Belladonna Johnson can see ghosts. It's a trait that runs on her mother's side of her family and Belladonna would be happy not to have it, as it is she lives in constant fear of someone catching her talking to nothing. The one really good thing about seeing ghosts though is that Belladonna can continue to be with her parents who died in a car crash two years earlier.
One day Belladonna starts noticing that strange things have started happening, like the stars blinking off, and strange birds hanging around outside school. Then suddenly most of the ghosts disappear, including her parents. To her frustration all the grown ups in the know think she is too young to be involved in what is going on or to be able to help. Tired of being put off by the adults and wanting to get her parents back, Belladonna decides to try to get to the bottom of what is happening. With the help of fellow classmate Steve, and Elsie, a young ghost, Belladonna sets out on a journey to figure out the mystery of the missing ghosts and in the process learns much about herself.
Helen Stringer writes with great imagination and I found myself being totally caught up in the world of ghosts. Perfectly spooky and humorous at the same time, the feel of this book reminds me a bit of the movie Beetlejuice. This is a wonderful story of a young girl breaking out of her shell, and finding strength and courage in herself. Great book for ages 9 and up. ~Mara