THE BELLWOODS GAME

Caitlin Kelly provides a spookily entertaining yet tender rendering of this middle-grade story about courage, friendship, and the power of stories. Every Halloween, Beckett Elementary's sixth-grade students engage in the chillingly serious Bellwoods game. If they win, the town will be safe for a year; if not, a vengeful ghost will torment them all. In a clear, youthful voice, Kelly describes Bailee Heron, who courageously volunteers to play the game despite worries about her family and insecurity about her ability to succeed. Kelly skillfully shows Bailee's character growth as she moves from tentative to confident, making heroic choices for her community, despite the cost to herself. Kelly's portrayal of the genuinely creepy specter in the woods adds to the spine-tingling pleasure of this ghostly coming-of-age story. S.A.H. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2023]