A review by kellyhager
Trace by Pat Cummings
This doesn't feel like a debut novel. The pacing is excellent and it's ideal for middlegrade readers (especially around Halloween!). I love the supernatural aspect, though people who aren't fans of things that are scary or even horror-adjacent don't need to worry. I don't think anyone will be losing any sleep because of this book.
Trace is an orphan now and of course he blames himself because he thinks it's his fault that he and his parents were on the road in the exact right time to get into the fatal accident. Because he doesn't really talk about his feelings, no adult in his life can reassure him that it's no one's fault.
As much as I feel awful for Trace, he's sometimes hard to like. He makes a lot of really rude comments (in his head, at least) about people in his life. (Mostly his teacher but also Presley, a girl in his class.) This may be spot-on for boys in that age range; I don't personally know any so I can't say for sure.
If you know of any reluctant readers, this is perfect for them. (And also for people who already love it.)
Trace is an orphan now and of course he blames himself because he thinks it's his fault that he and his parents were on the road in the exact right time to get into the fatal accident. Because he doesn't really talk about his feelings, no adult in his life can reassure him that it's no one's fault.
As much as I feel awful for Trace, he's sometimes hard to like. He makes a lot of really rude comments (in his head, at least) about people in his life. (Mostly his teacher but also Presley, a girl in his class.) This may be spot-on for boys in that age range; I don't personally know any so I can't say for sure.
If you know of any reluctant readers, this is perfect for them. (And also for people who already love it.)