by Marisa Montes
From Kirkus (September 1):
"Montes makes a strong debut with this multi-stranded tale of two orphaned Puerto Ricans whose struggle to cope with being transplanted to northern California is considerably complicated by encounters with ghosts and other supernatural phenomena. Javi is understandably on an emotional sleigh ride. He's grieving for his parents, feeling fiercely protective of his little brother Nico, and surrounded by an often-unfamiliar new world. Furthermore, he's trying to hold Titi Amparo at arm's length. She's a psychology professor who is having a hard time herself adapting to these two new additions to her single household. His worry sharpens when Nico acquires Hamish, an invisible playmate. Imaginary and harmless, Amparo insists, but Javi's not so sure; there's something menacing abut the surrounding woods, Nico suddenly knows more English than he used to, and just once Javi catches a glimpse in a mirror of a small blond boy in a sailor suit. Then furniture starts moving on its own, faucets are left running, and the lights begin flashining on and off--not Hamish's doing, Nico claims. While these and other events create mounting suspense, Javi is also trying Amparo's large but not limitless fund of patience, encountering and responding strongly to prejudiced remarks from both a peer and an adult (a librarian, of all things!), and improving his halting English thanks to Willo, a new friend. With Willo's help, Javi discovers at last that there are two ghosts--a Depression-era child who perished with his brutal kidnapper--plus a poltergeist, created by Javi's own anger and psychic abilities. The stage is set for a nail-biting rescue when Nico runs off into the storm-swept forest in search of Hamish and is trapped by the malicious kidnapper's spirit in an old root cellar. At once a perceptive look at how regional differences in American culture can either mesh or clash, and a rippingly good ghost story; this should find a large and eager audience."
From Publisher's Weekly (August 21):
"First-time novelist Montes combines several staples of middle-grade fiction--orphans, immigrants, and a ghost story. After the death of their parents, 11-year-old Javier and his five-year-old brother, Nico, must leave their home in Puerto Rico to live with their psychologist aunt in northern California. Nico seems to adjust with ease, helped along by an imaginary friend named Hamish. Javi has more trouble, particularly after he (to the dismay of his aunt) starts believing that Hamish is the ghost of a boy kidnapped and lost almost 70 years earlier, in 1932. Local girl Willo offers friendship, but tensions increase as strange things begin to happen--lights flicker; the TV plays even when unplugged; water faucets and sprinklers turn on by themselves. Is Hamish responsible for the disturbances? Is the "evil one" lurking in the woods to blame? Or could Javi's anger and frustration be the cause? Javi's adjustment is portrayed in convincing detail, but often at the expense of the mystery plot. While the slow pace may deter some readers, those who persevere will be rewarded with a spooky climax."
From Booklist:
"After the death of their parents, Javier Cisneros and his younger brother, Nico, leave their Puerto Rico home to live with their aunt in northern California. Javier finds it difficult to adjust, but a new imaginary friend, Hamish, consoles Nico. But Javier soon discovers that Hamish is not an ordinary imaginary friend; he's a real ghost -- the young victim of an unresolved crime committed decades earlier. Javier's aunt isn't convinced. She always finds a logical explanation for the unusual occurrences in and around the house, but Javier's friend Willo understands. She knows about poltergeists and psychokinesis and helps Javier fight the supernatural forces while getting to the bottom of the unresolved crime. The description of the the thick Bay Area fog contributes an ominous feel to the story, and Montes masterfully puts the reader in Javier's shoes as he tries to convince his aunt that ghosts are about. A suspenseful page-turner."
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