NOT QUITE A GHOST

In this middle-grade story, undoubtedly inspired by the early feminist story titled "The Yellow Wallpaper" (1892), Eva Kaminsky depicts Violet, an easygoing preteen who's only slightly uncomfortable about moving into the strange attic bedroom of her family's new home. Change is everywhere for Violet--in her family, her new school, and her friends. Kaminsky reflects the uncertainty that creeps into Violet's voice when she witnesses her two best friends' cruelty at a sleepover. When she becomes ill, her fixation on the scary yellow wallpaper in her room is convincing. Her fear becomes palpable as her weakness and fatigue intensify, as do the listener's compassion for her and disgust with those who discount her experiences. Eventually, Violet takes on a ghost-like figure, terrifyingly rendered by Kaminsky. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2024]