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lilacwine17's review against another edition
3.0
This book was different on a much younger grade level than i actually read but it was a quick read and very interesting. This boy who has a new step mom moves into a house at a crossroad where 41 people died in a car accident and the guy how caused the wreck is a ghost and living in the memorial which is a tree which is in this boys new houses yard. The ghost spirit does not want to rest cause its seeking revenge and it is wanting to kill this boy and other people in his family. It was really intriguing i might say :)
bickie's review against another edition
1.0
I liked the idea of this book in general. Good contemporary ghost/horror stories for middle grade readers are hard to find. However, there were several narrative choices that made it difficult for me to like the book as written and which will prevent me from recommending it to anyone:
1) The "issue" that starts the whole chain of events is described beginning on p. 243 in my Yearling edition (not listed as a choice on Goodreads): "Julius Spratling had a problem with his only child, his daughter, Gerda. At age twenty-two the woman had no romantic prospects and, being considered somewhat homely, seemed doomed to live out her days as a spinster." Seriously. Ugh. No discussion, even in a throwaway line, that this is no reason to consider Gerda to be "doomed" or that her life is not worth living.
2) Zack's friend, Davy, likens their plan to spy on Ms. Spratling to "'Davy Crockett scoutin' the Injuns'" (p. 112). While I understand the interest in using outdated terminology to highlight Davy's differences, choosing this particular terminology is misguided, particularly because Zack just says "'Okay'" and concludes that "Hanging out with Davy was fun."
3) One character, Davy's father, is described twice as wearing a "Huck Finn straw hat" (p. 129, 252). I think a different way to identify this man could have been easily used rather than citing this particular text.
4) I didn't see why Zack's mother needed to be so hateful and malevolent. It does not seem to serve any purpose in the narrative. She could have been a naggy person or problematic without being so amazingly cruel.
5) The themes that drive the heart of the mystery just seem too old for the intended audience of a book told from the perspective of an imaginative, fanciful 11-year-old.
1) The "issue" that starts the whole chain of events is described beginning on p. 243 in my Yearling edition (not listed as a choice on Goodreads): "Julius Spratling had a problem with his only child, his daughter, Gerda. At age twenty-two the woman had no romantic prospects and, being considered somewhat homely, seemed doomed to live out her days as a spinster." Seriously. Ugh. No discussion, even in a throwaway line, that this is no reason to consider Gerda to be "doomed" or that her life is not worth living.
2) Zack's friend, Davy, likens their plan to spy on Ms. Spratling to "'Davy Crockett scoutin' the Injuns'" (p. 112). While I understand the interest in using outdated terminology to highlight Davy's differences, choosing this particular terminology is misguided, particularly because Zack just says "'Okay'" and concludes that "Hanging out with Davy was fun."
3) One character, Davy's father, is described twice as wearing a "Huck Finn straw hat" (p. 129, 252). I think a different way to identify this man could have been easily used rather than citing this particular text.
4) I didn't see why Zack's mother needed to be so hateful and malevolent. It does not seem to serve any purpose in the narrative. She could have been a naggy person or problematic without being so amazingly cruel.
5) The themes that drive the heart of the mystery
Spoiler
(a love nest in the machine shop, a pregnant woman abandoned by her husband for someone else who will pay him a large sum, a woman who dedicates her entire life to a man she barely knew, secrets between a stepson and stepmother kept from the boy's biological father)thestoryowl's review against another edition
3.0
This book had a great set up and some very spooky elements.
bookgirl4ever's review against another edition
3.0
Poor Zack! He is traumatized by his late emotionally abusive mom and feels he is still haunted by her. Luckily his dad remarries a wonderful gal and buys a new house in the town where he grew up to start over new. The house is right next to the town's crossroads that hold a tragic, horrific past.
While the story isn't wonderful, I like how Zack's step-mother is very involved in the story and how Zack overcomes the negative thoughts that his biological mom has put into his head.
Upper elementary.
While the story isn't wonderful, I like how Zack's step-mother is very involved in the story and how Zack overcomes the negative thoughts that his biological mom has put into his head.
Upper elementary.
rdyourbookcase's review against another edition
3.0
This book was spooky. I was surprised by how dark it was. I loved how vivid the characters were. At one point, I was pretty sure almost everyone was a ghost. I liked the ending, too. I thought it was pretty grown-up for a children’s book but I didn’t mind that at all. Sometimes children’s books can be a bit more grown-up. I would have absolutely loved this book as an older kid or younger teen. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of Grabenstein’s books!
marlynb's review against another edition
4.0
This YA book is a ghost story, and it's fairly spooky.
But it's also a self-realization story, and a very good one, at that.
The town of North Chester has an unhappy history. In 1958, there was a bus accident at the edge of town, and 41 people were killed, including the bus driver, the driver of the car that hit the bus, and a local policeman.
The only bus passenger who survived the accident was Mary O'Claire, who is now in a nursing home in North Chester, and is looked after by her grandson Billy, a plumber.
Gerda Spratling is the last survivor of the family whose business, Spratling Clockworks Factory, supported the town in its infancy.
Zack Jennings is 11 years old. His mother died of cancer, for which she blamed him. She said she had to smoke so she wouldn't have to think about what a rotten kid he was.
We meet him just before the wedding of his father, George, to children's book author Judy Magruder. After the wedding and family honeymoon, they move to the small Connecticut town where George grew up. That's right, North Chester.
Zack meets a boy his own age named Davy, and they become good friends. Zack has never really had a close friend before; he always felt he didn't deserve one. Davy, though, keeps complaining about a shrine old Miss Spratling built around a large oak tree in the Jennings' back yard, and tries to convince Zack to destroy it.
Judy encounters Miss Spratling paying a visit to her descanso, becomes intrigued by the story and begins to research it. George Jennings goes away on business.
The 50th anniversary of the bus accident approaches, and all the elements are in place for something big to happen.
Chris Grabenstein was kind enough to send me this book ages ago. I read the first chapter and set it aside, because seemed too scary that evening. I came across it again recently, decided to give it another try (a sunny afternoon helped), and finished it in a couple of hours.
My apologies to Chris for taking so long to read and comment on his very fine book!
But it's also a self-realization story, and a very good one, at that.
The town of North Chester has an unhappy history. In 1958, there was a bus accident at the edge of town, and 41 people were killed, including the bus driver, the driver of the car that hit the bus, and a local policeman.
The only bus passenger who survived the accident was Mary O'Claire, who is now in a nursing home in North Chester, and is looked after by her grandson Billy, a plumber.
Gerda Spratling is the last survivor of the family whose business, Spratling Clockworks Factory, supported the town in its infancy.
Zack Jennings is 11 years old. His mother died of cancer, for which she blamed him. She said she had to smoke so she wouldn't have to think about what a rotten kid he was.
We meet him just before the wedding of his father, George, to children's book author Judy Magruder. After the wedding and family honeymoon, they move to the small Connecticut town where George grew up. That's right, North Chester.
Zack meets a boy his own age named Davy, and they become good friends. Zack has never really had a close friend before; he always felt he didn't deserve one. Davy, though, keeps complaining about a shrine old Miss Spratling built around a large oak tree in the Jennings' back yard, and tries to convince Zack to destroy it.
Judy encounters Miss Spratling paying a visit to her descanso, becomes intrigued by the story and begins to research it. George Jennings goes away on business.
The 50th anniversary of the bus accident approaches, and all the elements are in place for something big to happen.
Chris Grabenstein was kind enough to send me this book ages ago. I read the first chapter and set it aside, because seemed too scary that evening. I came across it again recently, decided to give it another try (a sunny afternoon helped), and finished it in a couple of hours.
My apologies to Chris for taking so long to read and comment on his very fine book!
erinmp's review against another edition
4.0
Zack, his father and new stepmother have just moved to his father's hometown in Connecticut. Haunted by memories of his mother, he finds that this new town is a little bit stranger than NYC. Weird people keep popping up near his house and the old witch woman (a modern-day Miss Haversham) frightens him. His stepmother, Judy, notices the oddities as well and the two set out to find out the real story behind the tragic accident that occurred nearly fifty years ago.
What a great little book! The short chapters and constant suspense made it exciting and a quick read. Interesting and realistic characters (well, aside from the ghosts, that it) make this novel. I couldn't put it down.
What a great little book! The short chapters and constant suspense made it exciting and a quick read. Interesting and realistic characters (well, aside from the ghosts, that it) make this novel. I couldn't put it down.
carnisht's review against another edition
4.0
This story was enough. That’s what I have to say about it. It was engaging enough. It was long enough. It was scary enough. Enough. Enough. Enough.
I particularly liked the short chapters in this book. That, plus the constant POV switching, made for a really quick enjoyable read. I was always motivated to read just oneeeee more chapter, and that allowed me to fly through the book.
Along with this, the variety and quantity of the ghosts kept me entertained throughout. Not every ghost died in the accident at that intersection. Many did, yes, but not all. Some just wanted to help get rid of Clint. Some didn’t even know they were ghosts at all. Seeing the different afterlives being lived was really intriguing for me. There was even a haunted tree! It was definitely very odd, not gonna lie, but still very interesting. I think I liked the uniqueness of the ghost tree more than the actual tree idea overall, so I was glad to see Clint’s soul escape the tree pretty quickly in the book.
If it wasn’t obvious, the horror wasn’t too intense. I mean, a haunted tree can only be so scary. However, it was still entertaining enough and scary enough to engage most middle schoolers and for them to be able to enjoy and give them a slight thrill, which is the real goal of any horror book.
To read more of my review, check out
https://yalitreader.wordpress.com/2022/10/16/the-crossroads-by-chris-grabenstein/
I particularly liked the short chapters in this book. That, plus the constant POV switching, made for a really quick enjoyable read. I was always motivated to read just oneeeee more chapter, and that allowed me to fly through the book.
Along with this, the variety and quantity of the ghosts kept me entertained throughout. Not every ghost died in the accident at that intersection. Many did, yes, but not all. Some just wanted to help get rid of Clint. Some didn’t even know they were ghosts at all. Seeing the different afterlives being lived was really intriguing for me. There was even a haunted tree! It was definitely very odd, not gonna lie, but still very interesting. I think I liked the uniqueness of the ghost tree more than the actual tree idea overall, so I was glad to see Clint’s soul escape the tree pretty quickly in the book.
If it wasn’t obvious, the horror wasn’t too intense. I mean, a haunted tree can only be so scary. However, it was still entertaining enough and scary enough to engage most middle schoolers and for them to be able to enjoy and give them a slight thrill, which is the real goal of any horror book.
To read more of my review, check out
https://yalitreader.wordpress.com/2022/10/16/the-crossroads-by-chris-grabenstein/
nthurman_dude's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mallorykjorgensen's review against another edition
4.0
Awards Won: Agatha and Anthony
Have you ever wondered if one action can set off a series of events? This book uses imagination to address such a question. The Crossroads does contain some passages that may not be suitable for younger readers.
Have you ever wondered if one action can set off a series of events? This book uses imagination to address such a question. The Crossroads does contain some passages that may not be suitable for younger readers.