  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 08/01/2013 The sources of Siena’s brother Lucca’s mutism are unknown, but her parents believe a move to Maine from Brooklyn will help the otherwise healthy preschooler. Siena is not so sure, and is worried not only about Lucca but about the strange visions of the past she’s prone to. Her new seaside-cottage home sucks her into the life of a dead girl whose brother served in WWII, and whose own mutism seems to bode poorly for Lucca. Both Siena and the ghostly girl she channels feel guilty over secrets they’ve kept. Can Siena change the past and, in doing so, the present? Meanwhile, the friendships she makes provide a warm framework for this story of change and possibility. The supernatural elements blend seamlessly with realism to appeal to thoughtful readers who like their spine-tingling paranormal moments to be grounded. The atmosphere of Siena’s world is palpable, from the beaches and breezes to the chaos of a soldier’s wartime experience. Mysterious and engaging, this is another wonderful outing from the author of Love, Aubrey (2009). - Copyright 2013 Booklist. School Library Journal - 09/01/2013 Gr 5–8—Thirteen-year-old Siena moves from New York City to a Maine coastal town before the start of eighth grade. Unlike most teens, she doesn't mind the change. Her strange visions make it difficult to establish close friendships, and she's hoping a new school will allow her to shed her reputation as a weirdo. Like her parents, Siena also hopes the new environment will encourage her mute three-year-old brother to begin speaking again. Siena starts to uncover oddities about their new home: she sees and hears flashes from the past, and an old pen begins writing its own story. She becomes engrossed in discovering all she can about the house's former inhabitants, a family living there during World War II. Although her weirdness doesn't disappear, Siena is able to form friendships and even a budding romance as she continues to investigate the house's secrets. Her ability to see, interact with, and even alter the past eventually provides her with the insight to help her brother regain his desire to speak. Although Siena's propensity for strange visions has the potential to create a creepy, suspenseful mood, the plot, especially in the first half of the novel, is more deliberate than gripping. The introduction to World War II battlefield trauma lends an interesting historical aspect. Recommend this one to readers willing to stay with a slow beginning for a satisfying conclusion.—Lindsay Cesari, Baldwinsville School District, NY - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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