ORDINARY GHOSTS
Eireann Corrigan
Push/Scholastic
Fiction
Hardcover: 0439832438
Paperback: 9780439832441
336 pages

Emil is having a bad year. He reflects, “I try to pinpoint the moment my world tilted. It stopped turning for a second when Mom died. And then stalled out when Ethan left a postcard on the kitchen table with just the word Later written across it.”

Without his mother and brother, it’s just him and his father. They hardly communicate, and his dad is always busy with work. The only friend in Emil’s life is the line-crossing Soma, who changed his name from Frances to the name of the drug in BRAVE NEW WORLD. Soma’s favorite word is mayhem.

When Emil finds the key to Caramoor Academy in his brother’s room, he doesn’t tell a soul, not even Soma. This is a secret only for him. The key is a thing of legend. It is passed down from year to year, and nobody is supposed to know who has it. But now that Emil is in possession of it, what will he do with it? How will he leave his mark?

Emil starts by exploring the school at night and setting up a makeshift bunk in the attic. While roaming the school, he is surprised to find a girl named Jade in the art studio. Of course he develops an instant crush on her. How often do girls appear at an all-boys’ school in the middle of the night?

When Emil’s father announces he will be away for four whole days and nights on a business trip, Emil knows what he wants to do. He plans to stay at the school every night and uncover all its mysteries.

As Emil and Jade form a relationship, Emil finds himself changing from a liar with a fictional past to someone who can open up and be honest about his feelings. He also learns the truth about why his brother left and what happened when his mother died.

ORDINARY GHOSTS is a touching story that deals with the tragedy of death and abandonment in a realistic manner. While the topics are not the most light-of-heart, Emil is an endearing character with dry wit and humor who will make readers laugh. Author Eireann Corrigan skillfully weaves this tale of emotional pain with friendship, discovery and an element of mystery that makes this book a page turner that is sure to satisfy.

    --- Reviewed by Kristi Olson

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