About This Book
Reach for Hollywood, Dead Ahead when your child is grappling with the sting of being left out or feeling like their hard work is being credited to someone else. This epistolary novel follows the 43 Old Cemetery Road trio as they travel to California to see their book turned into a movie. However, the situation turns sour when a greedy producer attempts to cut Olive, the ghost, out of the project entirely. It is a witty exploration of standing up for yourself and the importance of loyalty in friendships. Parents will appreciate the sophisticated vocabulary and the clever use of letters, memos, and newspaper clippings to tell the story. While it deals with a ghost and a 'femme fatale,' the tone remains firmly in the realm of absurdist humor rather than horror. It is an excellent choice for kids aged 8 to 12 who enjoy wordplay and stories where children (and ghosts) outsmart misguided adults.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
Includes mild professional bullying and exclusion by an authority figure, as well as comedic 'scary' elements involving ghosts.
Ideal Reader
A 9-year-old who loves theater, movies, or writing and has a sharp sense of humor. It is perfect for the 'reluctant reader' who is intimidated by long blocks of text but enjoys complex, funny mysteries.
Parent Prep
It is told through documents (letters, scripts, telegrams), so parents might want to explain what a 'femme fatale' or a 'screenplay' is if the child is unfamiliar with film industry jargon. A child complaining that a group project was unfair or that someone else took credit for their idea.
Age Experience
Younger readers (8-9) will enjoy the slapstick humor and the visual variety of the pages. Older readers (11-12) will better appreciate the satire of Hollywood culture and the clever wordplay in the characters' names.
What Makes It Special
The epistolary format is exceptionally well-executed. Unlike many 'diary' style books, this uses a wide variety of media that makes the mystery feel like a puzzle for the reader to piece together.
Read plot summary
The 43 Old Cemetery Road crew (Iggy, Seymour, and Olive the ghost) travel to Hollywood after producer Moe Block Busters buys the rights to their book. Conflict arises when the director decides ghosts are 'out' and tries to replace Olive with a human actress. Furious at the exclusion, Olive teams up with a legendary ghost actress to sabotage the production and reclaim her narrative.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
