  | Ghostlight Author: Oppel, Kenneth | |
| Price: $22.58 | ||
Summary:
Rebecca Strand was just sixteen when she and her father fell to their deaths from the top of the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse in 1839. Gabe tells this story every day when he gives the ghost tour on Toronto Island. He tries to make it scary enough to satisfy the tourists, but he doesn't actually believe in ghosts--until he finds himself face to face with Rebecca Strand.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (07/15/22)
School Library Journal (+) (10/01/22)
Booklist (09/01/22)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 09/01/2022 “A giant cannibal ghost is taking over the city, and we have to stop him.” That’s the gist of Oppel’s latest, uniquely set on the Toronto Islands, where Gabe is giving ghost tours for the summer. He’s not a believer himself, but he enjoys the history and storytelling aspects of his job. It’s with a chilling jolt, then, that the ghost of 16-year-old Rebecca Strand takes his hand to reveal herself to him along with the truth of how she and her father truly died at the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse. It’s a grizzly tale that ends with the aforementioned cannibal ghost, Viker, consuming Rebecca’s lighthouse keeper father and knocking her to her death. She’s desperate to free her father’s spirit by destroying Viker, who is now amassing a ghost army, once and for all. Action and horror elements propel the fast-paced narrative, which interestingly blends local history with the present. Lighthearted touches and the earnest camaraderie between Gabe and the friends he enlists to help (all in their early teens) give this supernatural adventure meaningful substance. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 10/01/2022 Gr 4–7—Gabe's summer job leading ghost tours at a Toronto amusement park takes an unexpected turn: he summons an actual ghost, Rebecca, who died in 1839. She and her father were murdered by Nicholas Viker, a villainous ghost who consumes his enemies. Rebecca wants Gabe to help save what's left of her father's spirit, and Gabe learns of Viker's plan to destroy modern-day Toronto and all its residents. On Viker's side? A dark universe with an army of the "wicked and wakeful dead." Team Gabe? Ghostly Rebecca, Gabe's uber-mechanic friend Yuri, and daring ghost blogger Callie. The four 16-year-olds (Rebecca's a teen spirit) take readers along on a thrill ride of a plot packed with harrowing escapes, puzzling mysteries, and Viker in hot pursuit at every turn. Along with the action, master storyteller Oppel adds depth through memorable characters. Yuri's family emigrated from Russia and faces challenges assimilating in a new country. Gabe struggles with anger toward his deceased father who left the family for another woman. Callie, who is of Indian descent, brings contagious enthusiasm for the wealth of historical facts Oppel seamlessly weaves into the narrative. Callie observes, "Ghost stories are kind of like history class, only better." The novel's satisfying conclusion leaves the door open to more ghostly adventures. VERDICT Oppel's latest begs to be made into a movie: visually cinematic with witty humor, nonstop action, a dash of romance, and plenty of heart. A first purchase for all middle grade collections.—Marybeth Kozikowski - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
