The Midnight Gate

Gr 7 Up—Helen Stringer does a masterful job bringing her ghost story (2011), that begins two months after the events in Spellbinder (2009, both Feiwel & Friends), to audio. As the newly named Spellbinder, 12-year-old Belladona Johnson is trying to determine if her life can continue on as it did before, now that she and her classmate, Steve Evans, have saved the world. She's trying to keep up with her lessons and live peacefully with the ghosts of her parents who were killed in a car accident, with a little help from her Gran when she needs it. When the authorities discover her conditions at home, she is forced to live with a foster family who may not be what they seem. And suddenly, the ghosts of her parents and grandmother disappear and Belladona and Steve seek the help of the Queen of the Abyss. Stringer's narration captures the edge-of-your-seat twists and turns that the story takes and perfectly voices all the characters. This fantastic story with ghosts, mystery, humor, and well-developed personalities will captivate listeners. Have the first book available for students even though the characters and events are thoroughly interwoven into this book.—Genevieve Gallagher, Charlottesville High School, VA