Giving Up the Ghost (Hardcover)

~ Sheri Sinykin (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

That s the first step, you know. Admitting you re afraid. But when there s love, Aunt Mari said, there can be no fear.

Davia is afraid of lots of things. Things like death, ghosts, strange places, and her mom s cancer coming back. But she can t avoid her fears now.

Far from their Wisconsin home, Davia and her parents are staying in Louisiana to help take care of her great Aunt Mara who is slowly dying. Everything about the spooky-looking mansion that Aunt Mara owns scares Davia.

When Davia first encounters Emilie, the ghost of an adolescent girl from the nineteenth century, she is frightened. Emilie seems eager to have Davia for a friend, but the ghost is unpredictable and difficult. Davia begins to learn secrets about Emilia and her own family s past from Aunt Mara stories of premature endings and regrets. As Aunt Mara s health deteriorates, she and Davia become closer. Together, they might just be able to help Emilie be released from the mansion and from world of the living.

Author Sheri Sinykin has written a sensitive, provocative tale of an adolescent who learns to accept uncertainty and comes to terms with fears. Readers will be mesmerized by the gripping supernatural mystery that lies at the heart of the story.

About the Author

SHERI SINYKIN is the author of a several novels for young readers. She holds degrees from Stanford University and Vermont College, where she received an MFA in writing for children. She lives in Wisconsin and Arizona.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561454230
• ISBN-13: 978-1561454235
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #886,405 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting twist on a paranormal story, December 6, 2007

By	Kim Baccellia, YA author "Kim" (Southern California) - See all my reviews

Death affects people in many different ways. Children also have a range of emotions when a loved one is facing a serious illness such as cancer. I still remember one of my former students drawing pictures of a large cross next to his mother right after she died. That was his way of coping. In the book GIVING UP THE GHOST, Sheri Sinykin weaves in the emotions of a young girl who's mother is in remission from cancer, going to help a great-aunt who is dying, and the ghost of a young girl. All these elements work to make a very compelling story.



Thirteen-year-old Davina is scared of many things. One of her biggest fears is that her mother's cancer will return.

That summer Davina and her parents go to help her elderly Aunt Mari with in-care home hospice care. This only increases Davina's fears. And to make matters worse is Emilie, the ghost of a 19th century young Creole girl who lives in her great-aunt's deserted plantation. Emilie wants Davia to be her friend. But Davina finds Emilie to be spoiled and unpredictable. While her aunt's health deteriorates, they both grow closer. Aunt Mari tells stories of sudden ends and regrets. Also she tells Davina she needs to help Emilie in order to release her spirit from Belle Foret.

I love how the author deals with death in this story. Especially with how a teen would feel about ovarian cancer. I felt the emotions of Davina were very realistic. Another thing I liked was how Davina wasn't afraid to be with her aunt even when she knew she'd die. Together they helped each other face their fears. Davina also learns a valuable lesson from Emilie, one that sets both of them free.

This story addresses a paranormal theme in a whole different light. I loved the premise of a haunted Louisiana plantation with secrets. I recommend this book to those who are looking for a paranormal story with a twist. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Appealing Blend of Realism and Fantasy, November 6, 2007

By	Amy C. Laundrie - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Davia, a thirteen-year-old girl, is haunted by Emilie, a tortured,
mean-spirited ghost. Davia tries to piece together the circumstances
surrounding Emilie's death while also comforting her beloved Aunt
Mari who is dying. Davia and her aunt hope to release
Emilie's spirit, but they must do so before Aunt Mari passes into the next world. Davia
discovers that Emilie had hopes of becoming a doctor. Emilie's
nineteenth century parents, however, had other plans for her. How did she escape her fate?

"Giving Up the Ghost" is an appealing ghost story as well as a
realistic account of the emotional trauma of watching a loved one
die. Having gone through the death of my mother recently, it was especially relevant for me. Others will also find themselves thinking about some of life's most difficult questions.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important book, November 6, 2007

By	Kathleen Ernst "Kathleen" (Madison, WI, USA) - See all my reviews

Sheri Sinykin has written a very important book--the book I wish I'd been given to read when, as a young adult, I experienced for the first time the death of a grandparent. On the surface, "Giving Up the Ghost" works just fine as a ghost story, and young readers will appreciate it as such. On a deeper level, however, it explores the fundamental questions all kids are confronted with when faced with the loss of a loved one: How do people die? What should I expect if I'm helping to care for someone who is terminally ill? What happens after someone dies? Although never didactic, the book provides some solid information. And finally, protagonist Davia and her family will impart reassurance to Sinykin's readers: that it's OK to ask questions, it's OK to be afraid, it's OK to let someone go, it's OK to forgive yourself and others. I found myself thinking about this book long after turning the last page.