For me, this one was a bit hit and miss...and that's okay! Not every book will tick everyone's boxes, but some were ticked, for better or worse, and thus, I'm going to break down my adventure through the pages into the two categories.

On the hit list....the story concept, the characters, and the finale. On the miss list...there are holes in the story the go unexplained, and a few character profiles that didn't seem true to form. (For more detail on BOTH, check my site for the full review.)

Final thoughts...
...it's certainly worth the exploration, and you'll definitely find yourself caught up in the unexpected moments of the heart that crop up when least expected, just be sure to pay attention so you don't miss the story change overs and lose the overall thread. Who knows...in the end, you may find your own peace in the messages of well being in the here after, or stoke the fires of a young ghost hunter in the making.


**copy received for review; opinions are my own ( )

At the heart of Kathryn Siebel's The Haunting of Henry Davis is a story of friendship, but that story is wrapped in mystery and ghosts. When Barbara Anne befriends Henry Davis, the weird quiet kid at school, she has no idea the kind of adventure she's going to go on. Henry has a secret, and that secret is he is being haunted by a ghost. Barbara Anne finds out Henry's secret, and being the take charge kind of girl she is, decides that she is going to help Henry get to the bottom of his haunting. Together with their other school friends Renee and Zach, they all discover a little something about the past and a lot about the power of friendship.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Haunting of Henry Davis. Siebel's writing is smart and witty, and she clearly has a knack for capturing the personalities of her young protagonists. Each of the kids are so well written, but I confess to really enjoying Barbara Anne's character the most. She's just so snarky and confident; I think her character will particularly appeal to younger female readers. The story is just creepy enough when it needs to be but nothing too scary for younger readers. I appreciated the touches of historical information that is sprinkled throughout, as well as the kids dealing with real world personal issues. While being a ghost story, all of these things made the story so much more grounded.

Perfect for younger readers who are looking for a great ghost story, they'll also discover there is so much more to The Haunting of Henry Davis than a good scare. Highly recommended!

I'd like to thank Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing me with a copy of The Haunting of Henry Davis in exchange for a fair and honest review. ( )