Ghosts Beneath Our Feet

Some books from your childhood stand up years later...and some don't. Six-year-old me still loves it, and the idea of ghosts haunting the ground beneath you is still spooky, but this is not by any stretch of the imagination a great book.

Katie, her stepbrother, and her mother spend the summer in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, taking care of her mother's Uncle Frank after Katie's stepfather dies. The town of Newquay is practically a ghost town--in more ways than one. Katie sees a ghost girl who seems to be begging her for help, and minor earthquakes shake the ground as the town approaches the 30th anniversary of a terrible mining disaster. Katie knows that disaster is about to strike again--but how can she convince anyone to listen to show more her?

The writing is pretty good--very vivid and engaging. But the book feels intensely dated, like it's even older than its 1984 pub date. Maybe it's the subplot with the no-good greaser boy and his motorcycle; maybe it's the fact that even TV is barely mentioned. (I don't know if the 90s reissue was edited at all, besides the cover update.)

Side note: As a child, I'd hoped that motorcycle-boy was going to reform himself and be Katie's boyfriend, but on reflection, her brother is the one who reads as interested in him... show less

Katie’s stepfather has just died, and she, her mother, and step-brother move to a fictional small town that I gather is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They will be living with and taking care of Uncle Frank, who is actually no relation to them. Newquay is a former mining town that is currently almost dead. The mine had collapsed 30 years prior, killing several men and giving rise to tales of ‘knackers,’ the ghosts of miners, turned evil and trying to tunnel their way out. Katie does see a ghost, but it’s not a miner and doesn’t seem evil, either. Actually the ghost is quite helpful. Other issues explored in the book include Katie’s stepbrother Jay not feeling welcome in a family that no longer includes his dad, and so show more becoming a trouble-maker in an effort to get sent away.
A fun, quick read. Interesting incorporation of local lore and Cornish customs. Ages 9-12. show less

One of my favorites from when I was a kid. I recommend it for young readers looking for a good ghost story, but it's also an appealing story about a girl struggling with a hard time in her life.

Back in the day, Betty Ren Wright was right up there with R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike for YA mysteries. I'd never read any of her books though, I'm not sure why, but when I saw this one in my local thrift store for $0.59, I picked it up.

For as short as it is, and as big as the font is, it took me forever to read it. Not that this was a bad book, but rather that there was a lot of stuff that didn't really serve any purpose other than to provide length. The one guy has a motorcycle and a bad reputation but nothing ever comes of it and the step-brother is angry and resentful and then all of a sudden he's just not anymore, etc.

I know this is a children's book, but it just seemed all over the place, and nothing really came together or show more worked for me. Meh. 2 stars. It was OK. show less

*May contain spoilers*

An okay book, not as good as some of the others I've read by this author, but a semi-interesting read nonetheless. Katie doesn't believe in knackers (evil spirits) or ghosts, until she actually sees a ghost in the mirror. She is convinced the blonde-haired female ghost is trying to warn her of something, but no one else beleves her. The ending is nice, and the ghost story was okay, but I honestly liked the side-plot of her stepbrother Jay's problems more. It was just more interesting.

Katie's trying to get her family on friendly terms- including her step-brother, who has been antipathic ever since the death of his father. Katie discovers that the half-dead town isn't as boring as she anticipated it might be when she hears what she is told are knockers under the house she's staying in. Soon a blond ghost is warning her about something, and she discovers that the ground the house is on is collapsing. She and her step-brother help save their mother and "Uncle" Frank, and finally come to an understanding.

Loved this. My favorite stormy-night-and-a-fire book. Always thought it was funny how they made pizza in this book, putting the cheese on last.