Ghosts morph into zombies in romp ideal for fearless 'tweens

 

A wild and action-packed kids’ novel, The Ghosts of Lone Jack, is being launched today by Spinning Moon Press.

Lone Jack is a real town in Missouri. It was the site of a Civil War battle on August 16, 1862. If you tell your kids some people in Missouri -- that state with more skeptics per square foot than anywhere  -- really believe the LoneJackCemetery is haunted, they might just pick up this book and devour it. (see Haunted Missouri by Jason Offutt)

Or, if they like gore and guts, you might try a sample paragraph like this one from a Rebel ghost-becoming-zombie attack scene:

“Blood spewing from the deep gash, Sirus gouged the glowing eyes of his attacker. The sensation was like sticking his fingers in boiling water. He punched the demon in the face and the skin peeled away like wet mud and bugs started crawling from the bloody wounds. Sirus reached for the shotgun resting near his head. The ghoul jabbed the knife at him …”   (A ghost in blue appears, shoots, Sirus thinks he’s doomed, but the ghost misses.)’ “Sirus scooped up his shotgun and yanked the trigger. The blue demon’s chest exploded, sending bits of bone, thick blood, and flesh scattering across the room. The being fell limp to the floor, though the old man didn’t know if he could kill what was already dead….”

That does seem to be a problem in this book. Ghosts aren’t supposed to have solid parts, much less bloody ones.  But author Lance Lee Noel seems to get around that by telling us the ghosts are turning to zombies for some mysterious reason.

I don’t know if teens or young adults – and the press release for this book calls it a young adult novel -- will suspend their disbelief that far, but ’tweens will love it.

The main protagonist, after all, is 10-year-old Jared Millhouse.  He’s spending the summer at his grandfather’s farm in Lone Jack, expecting nothing, dreading only his miserable performances as a Little League outfielder. His grandfather is dealing with emphysema and his widowed father is becoming a lonely drunk.

While chasing a ball he didn’t catch into the woods one day, Jared sees an apparition. Old-timer Sirus tells him not to worry – he’s seen them too. It’s his theory that the soldiers are reliving the historic battle of Lone Jack over and over.

The author manages to blend some Civil War battle history into the narrative, but misses a chance to set the battle in context.  A few words from one of the adult characters could have gotten across the Union versus state’s rights debate, plus a little about slavery and the abolitionist’s view.  Kids reading this book won’t come away with any sense of the issues over which the war was fought, although they may sense the horrors of battle.

That said, the story is a romp of action and a treasure trove of adventure story elements: the scary cave, the solar eclipse cycle, hidden portal, missing key, a pair of eccentric professorial ghost hunters from far away (Connecticut), a whole town in jeopardy, a deadline for action, and, of course, the hero, Jared, who must save the town by taking brave action.

For good measure there’s a couple of bullies, a couple of girls, some escaped prisoners, an arrogant sheriff, and the cemetery tour guide.  Jared’s dad’s love interest and grandfather’s illness bring in elements of everyday reality. It’s a kids’ page turner alright.