The Old Willis Place: A Ghost Story

The Old Willis Place

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade horror
• Originally Published: 2004
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 630L; grades 4-7
• Structure/Length: 17 chapters; approximately 199 pages; approximately 4 hours, 46 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The story revolves around two siblings, Diana and Georgie, who live in the woods near the Old Willis Place. The central conflict involves the mysterious rules they must follow and their interactions with a new caretaker's daughter, Lissa. As Diana becomes friends with Lissa, dark secrets about the siblings’ past and the haunting nature of the Old Willis Place are revealed.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Death of parents; accidental death of children; child abuse; ghosts and haunting; themes of loneliness and isolation; suspense and eerie atmosphere

Mary Downing Hahn, Author

• Bio: Born 1937; American author known for her young adult and children's novels; often blends elements of mystery and the supernatural; recognized for her ability to craft engaging and suspenseful stories that captivate young readers; a prominent figure in children's horror and historical fiction
• Other Works: Wait Till Helen Comes (1986); The Doll in the Garden (1989); Deep and Dark and Dangerous (2007); Took: A Ghost Story (2015)
• Awards: Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (2006); William Allen White Children's Book Award (2006)