3.5 stars, rounded up. A middle school reader, with dark themes. The story of two lonely kids, each of whom has lost a parent: a young girl named Pram (short for Pragmatic) being raised by her spinster Aunts, who desperately wants to find her biological father, and a young boy Clarence, who wants nothing more than to speak to his deceased mother. Because Pram's only friend is a ghost named Felix, her Aunts decide to stop home schooling and go to school, where she and Clarence meet and form a bond. Clarence and Pram start visiting mystics and get into serious trouble, dealing with adult treachery and powers greater than their own. Combined with her resourcefulness, Pram's relationships with the two boys: one living and one dead are the backbone of this story. ( )

A Curious Tale of the In-Between
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing, Inc
228 pages
Published September 2015
Review based on Advance Uncorrected Proof

Just as the title states, this is a very curious tale that deals with some pretty heavy topics -- death, suicide, mental illness, grief -- but in a magical way. Pram speaks to ghosts. From birth, she has been able to see them and talk to them. But, for whatever reason, she can't speak with the ghost of her dead mother. She lives with her aunts, who shield her from the truth about her mother's suicide. And she has her best friend, Felix, a ghost.

She meets a boy at school who has also lost his mother. She bonds with Clarence over their shared loss. The kids plan to find Pram's father, a sailor who might not know she exists, and also enlist the help of a spiritualist to allow Clarence to speak with his dead mother. But, their plan is in jeopardy because Lady Savant is not what she seems.

This is Lauren DeStefano's first middle-grade book. This eerie story teaches a lesson about love, loss and the power of friendship. Despite dealing with dark emotions and topics, the story is not scary. It is totally appropriate for middle-grades 4-7.

I very much enjoyed this book. DeStefano tells a beautiful tale that can't help but have an emotional impact on young readers and adults alike. It delves into serious subjects that affect kids - parental death, loneliness, and betrayal - without going too far. The end result is a lyrical, hauntingly beautiful story about a girl caught between the land of the living and the spiritual world.

My Rating: 8/10
Dark topics, but age appropriate.
Grades 4-7
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This book is listed for YA, middle grades. As a former middle school teacher I can see my former students reading and enjoying this book. I also foresee some kids being afraid or not quite ready for the content, others will ask questions, others won't be phased at all -- but be prepared for questions/discussions about life, the afterlife, death, dying, family, suicide, pregnancy, relationships, aging, etc. The writing is well developed both in plot and characters; a quick read. ( )

Pram Bellamy lives with her two aunts in a home for the elderly which they manage. Her mother died under strange circumstances in childbirth, and all she was told about her father is that he was a sailor. She’s been homeschooled and has no friends except for a ghost named Felix near the pond. As far as she knows she has always been able to see and talk to ghosts, beginning with insect ghosts. Forced to go to a real school, Pram meets Clarence, a real, living boy who is also searching for his dead mother. Together they go to Lady Savant’s Spirit Show looking for answers only to discover that Lady Savant is not all that she appears and they may be in danger. This well-written, compelling novel for tweens is a quick and affecting read that will keep you engaged long after you finish the final chapter.

Sharyn H. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.

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