REVIEW: The Ghosts of Stone Hollow

The Ghosts of Stone Hollow
Author: Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Amy's family relocates to Taylor Springs after her father's injury at work leaves him unable to work. Her mother grew up in Taylor Springs and they move in with her aunt, so Amy feels at home there, even though she has never been there before.  Taylor Springs has a secret. Something happened at the old cabin at Stone Hollow.  Nobody will talk about it, except to say that the old cabin is haunted and bad things happened there.

When Amy meets another new student at school, Jason, they begin talking about the old cabin. Jason has been going there, and talks Amy into venturing there with him. He doesn't believe the old cabin is haunted, but that the old stone in the hollow somehow folds time so people can see and hear things from the past.

He cautions Amy that the stone, and looking into the past, might be dangerous. But, Amy is desperate to find out the truth behind what happened at Stone Hollow.

This book is eerily creepy and gives out clues to the mystery very slowly and deliberately. Not all the questions are answered when the story finishes. But that just makes the mystery more realistic. Not every supernatural or mysterious occurrence is ever completely explained or solved. The fact that it wasn't all perfectly wrapped up at the end just added to the mysterious feel of the story. In the end, all of us have mysteries or situations in life that will never reveal the entire truth. As I finished the book I was thinking about those instances in my own life where I will never have the answer, rather than dwelling on the author's purposeful loose ends from the plot.

A fun, eerie read! The book is short -- only 18 chapters. So it's a perfect middle grade book that's also a wonderful rainy afternoon read for adults.

Solid 7 of 10 rating on this one!

Zilpha Keatley Snyder wrote 43 books for middle-grade children, including 3 Newbury Honor Books: The Egypt Game, The Headless Cupid and The Witches of Worm.