The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn, Adapted by Scott Peterson, Meredith Laxton & Sienna Haralson

Mary Downing Hahn’s middle grade ghost story, The Old Willis Place, has been adapted by Scott Peterson and illustrators Meredith Laxton and Sienna Haralson, into a gripping new graphic novel.

Diana and her younger brother, Georgie, know every inch of the land around the old Willis place, a crumbling mansion many believe is haunted. They have free reign to do as they please, as long as they don’t leave the grounds.

Diana is thrilled when Lissa arrives with her father, the new caretaker of the estate. She has longed for a friend to share things with, despite knowing the same rules that don’t allow Diana and Georgie to leave the grounds also don’t allow them to make friends. Contacting Lissa could unleash evil forces beyond their control, and then they will all be sorry.

Wow! This is a fabulous, engaging, and creepy read. I hadn’t read Hahn’s original novel that The Old Willis Place is adapted from, but I certainly want to read it and other ghost stories by Hahn now. Many caretakers have come to the estate, but many of them don’t stay long, and none of them have children that Diana could pal around with. But the old Willis place holds secrets, and if the rules are broken, it could be disastrous for everyone.

Lissa’s dad is the only dud in a fascinating graphic novel that ends with great satisfaction. He’s a struggling writer whose sole purpose in the storyline is to get Lissa to the estate. Otherwise, he is an uninvolved, slightly annoying character who doesn’t believe his daughter when she expresses concerns about missing things and feeling like she is being watched. He was a necessary character, but not much more than the invisible adults in a Charlie Brown cartoon. Fine by me, because this story would be amazing with or without him.

Fabulous, detailed artwork combined with an irresistible story encourages me to read The Old Willis Place again. Highly recommended!

Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Clarion Books (July 16, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0358650151
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0358650157
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 – 12 years
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 – 7

I received a Netgalley copy of this novel from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Blogging at 4RV – Growing Beyond Rejection

This is my week to blog at the 4RV Reading, Writing & Art News. Today’s topic is Growing Beyond Rejection. Check out the article at https://4rvreading-writingnewsletter.blogspot.com/2024/04/growing-beyond-rejection.html

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

For book club this month, we read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

When spoiled and ill-tempered Mary Lennox is orphaned at the age of ten, she is sent to live with her reclusive uncle, Archibald Craven, at Misselthwaite Manor on the Yorkshire moors. With her uncle being as distant as her parents, Mary is miserable. But then she befriends the maid, Martha, and her brother Dickon. She even tries to get along with grumpy Ben Weatherstaff, the gardener. And when the cheerful robin leads her to a secret abandoned garden, Mary is thrilled to have her own project of restoring it back to its natural beauty.

But the house has another secret. Her uncle’s only child, Colin, is hidden away. He orders the staff about and his wails echo through the house at night. That’s when Mary finds him. Soon, she is visiting her cousin every day. One day, Mary lets Colin in on her secret project, and he begs to see it. As they work with Dickon to bring the secret garden back to life, the work and the beauty brings about changes in them. Maybe the magic garden will cast its spell throughout Misselthwaite Manor.

This was my first time reading The Secret Garden, and I am ready to read it all over again. It is a story where the characters have such tragic beginnings, but this engaging and masterfully told story will leave every reader touched by its satisfying and delightful conclusion. Just like flowers in the garden, Mary and Colin blossom into new people. The Secret Garden is a story about resilience, faith, spirit, and magic.

Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Listening Length	7 hours and 38 minutes
Author	Frances Hodgson Burnett
Narrator	Carrie Hope Fletcher
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	July 18, 2019
Publisher	Audible Studios
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B07SHHPTZM

I downloaded this for free on Audible. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Blogging at 4RV – Increasing Productivity with Friction

This week I am talking about productivity and how authors can increase productivity through friction, a term coined by social psychologist Wendy Wood. You can find this article here.

National Library Week is April 7 – 13!

Today is the kick off for National Library Week! This is our week to show local libraries our love and celebrate how libraries and their workers help to transform lives and strengthen our communities. Here are some special days this week:

Right to Read Day  – April 8

National Library Workers Day – April 9

National Library Outreach Day – April 10

Take Action for Libraries Day – April 11

How will you celebrate libraries this week? How often do you visit a library? What is your favorite thing about or program offered by your local library?