The creepy book Doll Bones by Holly Black will not be a hard sell to middle schoolers. The cover alone will pull them in.
Three kids, Zach, Alice, and Poppy, have always enjoyed making up imaginary stories for their dolls. These stories of pirates and mermaids always centered around one doll, the Queen, the porcelain figurine kept in the China cabinet at Poppy's house. Now the friends are in middle school, and Zach is pressured into giving up this childish play. Poppy, however, can't let it go. She starts having nightmares about the Queen. She finally convinces Zach and Alice to join her on a quest to put the haunted China doll's bones to rest. The trio must discover if Poppy's vision are real. Is this doll really the ghost of a girl? Can they uncover the truth before the doll ruins their lives? My favorite part is when they find refuge in the library, of course!
I love how Holly Black interweaves the history of porcelain making in the United States with the mystery of a haunted doll. This spookish novel will grabbed the attention of teens looking for a ghost story. I wish the ending was a little scarier, to satisfy their need to be terrified, but the creepiness will win them over.
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