From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-April Sloane is called "ghost girl" because of her white-blonde hair and light eyes. She feels like a ghost because since the accidental death of her younger brother a year previously, her mother has fallen in to a deep depression and never seems to see her any more. The 11-year-old lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains and has never attended school, so when she learns that President Hoover and his wife are building one nearby, she is thrilled. However, her mother flatly refuses to let her go, until her grandmother, Aunt Birdy, intervenes. April is an eager student and loves her teacher, Miss Vest, but her mother soon pulls her out and rejects all appeals-from April, Aunt Birdy, and Miss Vest. Then, April's secret about her brother's death comes to light, resulting in a two-year estrangement between the girl and her parents, only somewhat healed when Aunt Birdy falls ill and dies. During those two years, April lives with Miss Vest and realizes that the future is waiting for her. There are many novels out about the lives of mountain children, but this excellent portrayal of four important years in a girl's life rises to the top. Based on a real school and teacher, this novel seamlessly incorporates historical facts into the narrative. April is an engaging character, always eager to learn but also struggling with her desire for her mother's approval. A first-rate purchase for all libraries.Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Gr. 5-8. When President Hoover sets up a one-room schoolhouse in the mountains of rural Virginia during the Depression, 12-year-old April Sloane is thrilled at the chance to learn to read. But her bitter mother blames her for the accidental death of April's little brother in their cabin and refuses to allow the girl to attend school. With the help of her grandmother and an inspiring, supportive teacher, Miss Vest, April does get to go to school--and she finally learns to read by making a wish list from the Sears, Roebuck catalog. To do that, she must first overcome her guilt and wrench herself from home and from her angry mother, who is locked in grief. In a long afterword, first-novelist Ray fills in the fascinating historical detail about Hoover, the mountain school, and Christine Vest. But it's the local family story that will haunt readers, especially since there's no patched-on happy solution to the poverty, anger, and sorrow. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
"fascinating historical detail...will haunt readers, especially since there's no patched-on happy solution to the poverty, anger and sorrow." BOOKLIST


Review
"fascinating historical detail...will haunt readers, especially since there's no patched-on happy solution to the poverty, anger and sorrow." BOOKLIST


Book Description
Eleven-year-old April Sloane has never set foot in a school before, and now that President Hoover and his wife are building a one-room schoolhouse in the hollow of the Blue Ridge Mountains where April lives, she is eager to attend it. But these are the Depression years, and Mama, who has been grieving ever since the accidental death of her seven-year-old son, wants April to stay home and do the chores around their dilapidated farm. With her grandmother's intercession, April is grudgingly allowed to go. The kind teacher encourages her apt pupil, who finds a new world opening up to her. But at home, April cannot repair the relationship with her mother, and worse, her mother overhears the dark secret April confesses to her teacher regarding the true cause of her brother's death, for which April feels responsible. The author has used her own experience growing up in a rural area of northern Virginia to create the vivid characters and authentic dialogue and background detail that characterize this finely honed debut novel. She has based the one-room schoolhouse on papers in the Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch, Iowa, which include letters between the White House and the young teacher who taught at the school.

ANNOTATION

Eleven-year-old April is delighted when President and Mrs. Hoover build a school near her Madison County, Virginia, home but her family's poverty, grief over the accidental death of her brother, and other problems may mean that April can never learn to read from the wonderful teacher, Miss Vest.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Eleven-year-old April Sloane has never set foot in a school before, and now that President Hoover and his wife are building a one-room schoolhouse in the hollow of the Blue Ridge Mountains where April lives, she is eager to attend it. But these are the Depression years, and Mama, who has been grieving ever since the accidental death of her seven-year-old son, wants April to stay home and do the chores around their dilapidated farm. With her grandmother's intercession, April is grudgingly allowed to go. The kind teacher encourages her apt pupil, who finds a new world opening up to her. But at home, April cannot repair the relationship with her mother, and worse, her mother overhears the dark secret April confesses to her teacher regarding the true cause of her brother's death, for which April feels responsible. The author has used her own experience growing up in a rural area of northern Virginia to create the vivid characters and authentic dialogue and background detail that characterize this finely honed debut novel. She has based the one-room schoolhouse on papers in the Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch, Iowa, which include letters between the White House and the young teacher who taught at the school.

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Jenifer DeHart

Ghost Girl is the nickname of an 11-year-old girl, April Sloane, who lives in a sparsely populated area of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Other children her age give April this nickname because of her light hair and extremely pale skin. Not until President Hoover builds a mountain home nearby does someone realize that the children in the area have no school to attend. Hoover builds the children a school and appoints Caroline Vest as the teacher. April's family has been going through a tough year trying to deal with the death of April's youngest and only brother. Because April has been holding back a secret about his death, she feels responsible. When the secret comes to light, her mother cannot stand to look at April any longer, and she sends her to live with Miss Vest. While this book is a work of historical fiction, President Hoover really did build this mountain school for the local children, and Caroline Vest was the actual teacher chosen to run it. This makes the story even better, since the author already does such a wonderful job of making readers feel like they are really there. It is obvious that Ray did her research to make the setting believable for readers. She tells a very interesting story about the hardships faced by a young girl and the teacher who is trying so hard to help her. Readers will find this Blue Ridge Mountain story difficult to put down. 2003, Clarion Books, Ages 9 to 12.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-April Sloane is called "ghost girl" because of her white-blonde hair and light eyes. She feels like a ghost because since the accidental death of her younger brother a year previously, her mother has fallen in to a deep depression and never seems to see her any more. The 11-year-old lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains and has never attended school, so when she learns that President Hoover and his wife are building one nearby, she is thrilled. However, her mother flatly refuses to let her go, until her grandmother, Aunt Birdy, intervenes. April is an eager student and loves her teacher, Miss Vest, but her mother soon pulls her out and rejects all appeals-from April, Aunt Birdy, and Miss Vest. Then, April's secret about her brother's death comes to light, resulting in a two-year estrangement between the girl and her parents, only somewhat healed when Aunt Birdy falls ill and dies. During those two years, April lives with Miss Vest and realizes that the future is waiting for her. There are many novels out about the lives of mountain children, but this excellent portrayal of four important years in a girl's life rises to the top. Based on a real school and teacher, this novel seamlessly incorporates historical facts into the narrative. April is an engaging character, always eager to learn but also struggling with her desire for her mother's approval. A first-rate purchase for all libraries.-Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews