Riley's Ghost
Creepy middle school tale has bullies, ghosts, zombie frog.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Riley's Ghost, by John David Anderson (Stowaway, One Last Shot), is a creepy, convoluted tale of a 13-year-old girl who's locked in a closet by bullying kids at her middle school after she strikes back at one of them. That's bad enough, but then the place turns out to be haunted. The ghost of a former student inhabits the body of a very dead, half-dissected frog, which interacts grotesquely with main character Riley. Flashbacks reveal Riley's issues (her hardworking parents are rarely home; she gets bullied a lot and lashes out physically against her tormentors; also her best friend has ditched her to join the cool kids), the long-ago tragic death of a shy, outcast student abandoned by her only friend, and what it all has to to with Riley's current scary predicament. Swearing and crude language includes middle-school-level double entendres, "frigging,""hell," "damn," "butt-faced jerkwad," etc.
Community Reviews
Inappropriate language for recommended age group
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What's the Story?
RILEY'S GHOST involves 13-year-old Riley Flynn, who's been a bullied, ostracized Weird Kid as long as she can remember, and it's even worse now that classmate Emily, with whom she became close the previous year, has deserted her for the cool kids now that they're in seventh grade. After one bullying incident too many, involving being forced to kiss a dead frog in biology lab, Riley smacks the queen bee of the mean-girl pack that's always tormenting her -- and who lock her in a supply closet overnight. To begin with, she's annoyed but not scared. But when a half-dissected, very dead frog starts talking to her and begging her to save him, it's just the beginning of a convoluted, creepy tale of bullies, revenge, and friendships gone wrong.
Is It Any Good?
There's a lot going on in this creepy tale of a seventh-grader locked in a haunted middle school -- a bullied, angry teen, a friend's betrayal, mean girls, a half-dissected frog possessed by a ghost. There are many relatable moments, as author John David Anderson excels at conjuring the turbulent emotions of flawed but determined kids learning life lessons and dealing with their flawed but determined loved ones. But his venture into the ghost-story genre doesn't really come together as a satisfying whole, and some may find the resolution unsatisfying or inauthentic. Still, there are relatable moments aplenty in Riley's Ghost. Also funny ones, as the undead frog, formerly a middle-aged man, tells his story to Riley, who says, "You're telling me you died and went to middle school?"
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories like Riley's Ghost that trap their characters inside a locked room or building against their will. Why do you think this is such a popular storytelling and gaming theme? Do you have any favorites?
There are probably always going to be mean people, in school and elsewhere. But if your friend turns on you and joins them, that feels much worse. Has this ever happened to you? How did you deal with it?
If your school were haunted, who do you think would be doing the haunting? And what would they do?
Book Details
- Author: John David Anderson
- Genre: Emotions
- Topics: Friendship, Middle School, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Walden Pond Press
- Publication date: January 11, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 368
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: January 25, 2022
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For kids who love stories of ghosts and middle school
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