A Properly Unhaunted Place

A Properly Unhaunted Place | William Alexander

pick

After seeing @monalyisha ‘s rave review about this book, I knew I had to try it. An appeasement specialist hired by a library to appease ghosts? Yes, please! So, what happens when said specialist is hired by a town with no ghosts? Rosa, the daughter, learns a little bit about the town...the no ghost thing is complicated. This is a fun little story for #middlegrade that features haunts and libraries and history. Perfect combo! #BBRC #ReadersChoice

LibrarianRyan, StayCurious

LibrarianRyan Nice 5y

monalyisha Aw! Sounds like you enjoyed. 😊 5y

81 likes2 comments

swynn

A Properly Unhaunted Place | William Alexander

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Rosa's mother is an "appeasement specialist," a librarian whose specialty is working with the spirits who inhabit libraries (also it's my brand-new professional ambition). Rosa's mother is burned out on the work, so they've just moved to Ingot, where no ghosts exist. Now Rosa and her new friend Jasper investigate why Ingot is so unhaunted. Super fun, and I'm looking forward to meeting the author at my employer's Children's Lit Festival.

24 likes

Peddler410

A Properly Unhaunted Place | William Alexander

Librarians and hauntings? Sign me up!

Image from page 108.

12 likes1 stack add

monalyisha

A Properly Unhaunted Place | William Alexander

pick

The best middle-grade novel I've read in years! Rosa's mom is both a librarian & an “appeasement specialist,“ which is basically like a ghost hunter but instead of “hunting“ or banishing ghosts, she simply calms them down. The idea is that libraries are meant to be haunted because they're such storied places, with so many people passing through them & so many memories nestled between pages.

*Review cont'd below.👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: When Rosa‘s dad dies in a supernatural event gone wrong, the two remaining Diaz‘s move to a town that‘s famous for being totally ghost-free. Rosa, who loves her mom‘s work, is devastated. But, of course, the town‘s not as safe from hauntings as its residents have been led to believe. With her mom silenced by grief, Rosa is the only appeasement specialist left. It‘s up to her to save the town she never wanted to move to in the first place. (edited) 5y

monalyisha 2/2: What I love about this book is the unique world that Alexander‘s created (with its own rules), its diverse characters who acknowledge their difference but whose stories are not solely about this difference, and the way that absence means as much as presence. It‘s like an intro to close-reading for young, developing minds. I can‘t praise it enough, and I can‘t wait to read the next book in the series! (edited) 5y

monalyisha My only criticism is that the story leans upon the “MC moves to a new town“ trope, which is *heavily* overused in MG fiction. But everything else is so unique that I'm more than willing to overlook it. 5y

59 likes5 stack adds3 comments

monalyisha

A Properly Unhaunted Place | William Alexander

This post contains spoilers

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What it sounds like when a dead banishment specialist gives the speech from “Matilda”:

“Surrender,” he said. “Your art is made of compromise and embarrassment. Mine reshapes the world and its possibilities according to my stronger will. And I will not yield.”

Spoiler Alert: Your girl doesn‘t surrender. ✊🏻

12 likes

monalyisha

A Properly Unhaunted Place | William Alexander

“Think it‘ll work?” Jasper asked.
“Yes,” Rosa said. “Kinda. Maybe. Hopefully.”

This is the kind of answer I can get behind. 😅

Clare-Dragonfly I prefer “it would take a miracle” 😆 5y

53 likes1 comment

monalyisha

A Properly Unhaunted Place | William Alexander

Hi. I‘ve found my new dream job. Library appeasement specialist. Rosa‘s mom is both a librarian & an “appeasement” specialist, meaning that she comforts (rather than hunts) ghosts — especially those that live in libraries. SIGN ME UP.

“Libraries need to be haunted...Whenever you open an old book, you read it along with everyone else who‘s ever read that same book. You‘re supposed to. Hauntings don‘t end. Ghosts don‘t ever just go away.”

VioletBramble Love it! 5y

monalyisha Disclaimer: I don‘t *really* believe in ghosts. I suppose that could be a problem. 🙈 But how cool is the idea?! 💡 5y

Tamra How fun! 5y

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DaveGreen7777 👻👻👻 5y

Pricel101 This is perfect for you!! So fun 📚👻 5y

TheLibrarian This does sound like the perfect job! 5y

77 likes2 stack adds6 comments

emtobiasz

A Properly Unhaunted Place | William Alexander

Me: I‘ve never heard of this book! Why do so many libraries in our system own it?

Jacket blurb: “Rosa Diaz has a very special talent. She comes from a family of librarians who specialize in ghost appeasement.”

Oh. That‘s why. (Of course I took it home, I‘m not a monster 🙃)
#litsyloveslibraries #panderingworks #librarianlife #kidlit #middlegrade #ifeelseen

MemoirsForMe 😁😁😁 6y

49 likes2 stack adds1 comment

KaraDunn

A Properly Unhaunted Place | William Alexander

pick

Rosa Diaz, amateur ghost appeasement specialist, and Jasper Chevalier, a squire at the annual Renaissance festival, team up to solve the mystery of why their town is the world‘s only unhaunted town. An excellent MG read for the young and young at heart. I especially loved the magic in this world - it felt so original and completely believable.

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