Book Review: THE CROSSROADS

This book by Chris Grabenstein won the Agatha Award for Best Childrens/YA Novel for 2008. (Chris was a member of my panel at the Malice Domestic conference two Saturdays ago AND is a fellow UT grad - GO VOLS!) It's a great supernatural mystery book that kid's will love. Here's the synopsis from Chris's website:

"Zack, his dad, and new stepmother have just moved back to his father's hometown in Connecticut, not knowing that their new house has a dark history. Fifty years ago, a crazed killer caused an accident at the nearby crossroads that took forty innocent lives. He died when his car hit a tree in a fiery crash, and his malevolent spirit has inhabited the tree ever since. During a huge storm, lightning hits the tree, releasing the spirit, who decides his evil spree isn't over, and Zack is directly in his sights! " http://www.chrisgrabenstein.com/ya/crossroads.php

This is one of the best books I've ever read. Not only is the stepmother presented as a positive, likeable person (thanks, Chris!), but the main character, Zack, has some interesting and spooky adventures with his new friends in Connecticut. Life before his dad's second marriage wasn't always so fun, so Zack enjoys the freedom and friendships available in his new community. He finds you can't always believe old legends and that secrets don't always stay hidden. But most of all Zack learns that he matters, after all, both to his family and to his neighbors. The book is directed towards middle schoolers (grades 6-8), but advanced younger readers might also enjoy the suspense and fun in the book.

The paperback edition of THE CROSSROADS was released on May 12 and is available at Barnes & Noble, Borders and your Independent bookstores. Look for the second book in the series, THE HANGING HILL, to be released in hardback on August 11, 2009. (Chris told me the story incorporates a play he wrote for the Children's Theatre of Knoxville.)

Why am I telling you about these books? Well, Chris is a great guy, he went to UT/Knoxville and he's really funny. Buy the books...you'll be glad you did.