyon House was named so because Harold Huchinson the first came to live there in hope of peace and tranquility.Instead terrible things happen.For many years the old housewas deserted ;but Neely and Grub play in it.Yet... is it safe?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Trespassers, February 15, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Trespassers (Paperback)

The Trespassers

This is a book about a pair of kids how encounters a haunted house. The sister and brother explore the grove or forest near there house. On the other end of the forest is an old abandoned home, the Halycom house. When Grub thinks he encounters a ghost they run from the house. When they don't come back thoughts of the ghost draw them back to the house. That's when they finally find the real ghost of the halycom house. I liked the trespassers. There was a lot of story in the book. The characters such as Nelly are very well developed and defined. And the house of course actually seems like a haunted entity in itself.

The story was extravagant! The action felt real and the danger was one step behind you at all times. The action scenes where Grub has to slide down the unstable vine and Nelly falls while going to the window are frightening. Or the time the meet Reuben for the first time, when he comes back to the house early. And another exiting part is when Nelly almost drowns at her friend Mimi's house.

Another great reason the book deserves to be read is the characters. The author has a great sense of character development. Grub is a naive but still caring person. He has a great love for animals and is see him being a veterinarian in the future. And you can't leave out Nelly. I would consider her a mother to Grub or at least parental figure. She almost always knows the right thing to do and has a great gut sense. And Reuben at first seems like a villain or evil person but eventually turns into a nice, respectable man.

And my last reason for liking this book is the house. I would almost consider it a character because it seems like a walking talking person. It would probably be in my case considered the villain. Even though the house is not only fiction but also turns out to not be haunted, but I think it really is possessed like a gate way to somewhere bad. The house in description seems like the Stephen king wrote about with the rooms adding and subtracting everyday.

I liked this book because of the characters, the house, and of course the story. I think that it would be better if the house actually in a sequel did turn out to be haunted. Or even better a carnival attraction. It would be great if the author made a sequel. It's a great action novel, and I believe a younger audience would adore this book.

j page

2.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, February 3, 2010

By 

L. C Lipko - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Trespassers (Paperback)

Zilpha Keatley Snyder has the distinct achievement of three Newbery honor and ALA notable books. And, while The Trespassers is not one of her award-winners, it certainly is well worth the time spent in reading.

The setting is the coast of Northern California where high up on the cliff is an old, beautiful mansion. A sister and a brother who live nearby are fascinated with the stories surrounding this marvelous empty castle-like structure. Climbing a trellis the children enter the abandoned house wherein they find a beautiful play room filled with antique toys.

Shortly thereafter members of the rich family move into the mansion, including the creepy, emotionally disturbed grandson of the original builder.

There is suspense and a presumption of haunting, but truly the story is not portrayed in a hokey, silly manner. Rather, there is a deep abiding love between brother and sister and a protectiveness that shines through.

A quick, delightful read that is fun. I'll now look for the author's Newbery honor books.