It's October. That means ghosts stories are in order. A lot of the time people will think a good ghost story when they hear the author, Mary Downing Hahn. Hahn is well known for her ghost stories, and this new one is no exception.
One for Sorrow by Mary Downing Hahn is her latest ghost story published just this year. It's set in a small town in America during WWI when the Spanish Influenza was spreading. This book has some interesting parts and a lot of frustrating parts as well.
One for Sorrow gets 3 out of 5 stars in my book review. This book was probably one of my least favorite Hahn ghost stories. I think a ghost story is a fun read, but this one was less ghost and more evil and mean. I liked the information on the influenza, and the feelings people had about WWI. I found it fascinating to know that Hahn was inspired by her mother's experience of visiting homes with her friends of those that died, and then they actually came to a home of a classmate that had, unknown to them, died.
The major issue I had with this book is the fact that I didn't like any of the characters. Not one. There were a lot of mean girls, girls with low self-esteem, and bullying. The bullying wasn't resolved in a good manner, and the girls only changed after a mean ghost bothered them extensively. The ghost was as likable as a ghost as she was in real life; which that is not saying much. Honestly, One for Sorrow felt more like an evil mean girl book than a ghost story. I was bothered that Annie couldn't talk to her parents, but she couldn't stand up for herself either. I had wished for more character development in that area.
Overall, it's not a bad ghost story, but Wait Til Helen Comes is probably my favorite Mary Downing Hahn book. Here are some other fun ghost story chapter books if you only plan to read 1 Halloween-ish like book, and want some more options. I'm also sharing Halloween books on my Instagram account as well.
What is your favorite middle grade ghost story?
If you do pick up this book, or any Hahn ghost stories...Happy Middle Grade Fiction Ghost Story reading!
One for Sorrow by Mary Downing Hahn
Rating: 3/5 stars
Best For: 10 - 13 year olds, 5th through 8th grade
Clean Read: Yes
Worth a Check Out: Yes, if you like ghost stories
Buy It or Not: No
Read Aloud: No
Lesson Ideas: Spanish influenza. Bullying. Life in America during WWI.
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