About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is beginning to understand that actions have permanent consequences, or when they are struggling with the lure of material gain over human connection. This chilling Victorian ghost story follows Mr. Fast, a lonely and ambitious law clerk who trades seven years off the end of his life for a sudden fortune. He expects to lose his elderly years, but the bargain manifests in a way he never anticipated: a ghostly child that represents his own lost youth and innocence. Through this haunting, the story explores themes of greed, isolation, and the profound value of time. It is a sophisticated, atmospheric read for middle schoolers that encourages them to look beneath the surface of their desires and recognize the importance of the present moment. Parents will appreciate the rich, Dickensian prose that challenges a child's vocabulary while delivering a powerful moral lesson about the cost of cynicism.
