GHOST GIRL

A spooky Middle Grade novel with shades of SMALL SPACES about consent, bravery, and gratitude.

Nothing interesting ever happens in the small town of Knobb's Ferry. Everyone knows that, especially eleven year old Zera Delilah Puckett and her best (and only friend,) Elijah Watson Turner, who pass their time exploring the old cemetery in town, telling scary stories, trying to avoid local bully Nellie Bloom, and wishing that something exciting would happen for once.

But when a giant storm blows through town and the local nursery school teacher and principal disappear, rumors fly. Nellie's beloved dog disappears too, and in an effort to get back at Nellie for her teasing, Zee and Elijah lead her to the cemetery. There, they encounter a dog in the cemetery that is nothing like Nellie's beloved poodle, and Zee starts seeing shadows everywhere she goes.

Then a new principal comes to town. Mr. Scratch is not like any principal that Knobb's Ferry has ever seen. He's dynamic and he tells great stories, and at first, Zee kinda likes him. Soon the townsfolk discover that he can give them whatever they desire most in the world - as long as they visualize it with him. But when Zee's big sister Abby falls prey to Principal Scratch's manipulations, Zee starts to suspect that something strange is going on.

As Zee, Elijah and Nellie work together to figure out Principal Scratch's true intentions, they must face their greatest fears or lose everything they hold dear.

Ally Malinenko, a long time Brooklyn resident, works as a research librarian at the Brooklyn Public Library's Central branch which has more floors underground than above. Her previous work includes the poetry books The Wanting Bone (Six Gallery Press), How to be An America (Six Gallery Press) and Better Luck Next Year (Low Ghost Press) as well as the children's fantasy Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb (Antenna Books) and the YA novel This Is Sarah (Bookfish Books). More information can be found at allymalinenko.com