![Nora: Maybe a Ghost Story by [Greene, Constance C.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51VxqyeRhDL._SY346_.jpg)
From Publishers Weekly
From the first page, masterly comic timing and sharp, witty observations (from a protagonist who could be a cousin to the narrator of the author's Al books) firmly establish that the reader has entered Greene territory. It's been three years since Nora and Patsy's mother died, and though they're eager for their father to be happy, they dread the prospect of his marrying "The Tooth" (his intended has a serious overbite). During this period of upheaval and change, Nora alone begins to hear her mother's laughter, feel her touch and find comfort in her spiritual presence. The "maybe" of the title expresses Greene's hesitancy to push her story too far from the everyday world. Instead, the mother's ghost serves as a soothing presence for the more sensitive daughter. A wise grandmother helps the girls finally to understand that they must accept their father's right to make choices for himself, just as they themselves are moving toward adulthood and making their own choices of the heart. Believable characters and snappy dialogue keep the pace brisk, and though Greene doesn't delve explicitly into the girls' deep sense of loss, she depicts how they incorporate it into their lives with a poignancy that doesn't call attention to itself. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 6-8. Thirteen-year-old Nora and her 12-year-old sister, Patsy, are horrified when their father announces he is considering marrying a woman they uncharitably call The Tooth because of her overbite. Nora is still grieving for her mother, who has been dead for three years, and although she's not as outspoken as feisty Patsy, she isn't ready to accept The Tooth. To complicate matters, Nora has felt her mother's ghostly presence in the house, and a handsome new boy, Chuck, is causing tension between the sisters. Is there really a ghost? Will Patsy steal Chuck from Nora? Will Nora and Patsy find a more acceptable girlfriend for their father? Greene's story is funny, sad, romantic, eerie, and satisfying--even though the girls' father remains determined to marry The Tooth. The book has just about everything a reader could want. Even its physical appearance is appealing: Its smaller than usual trim-size (comparable to a paperback) is pleasing, and the jacket illustration is very attractive. Chris Sherman
