The Last Resort by Erin Entrada Kelly

What worked:

Lila is the overly dramatic main character whose two best friends are tired of her exaggerated reactions to everything. She texts them an SOS that she’s being forced against her will to attend her grandfather’s funeral and is surprised they don’t share her angst. It’s perfectly normal to attend the funeral of a loved one who’s died. Lila’s parents and brother aren’t sympathetic to her constant emergencies either, so she’s reluctant to tell them she can see ghosts. She’s going to be a rock this time, unwavering with her emotions fully under control, although inside, she’s freaked out and scared.

Lila has an instant ally in Teddy, her grandfather’s young neighbor. Teddy has always had an interest in ghosts, and Grandpa Clem was willing to answer all of his questions. Grandpa was “high channel” (able to see and speak to ghosts), and it seems Lila is too. Teddy immediately accepts that Lila has seen her grandfather and offers to solve the mystery of how he died. Grandpa Clem doesn’t know who poisoned his tea, but he’s sure he was murdered. Readers will identify one character as the obvious, prime suspect, but the details surrounding the portal in the attic take longer to emerge.

This is a ghost story, and there are plenty of them to satisfy young readers. They range from an innocent four-year-old girl to a threatening sharpshooter from the Old West. Lila is confused when ghosts ask her questions she can’t answer, and others tell her to “step right up”. Grandpa Clem’s old business partner is willing to share information about the afterlife, but Lila isn’t sure she trusts him. She’s sure he’s not telling her the complete truth, and there are puzzling pictures on his walls. Other photos found at the library provide some answers but create new questions, too. Lila knows everything revolves around the portal mirror, and she knows she’ll eventually need to be intrepid enough to open the locked door at the top of the steep, narrow attic stairs.

What didn’t work as well:

I read an advanced copy of the book and didn’t get to experience the interactive aspect of it. The finished edition will allow readers to scan QR codes on certain pages to “talk” to ghost characters in the book. The plot builds to a climax that may not be as suspenseful as some readers would like. However, it comes to a satisfying resolution.

The final verdict:

Young readers will understand Lila’s severe anxiety, although she takes it to the extreme. She fits the term “drama queen”, but her long road to courage is eventful. This book will appeal to middle-grade ghost lovers, and I recommend you give it a shot.