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The old Willis place : a ghost story graphic novel
2024
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Kirkus Review
What secrets does the Old Willis Place hold? Lissa's less than thrilled to be moving into a trailer near the Old Willis Place with her dad, who's the new caretaker of the estate. As the two of them unpack, siblings Diana and Georgie watch from the shadows; they've been hiding out in the woods ever since the "bad thing…happened." Fascinated by Lissa, they take first her bicycle, then her teddy bear. Lissa's upset to discover her things gone, and her first glimpse of the disheveled Diana makes things even worse. Desperate for companionship, Diana scrawls an apology in Lissa's diary, and a friendship quickly blossoms over Georgie's protests; meanwhile, Lissa is drawn to the supposedly haunted old mansion, the one place on the property that Diana and Georgie aren't supposed to enter, and finds herself in over her head. Featuring appropriately haunting images, this fast-moving adaptation of a cozy ghost story works well in graphic format; narrative elements are easily delineated from dialogue and feature deeper themes of guilt and forgiveness to ponder. Lissa's short diary entries provide a change of pace and compelling emotional insight. Canine sidekick Macduff adds an extra thread of sweetness through a somewhat harrowing story with a heartwarming, if predictable, ending. Lissa appears to be biracial (her father presents white, her late mother was Black), while Diana and Georgie present white. Suspenseful and creepy yet poignant--just the thing for budding horror fans. (Graphic fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Summary

Diana and her little brother, Georgie, know every inch of the land around the old Willis place, a crumbling mansion that some people say is haunted. They climb the trees and swim in the pond. And they can do whatever they want, even stay up all night. They don't have to change their clothes, brush their hair, or go to school. They have total freedom--as long as they don't leave the grounds.

When Lissa arrives with her father, the new caretaker of the estate, Diana is overjoyed. She's been wishing for a friend. She can show Lissa all her favorite spots, and they can share their favorite books. Maybe Lissa can even help her uncover the ghastly secret of the creepy old Willis house.

But there are rules that must be followed in order to keep the peace. Diana and Georgie aren't allowed to make friends. If Diana makes contact with Lissa, she could unleash evil forces beyond her control . . . and then they'll all be sorry.

For more spooky graphic novels from Mary Downing Hahn, check out Took, Wait Till Helen Comes, and All the Lovely Bad Ones!

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