The Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix

My name is Marin, and I hoped the move to Pennsylvania would help change my life in a good way. I'm still upset about how my friendships ended back in Illinois, but my first impression with the boy next to my new house wasn't much better. Charley and I are the only people able to see the teenagers on the other side of the hill. They looked really happy while I was watching their party, but then they just disappeared! Charley is sure one of the boys is his father, and one of the girls is named Missy. Something tragic happened at this house twenty years ago, and it's haunted Charley's father ever since. Are we seeing time travelers? Ghosts? I'm not sure what they are, but Charley calls them the Remarkables. He's convinced we can do something to change the past and heal his father. Can it be possible?

Marin had an ongoing, internal conflict regarding her past friends, and it was hard for her to resolve. The plot began when she saw the teenagers beyond the trees and thought they had the ability to become invisible. Charley brought focus to the events, as he knew local backstories and had been watching the Remarkables for a while. The Remarkables felt more like ghosts than time travelers, and they created a curious cast of characters. Charley and Marin tried to figure things out, but the story tended to meander around. It wasn't clear where the plot was headed or when it might end. However, I should have known the author had something up her sleeve, as the last fourth of the book flipped everything around. Assumptions were corrected, inconsistencies were cleared up, and the story would probably end happily ever after. The story addressed common middle school issues and the complications of friendship. Once again, the answer to the problems boiled down to communication. Overall, I enjoyed the book very much and recommend you give it a shot.