Ghosts: Real or Make Believe?

Ghost stories: most of us relish that slightly spooky feeling we get when an urban legend or hair-raising tall tale is well told around a campfire. Our society seems to be erring on the side of “more is more” these days, though; instead of slightly spooky, we have shows like The Walking Dead, YA fiction has run the gamut of zombies and vampires and the like, and R.L.Stine’s Goosebumps are still hot check-out items from school libraries. I think the most disturbing thing about these trends is the essential fascination with death that underlies so much of the horror. I’ve never been a fan of horror movies (preferring the subtler suspense of Hitchcock and his ilk). Are books these days going too far? Some yes, some no.  The question here is, can you judge a book by its cover?

Doll Bones by Holly Black. Margaret McElderry Books, 2013. 250 pages. Age/interest level: 10-14.

One of the 2014 Newbery honor books has a downright creepy cover and title: Doll Bones. Kids fascinated with ghoulish stories will no doubt pick this book up eagerly. And they will be mostly disappointed. The book isn’t nearly as creepy as its cover intimates. In addition, this book doesn’t celebrate death. The ghost in the book might be real. Then again, it might be the product of an over-active tween imagination.

Three 12-year-olds (Zach, Poppy, and Alice) are growing up and leaving childish pretend games behind. Yet they decide to go on one last quest: to lay a mysterious doll to rest. Poppy insists this doll is made up of the ground up bones of a murdered young girl from years ago, and the doll needs to be buried. Gruesome, right? And yet, in the book, Poppy makes up wild, outlandish other pretend games, so this might simply be the product of her overactive imagination. Zach and Alice go along with her, half believing and half humoring her. The three travel on their own to the original site of the doll factory and resolve some of their friendship issues along the way. There is a mystery to the story, there are potential ghostly appearances, and there are definitely “ghosts” laid to rest. Since this is a growing up story, the ghosts include the three children’s childhood pretend games as much as any purported “ghost.”

The writing is gripping in this novel. It defies genre labeling (fantasy? mystery? realistic fiction? a mix?) and appeals to a wide variety of kids, even the ones who are looking for a much more gruesome story. The obvious discussion topic of choice is what happens when we die–if the ghost is real within the construct of the story, then what does that say about our life after death? Even if our bones are ground up, will our spirits be confined to this earth? I think not. I’ll follow up on this after another quick book review.

• Worldview rating (out of 5): 3.5
• Literary rating (out of 5): 4.5

The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing by Sheila Turnage. Kathy Dawson, 2014. 368 pages. Age/interest level: 9-12

Just out this week is another ghost story for middle grades, this one a sequel to last year’s Newbery Honor-winning Three Times Lucky. Tupelo Landing is a younger book than Doll Bones in feel, partly because the grown-ups in the story are so clearly present and involved. It’s not as spooky, either.  The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing continues the story of plucky (and hilarious) Mo LeBeau. The writing is even stronger in this second story of small Tupelo Landing and its quirky characters. Mo and her best friend, Dale, are still running the Desperadoes Detective Agency, and she is still infatuated with his older brother, Lavender. Sixth grade starts up one day after the opening of the story, and Mo’s favorite teacher is back. For fans of the first book, this second book will deliver even more charm and more quirky characters. For those who are new to Tupelo Landing, this book will easily work on its own.

The mystery this time involves the identity (and reality) of the ghost of the old inn that Miss Lana and Grandmother Miss Lacy Thornton bought out of spite. The ghost is even in the disclosure statement in the contract! No one believes she is real except Mo and Dale who decide to interview her for their history project. They succeed–this ghost is real–and solve a decades old mystery in the process. The theme in Ghosts of Tupelo Landing is putting ghosts to rest: old relationship issues, old mysteries, old arguments, and the real ghost of Nellie Blake. In the end, much has been resolved (except the identity of Mo’s “Upstream Mother”), and the town has rallied together. Putting so much to rights has been the work of many people together, not just one person.

• Worldview rating: 3.75
• Literary rating: 4.5

So, what do we, as Redeemed Readers, do with such marvelously written books like these–books which, on their literary merits, stand strong, but which feature ghosts and a clear statement that the spirits of those long dead linger until all is put to rights here on earth?

First, let’s acknowledge that Christian parents will differ on whether to let their kids read books like these.  Some may want to wait until their kids are older, even if they do.  But there is some literary precedent for the acceptability of ghosts is strong (Macbeth, Hamlet, A Christmas Carol, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and The Highwayman all come quickly to mind). If we’re willing to read classics with ghosts, should we be willing to read contemporary works with ghosts?

For me, the strongest argument in favor of books like Doll Bones and The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing are that they do not celebrate–or fixate–on death. Certainly, death comes up (more gruesomely in Doll Bones), but both books are very much focused on the ongoing lives of the main characters. Both books showcase the strength of community and the importance of preserving our relationships with those here on earth with us. And both books show the characters moving on after the ghosts, not looking to seek out more ghosts. Thus, the ghosts are a plot device to show the characters’ maturation (much like they are in the classic titles mentioned earlier).

Certainly, for we Christians, it is worth discussing with our children that ghosts like those in these novels are not real, that our spirits do not linger and interact with those left behind on earth. Why would we?? Heaven is far more appealing than any trappings left here on earth! And, in Christ, all is washed clean–even old wrongs done by us and to us.  And that’s something to rejoice in whether or not your family reads these books.

See Janie’s review of Turnage’s earlier book, Three Times Lucky. Janie also reviewed two other middle grade novels with ghosts and has an excellent discussion of “scary stuff.” She also looks at the uses of terror. 

Cover image of Doll Bones from publisher’s website; of Tupelo Landing from goodreads; ARC of The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing from publisher in return for fair review