Took: A Ghost Story

Hard times have fallen on Daniel and Erica’s parents, so they move from Connecticut, where they attended private school and ate at gourmet pizza joints, to West Virginia, where the living costs are lower. The house they found is nestled in the woods outside of town, but has a sinister history. Once, fifty years before, a young girl lived there, but she disappeared. All the locals know Old Auntie, a conjure woman, took her, but Daniel cannot believe that nonsense. However, when his sister starts acting strange, going to the woods and talking about secrets, Daniel starts listening to the rumors circulating about town. Soon, he’s afraid for her, but his parents, busy with their crumbling lives, won’t listen, so he must find out what he can on his own. When his sister is “took,” he must keep his wits about him to beat the conjure woman and her evil, razorback hog.

Hahn is a master of scary stories for middle grade readers, and this has to be one of her best. This spooky story ventures into most children’s nightmares, involving talking dolls and spooky woods. It is a perfect read for a dark, winter night.