Title: Where the Lost Ones Go
Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s
Publication date: October 11, 2022
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Summary
Eliot is still grieving Babung, her grandmother, when her parents move her across the country. She’s not sure why it seems like her parents have moved on so quickly. Eliot isn’t ready to let her grandmother go. That’s why she’s so determined to prove that ghosts are real. If they’re real, that means she can get back Babung.
When Eliot’s paranormal investigation leads her to Honeyfield Hall, she finds proof that ghosts are real. However, she also learns that ghosts can lose their memories. In order to help them crossover, she needs to help them remember. With the help of Hazel, a resident of Honeyfield Hall and Eliot’s new crush, they might be able to help the ghosts move on.
Review: Where the Lost Ones Go
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s for an advanced copy of Where the Lost Ones Go by Akemi Dawn Bowman to review! I don’t know how she gets so lucky, but Bowman always has the best covers. They are all absolutely breathtaking, including this one!
This isn’t Bowman’s first middle grade, but it’s the first middle grade of hers that I’ve read. And I’m not surprised that I loved it! Bowman nails the voice in this, authentically communicating Eliot’s feelings and her struggles with grief. It could be a great jumping off point to discuss death and grief with kids or tweens. You can feel how much Eliot is hurting and trying to figure out how to move forward from that hurt. I do wish some sort of therapy would have been represented, because that could have been such a positive thing. I get why it wasn’t, plotwise, but including would have given the book that extra edge.
We also get some twists on the classic ghost story for middle grade. While some of the plot twists were easy for me to spot, they might not be as easy for kids reading it. Bowman plays with your expectations throughout the book, and it really makes the entire story engaging. It made me want to see what Bowman was going to do next!
All in all, if you’re looking for a new middle grade to jump into that might deal with some difficult topics, I would recommend this!
4/5 stars