Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story (Avon Camelot Books) (Paperback)

by Mary Downing Hahn (Author) "YOU'VE BOUGHT a church?..." (more)
Key Phrases: Harper House, Harper Pond, Officer Greene

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7 Ghost story fans have a spooky treat in store with Hahn's eerie new novel. Molly, the 12-year-old narrator, and her brother Michael dislike their bratty 5-year-old stepsister Heather and resent the family move to an isolated converted church in the country. The adjourning graveyard frightens Molly, but Heather seems drawn to it. Molly discovers that the ghost of a child (Helen) who died in a fire a century ago wants to lure Heather to her doom. Molly determines to save her stepsister. In so doing, she learns that Heather's strange behavior stems from her feelings of guilt at having accidentally caused her mother's death by playing near a stove and starting a fire. Eventually, Molly wrests Heather from Helen's arms as the ghost attempts to drown them. The girls discover the skeletons of Helen's parents, and their burial finally puts to rest Helen's spirit. This is a powerful, convincing, and frightening tale. The details of everyday life quickly give way to terror. The pace never slackens. Characterization is strong, and descriptive passages set a mood of suspense. There should be a heavy demand from readers who are not "faint at heart." Judy Greenfield, Rye Free Reading Room, N.Y.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review
"A powerful, convincing, and frightening tale...Ghost-story fans have a spooky treat in store." -- -- School Library Journal Starred Review

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (November 2, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380704420
• ISBN-13: 978-0380704422
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (161 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #540,976 in Books (See Bestsellers 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 Four and a half - good story, but too bratty!, August 7, 2006

By	Kind Bean "can't read enough" (New England, USA) - See all my reviews

It is a new beginning for Molly, her brother Michael, and their mom, after she remarries Dave and his daughter, Heather. They just moved into the country in a house that was converted from a church, complete with a graveyard in the backyard. Things are already hard with Heather, who acts bratty and wants nothing more than to have her father all back to herself again. Yet, she continues to get away with it because her mother died in a fire and everyone feels sorry for her. Now that the "family" has moved, things get harder and Heather pulls away even more. No one believes Molly when she tells them that a ghost of a drowned girl is after Heather, so it is up to her to save Heather. Meanwhile, Heather does all she can to breakup the family.

I think that the story moves quickly and builds up the creepy momentum all the way to the end. It is all that a ghost story should be and very much fun. Yet, I just thought that Heather was soo bratty and her father soo naïve, that is was almost unbearable. I think it took away from the story, just a bit. Other than that, I think it was great - highly recommended.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, July 4, 2004

By	pmegan "pmegan" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This is an amazingly well-crafted ghost story. Spooky without ever being really scary, it is a good read for anyone of any age.

Molly's mother has remarried, and the new family (including Molly's brother Michael and new step-sister, Heather) moves out to the countryside so that the artist parents can have studio space. Heather, however, is a horrible little brat that tries to make Molly and Michael's life a nightmare. Since she is younger than Molly or Michael, and still hasn't gotten over her mother's death, Molly and Michael always get blamed. Even when Heather starts claiming that she can see a ghost named Helen, who is coming to get Molly...

I have a very low fear tolerance, and still can't watch horror movies (Christine scared the living daylights out of me as a teenager, and I couldn't sleep for days), but I still love this book. I re-read it every year on Halloween for years, and I still enjoy reading it. Any child, teenager, or adult who likes ghost stories should definately pick this one up.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't say enough about it!, March 29, 2004

By A Customer

I first read this book about 15 years ago. I've probably read it at least 50 times. It wasn't a book - it was an experience. I mean, how often does this happen - a stranger comes up to you because you're holding a book, says they knew they had to talk to you when they saw it, you bond over it and go on to be friends for years. That's what kind of book this is...!

This is a scary book. I wouldn't go near anything or anyone with the name "Helen" or "Harper" for years. This book also got me started reading the other books by Mary Downing Hahn. Every time I went to a library or bookstore, I immediately looked for new books by her.

I know my paperback is around here someplace (I remember the library hardcover's much nicer cover illustration...) but I haven't read it in a while. However, little bits of it or certain phrases from it pop up for me now and then... I think the book got so ingrained in me that I don't even notice it! Parts of it were so vivid and (fittingly) haunting - the link between the girls' names, the ruins of the house, the damage done to Molly and Michael's rooms, the creek that wound around through the forest and near the graveyard before finally leading to Harper Pond. Thinking about it still gives me chills.

Excellent... I can't recomend it enough.