Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland is a juvenile historical fiction novel, with a spooky twist.
Ophelia Harrison learned that she could see ghosts the night her father saved her and her mother from horrible fate, one cold November night in 1922. Forced to flee their home, Ophie and her mother move to Pittsburgh to stay with their aunt and cousins. To pay their way, the two take jobs at a Daffodil Manor, the home of the wealthy Caruthers family. But Daffodil Manor has secrets of it's own.
Home to many spirits, Ophie forms an unlikely friendship with a former maid, who died a horrific death. Ophie is determined to bring her new friend peace by finding and exposing her killer. But dealing with the dead can be dangerous and Ophie may just be in over her head.
I really enjoyed this book. No wonder it won an award. The story was thought provoking and also entertaining in a, whodunit way. Ophie is smart and resilient. She is kind and yet full of that devil may care curiosity that most twelve-year-olds have. And I loved the relationship she has with Aunt Rose during the first half of the novel.
What really took me by surprise was how much I enjoyed the narratives that came from the house and train and other non-human things. They just added something to the story for me. This idea that places and things hold memories and, sort of, keep watch, was really well done in my opinions.
This was a great read and I am interested to see what my 4-6th graders think of it when we reading for April's book club. This one gets 4.5-5 stars from me.
That's all for now!
-M-