Something Upstairs

Well, it's not just historical fiction. We also have ghostly time travel, so I'm not exactly sure how to classify it. The cover led me to believe it was a children's book, but really it's a tween book. Gripping quick plot, moral dilemmas, plot issues that can hurt your brain (as with all time travel for me). I read this in a few hours one morning having no intentions of reading it, and that says something.


Recommended to grades 5-8. Slavery issues.

Kenny Huldorf, a teenager from Los Angeles, is not thrilled when his parents announce that they are moving to Providence, Rhode Island. The old, gothic-style house they move into was built in the 1700s, and Kenny can't help but feel that there's something strange about it, especially a small room off his attic bedroom. In the middle of the night, he hears a strange scraping sound coming from the room. When he gets up to investigate, he sees a ghostly pair of hands pushing a box of books off of an old stain on the floor. Eventually, the ghost of a boy emerges from the stain, and Kenny finds himself facing a 200 year old mystery.

The ghost, a slave named Caleb, was murdered in 1800 and is stuck in the room until he can find his murderer. show more Kenny finds himself sucked back in time and experiences things as Caleb saw them. The problem is that neither he nor Caleb know enough about what happened the night Caleb was murdered so they don't know how to stop it from happening again. A bigger problem is that there are other ghosts, who become real as Kenny steps back in time, who are trying to stop the boys from altering the past. And the biggest problem is how Kenny will get back to his own time again.

Avi is one of my favorite children,s/young adult authors. For a long time, I was buying every one of his books. I stopped being quite as obsessive about owning everything he wrote after my reading tastes matured, but I still enjoy rereading his books. While this book isn't one of my all-time favorites of his, it is very good. It's not too scary for kids but still has a good amount of suspense, and the story is very well thought out and put together. If you enjoy children,s or young adult literature and haven't read any of his books, I really recommend him. show less

With only 116 pages it was a quick read, but very good. The story kept you going and the writer painted excellent images of the colonial era where the story takes place. I even felt a little chill when I got to the end of the book.

It rose from the stain on the floor...two hands, then two arms...it beckoned to Kenny...luring him to an unknown horror from which he might never escape.

FROM AMAZON: When 12-year-old Kenny Huldorf moves to Providence, Rhode Island, he soon discovers that his attic bedroom is haunted by the ghost of a teenage slave named Caleb. Before long, Caleb summons Kenny back in time, where Kenny finds himself entangled in Caleb's murder and deeply troubled by the century-old injustice. Ultimately, it is up to Kenny to solve Caleb's murder or remain forever trapped in history. Part ghost story, part social commentary, this thought-provoking, hair-raising page turner from master tale spinner, Avi, is a perfect chilling summer read!

This book is a cross between historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery. The book follows the story of Kenny who recently moved to Providence, Rhode Island. Kenny's family moved into a large old house that is haunted by the ghost of a former slave. Each night, the ghost visits Kenny. After initially being scared of the ghost, Kenny befriends the ghost and begins to research the ghost's death. From there Kenny learns information about the slave trade and learns of the role of slave owners in Providence's history. This book is written at approximately a grade 5 reading level. While there are ghosts and murders mentioned in the story, Avi includes them in such a way that they are appropriate for 9-11 year olds.

The mystery deepens

The room was shabby and dirty, heavy with heat. None of the things which Kenny called his own remained. Even the painted walls and skylight were gone.

Baffled, he wondered if other things — even outside — had changed. Kenny went to one of the windows and looked down. On a stoop across the dark street a man was standing, gazing straight at Kenny's window. He was wearing what appeared to be a long black cape which reached his knees, and a hat, triangular in shape. Its brim obscured his face.

As if suddenly realizing he was being observed, the man moved quickly into the shadows. Keeping his face averted, he fled up the street.

Yup. Ghosts, time travel, history, and a damn fine story. That Avi, he's something else.