A GOOD PLACE

The masterful Kate DiCamillo has outdone herself with a hilarious and achingly real love story about a girl a ghost a grandmother and growing up It s the summer before fifth grade and for Ferris Wilkey it is a summer of sheer pandemonium Her little sister Pinky has vowed to become an outlaw Uncle Ted has left Aunt Shirley and to Ferris s mother s chagrin is holed up in the Wilkey basement to paint a history of the world And Charisse Ferris s grandmother has started seeing a ghost in the doorway to her room which seems like an alarming omen given that she is feeling unwell But the ghost is not there to usher Charisse to the Great Beyond Rather she has other plans wild impractical illuminating plans How can Ferris satisfy a spectre with Pinky terrorizing the town Uncle Ted sending Ferris to spy on her aunt and her father battling an invasion of raccoons As Charisse likes to say Every good story is a love story and Kate DiCamillo has written one for the ages emotionally resonant and healing showing the twice Newbery Medallist at her most playful universal and profound