There's a Dead Person Following My Sister Around

Rating:
Summary: There's a Dead Person Following My Sister Around
Review: This book is set in the present, but takes you back to the past by painting mental images. It begins with Ted's sister talking to her imaginary friend. Most people have an imaginary friend at one time or another during their childhood, and Ted didn't think much about it when his sister told him she was talking to her new friend. Then strange and unusual things began to happen. Ted's Luxemburg project is tossed around in the basement. He begins having nightmares and becomes sick one night after waking up from a bad dream. He dreamt he was drowning, and that he had swallowed alot of water. This convinces Ted that his house must be haunted, and that his sister's 'friend' is actually a ghost. The problem is that there seems to be a bad ghost haunting them also. As Ted delves into the fact that his house may be haunted, he uncovers many things. When he called his grandparents to ask about the house, he learned that his great, great grandmother kept a journal, and that it might be up in the attic. As he searches through the attic, he is faced with the ghost trying to keep from it. The first time he attempted opening the attic door, it was slammed shut and the key flew out of the lock. Determined to find the journal, he tries again, only to have boxes and books fly off shelves at him. As he read the journal, he discovered who the ghosts were, and what happened to them.
This book keeps you guessing at every turn of the page. It is definitely a book you can't put down until you're finished. I feel it is an excellent book, and well worth reading. There are many ways educators can tie this book into lesson plans and framework competencies.

Rating:
Summary: First V.V.V book I read...
Review: This was the first of the many books I've read by VVV. Obiously it was great! Suspenseful from begginning to end! But, now that I've read SO many of her books, I don't consider this one to be one of the best. It was still a great book, though. I was scared to go to bed, but once I was done reading the book it wasn't so scary...

Rating:
Summary: Spook in the house!
Review: What could possibly be scarier than your brother or sister ruining your school project? I can't think of anything except coming home to find our that your project has been ruined by a GHOST! This is just what happened to Ted when he left his Luxemburg project alone at home for a few hours. But why would a ghost want to bother Ted or destroy his project for that matter? Something that happened at Ted's house long ago is not only back to haunt him, but his sister as well. It is Ted's job to find out who or what was haunting him, his sister, and their house. This novel keeps your attention from the first to the last page. It provides both suspense and a learning experience for the reader. Each chapter is full of significant historical events which would motivate students to research why those events are so important. It could also help spur classroom discussions or teaching lessons in many different subject areas. This book would be appropriate for middle school aged students. I encourage each person to read this book both for the spook and for the learning experience!

Rating:
Summary: Spook in the house!
Review: What could possibly be scarier than your brother or sister ruining your school project? I can't think of anything except coming home to find our that your project has been ruined by a GHOST! This is just what happened to Ted when he left his Luxemburg project alone at home for a few hours. But why would a ghost want to bother Ted or destroy his project for that matter? Something that happened at Ted's house long ago is not only back to haunt him, but his sister as well. It is Ted's job to find out who or what was haunting him, his sister, and their house. This novel keeps your attention from the first to the last page. It provides both suspense and a learning experience for the reader. Each chapter is full of significant historical events which would motivate students to research why those events are so important. It could also help spur classroom discussions or teaching lessons in many different subject areas. This book would be appropriate for middle school aged students. I encourage each person to read this book both for the spook and for the learning experience!

Rating:
Summary: From Fear to Facts
Review: What do a five-year old, a twelve-year, two ghosts from the past, a house located on the Erie Canal, and the Underground Railroad all have in common? Vivian Vande Velde incorporates all these elements by using historical fiction to educate young readers about the many truths of the Underground Railroad. Ted, a twelve year old middle child, begins to realize that his life is not so normal when his five year old sister, Vicki, invents an imaginary friend who turns out not to be so imaginary. This imaginary friend is actually a ghost who has haunted their house for a hundred and fifty years. Ted begins a journey to discover his family's past with the Underground Railroad through his and Vicki's encounters with the ghosts. When Ted uncovers the family secret, he is lead to many revelations of the connection between past and present. This book reminds us to never underestimate the imagination of a child. History classes could benefit greatly from this book because, it shows different perspectives of the Underground Railroad, and it has a significant amount of history about events prior to the Civil War.

Rating:
Summary: From Fear to Facts
Review: What do a five-year old, a twelve-year, two ghosts from the past, a house located on the Erie Canal, and the Underground Railroad all have in common? Vivian Vande Velde incorporates all these elements by using historical fiction to educate young readers about the many truths of the Underground Railroad. Ted, a twelve year old middle child, begins to realize that his life is not so normal when his five year old sister, Vicki, invents an imaginary friend who turns out not to be so imaginary. This imaginary friend is actually a ghost who has haunted their house for a hundred and fifty years. Ted begins a journey to discover his family's past with the Underground Railroad through his and Vicki's encounters with the ghosts. When Ted uncovers the family secret, he is lead to many revelations of the connection between past and present. This book reminds us to never underestimate the imagination of a child. History classes could benefit greatly from this book because, it shows different perspectives of the Underground Railroad, and it has a significant amount of history about events prior to the Civil War.