
Reach for this book when your child is feeling like an outsider, whether due to a family move, a new stepparent, or the middle school social gauntlet. It is a dual-layered story that addresses the modern frustrations of a thirteen-year-old girl named Jenny, who is struggling to adapt to a military base, while weaving in a poignant historical ghost story about a young Lakota boy from a 19th-century boarding school. Parents will find this an excellent bridge for discussing empathy and the weight of history. It handles the 'blended family' transition with realism, showing that while new beginnings are hard, they also offer the chance to right old wrongs. Ideal for ages 10 to 14, it offers a sophisticated mix of spookiness and social justice.
Atmospheric ghost encounters and spooky school settings.
The book deals directly with the historical trauma of Native American boarding schools. The book depicts children being forcibly removed from their families and punished for speaking their native language. While these events are portrayed realistically, the book avoids graphic detail and focuses on the children's resilience. Death is central, as Jonah is a ghost, but the resolution is hopeful and focuses on restorative justice and remembrance.
A middle-schooler who enjoys spooky mysteries but is also starting to ask questions about social justice and history. It is perfect for a child who feels like their world has been upended by a parental remarriage or a move.
Parents should be prepared to discuss the history of Indian Boarding Schools in the US and Canada, as the book may prompt questions about how these children were treated. Parents should be prepared to discuss the history of Indian Boarding Schools in the US and Canada, including the forced removal of children from their families, the suppression of Native languages and cultures, and the lasting trauma experienced by survivors. Cold reading is fine, but having a basic historical context ready is helpful. A parent might see their child being withdrawn, 'difficult,' or openly hostile toward a new stepparent or a move, perhaps saying things like 'I don't belong here' or 'You're ruining my life.'
Younger readers (10-11) will likely focus on the 'ghost story' and the spooky elements. Older readers (12-14) will better grasp the parallels between Jenny's displacement and Jonah's forced relocation.
Unlike many ghost stories that rely on scares, this book uses the paranormal as a vehicle for historical reckoning and personal growth, successfully blending military life, blended families, and Indigenous history. """
Jenny, a 13-year-old girl, moves to a military base with her mother and new stepfather. The base occupies the grounds of a former off-reservation boarding school for Native American children. Jenny, feeling isolated and resentful of her new life, encounters the ghost of Jonah Flying Cloud, a Lakota boy who died at the school in 1880. Alongside the base commander's son, Jenny works to uncover the truth about Jonah's past and the conditions of the school, eventually finding a way to help his spirit find peace while reconciling with her own family changes.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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