The Year of Shadows
By Mary Eisenhart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Snarky, artistic tween girl shines in poignant ghost story.
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What's the Story?
Twelve-year-old Olivia Stellatella's life has been getting steadily worse since her mother disappeared some months ago. As far as she's concerned, her father, an eccentric orchestra conductor, is to blame for driving her mom away. Now, as money gets tighter and they lose their house, he moves the family into the back room of the decrepit theater that's home to the orchestra. Just when it couldn't possibly get worse, she meets four resident ghosts, just a few of the many restless spirits whose fate is tied to that of the building -- and THE YEAR OF SHADOWS begins.
Is It Any Good?
Tough-talking, internally fragile Olivia is a winning heroine whose sarcastic narrative voice is engaging and emotionally real as she makes unexpected discoveries and survives harrowing adventures. Karl Kwasny's black-and-white illustrations bring her and her surroundings to life. The description of life after death and the various challenges facing the spirits is imaginative, but may raise questions in the minds of some young readers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why stories about the relationships between people and ghosts are so popular. How does The Year of Shadows compare with other ghost stories you know? Is the story trying to scare you, or teach you something else?
Do you know any of the classical music pieces that come up in The Year of Shadows? How is music part of the story here?
Do you find Olivia's feelings believable? How would you feel if your mom suddenly disappeared and you never heard from her again?
Book Details
- Author: Claire Legrand
- Illustrator: Karl Kwasny
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Adventures, Friendship, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires, Music and Sing-Along
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster
- Publication date: August 27, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 418
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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