All the Lovely Bad Ones

Deliciously creepy! Kids in grades 4-7 who like ghost stories will eat up this 2011-12 VRC nominee. My one quibble-- narrator Travis doesn't always sound like a 12-year-old boy (more like an adult who's trying to tell the story through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy), but overall a fun and spooky read. ( )

I liked it, thought it was good, but maybe nothing too special or unique. Maybe it could have had a bit more mood and atmosphere. Quick read. ( )

Travis and Corey are spending the summer at the grandmother's isolated Vermont inn--an excellent alternative to the summer camp they got banned from after last summer's pranks and mischief. Grandmother's inn isn't doing too well, though, since the ghostly activity has ceased, as people don't come so far out of their way to visit an un-haunted inn. The siblings vow to turn things around for their grandmother, and stage a haunting to convince the current guests that the inn still has some secrets. Their plan goes off the rails when the real ghosts awaken--from the mischief-making group of ghost children to Miss Ada's malevolent spirit. Since Corey and Travis awakened the ghosts, it's their job to put them to rest again--if Miss Ada's ghost doesn't put them to rest first.

This fast-paced ghost story will appeal to upper-elementary or early middle school readers looking for a quick thrill, but isn't fully developed enough to really hold an older reader's interest. The plot is predictable almost from the first page, and even the central characters never develop beyond their most basic attributes. Only the grandmother has any kind of change of heart, and her change from skeptic to believer is too abrupt--even under the circumstances--to feel at all authentic. The climax manages to be both sluggish and rushed, without any real sense of urgency. Still, this is a quick read to tingle the spines of kids looking for more gentle ghost stories, or for Hahn's established fans. ( )

Travis and his sister, Corey, a real pranksters. So when they find out that their grandmother's inn is supposed to be haunted, they decide to do a little haunting of their own. Little do they suspect that their actions will wake the real ghosts that have haunted the house over the years.

This was a good scary book for kids. It is not too scary but has some real chills. Travis does wander a bit as he tells the story, but it rang true for a kid telling a story. I will definitely be recommending it. ( )

This is a YA horror / ghost story. A very quick read; aimed at middle grades readers. I would have LOVED this type of novel in my tweens ~ I had to jump straight from Nancy Drew to Stephen King with no in-between. I would recommend this for any young reader as well as for older readers who want a quick ghost story fix. ( )