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Wait Till Helen Comes

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1986

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Book Brief

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Mary Downing Hahn

Wait Till Helen Comes

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1986
Book Details
Pages

192

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Maryland • 1980s

Publication Year

1986

Audience

Middle grade

Recommended Reading Age

9-12 years

Lexile Level

750L

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Super Short Summary

In Wait Till Helen Comes, siblings Molly and Michael navigate family tensions while encountering the ghost of a young girl named Helen after moving to a renovated church in the countryside with their mother, stepfather, and hostile stepsister, Heather. As Heather becomes increasingly obsessed with Helen's grave, Molly must confront her fears to protect Heather from the ghost's potentially malevolent influence. The book deals with themes of family, loss, and overcoming guilt.

Mysterious

Dark

Unnerving

Suspenseful

Emotional

Reviews & Readership

4.4

26,299 ratings

77%

Loved it

19%

Mixed feelings

5%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn receives praise for its eerie atmosphere and well-crafted suspense, making it an engaging read for young adults. However, some critics feel the character development is somewhat lacking, and the ending can be predictable. Despite these flaws, it remains a popular choice for fans of ghost stories.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Wait Till Helen Comes?

Readers who enjoy suspenseful, supernatural tales with well-drawn young characters will relish Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn. Ideal for fans of Lois Duncan's Down a Dark Hall and R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series, this novel is perfect for middle-grade readers who crave spooky mysteries with emotional depth.

4.4

26,299 ratings

77%

Loved it

19%

Mixed feelings

5%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

192

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Maryland • 1980s

Publication Year

1986

Audience

Middle grade

Recommended Reading Age

9-12 years

Lexile Level

750L

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