Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts

September 1, 2020

Gr 4-7-Thirteen-year-old Eleanor Roosevelt and her 14-year-old cousin Alice could not be more different. Eleanor is practical and meek, while Alice is reckless and brash. And in this alternate version of 1898 New York City, ghosts are definitely real, and hauntings are an accepted part of life. When a haunting "erupts" in the home of the girls' beloved Aunt Bye, they resolve to overcome their differences and team up to investigate and hopefully eradicate the ghost. Their sleuthing leads to a shocking discovery that forces them to confront family ghosts, both literally and figuratively. The Roosevelt family is known for its many celebrated, larger-than-life personalities, and it is refreshing that Salerni centers these charismatic female characters. But the plot hinges on the alteration of the true circumstances of the deaths of Theodore Roosevelt's mother and first wife, a tragedy that is somewhat cheapened when retold as a ghost story. Nevertheless, the supernatural phenomena associated with the haunting are chilling, and the protagonists' plucky bravery is undeniable. Fans of presidential history will likely appreciate the novel's hint at a budding romance between Eleanor and Franklin, but true history buffs may be dismayed by Salerni's deviation from the truth. VERDICT A unique premise that doesn't quite live up to its potential, though it may appeal to ardent fans of historical fiction and ghost stories.-Dana West, Roosevelt H.S., Seattle

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2020
The Roosevelt family is haunted by a treacherous spirit. In an alternate 1898, ghosts are a common occurrence. Some are unaware of their own spectral status, most are harmless, but a few are a bit vengeful. When a peculiar spirit awakens in the old Roosevelt family house in New York City, cousins Eleanor and Alice must strive to overcome their differences and figure out just what this spirit wants. The ghost authorities claim the spirit is harmless, but the little tricks the presence pulls become more and more dangerous as time goes on. Meanwhile, another dark force has emerged in the house where Alice was born and her mother died. Are the two ghosts connected? The Roosevelt family secrets hold all the answers, and the two teen girls discover them one by one. This mix of history and fantasy creates a nifty setting for a middle-grade mystery, but there's one big problem: The Roosevelts all sound the same. Alice and Eleanor are described as total opposites, but their spoken patterns are nearly identical, making the complex relationships all the harder to decipher, even with the aid of the family tree that is provided. The constant muttering of "Wait, which one is talking this time?" kills the narrative's flow, destroying the pacing that's so crucial to a mystery's success. A poorly characterized mystery. (author's note) (Mystery. 10-14)

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January 29, 2021
Grades 4-7 In her most recent novel, set in 1898, Salerni (The Eighth Day, 2014) expertly mixes fact and fiction to create a bright historical adventure. Many readers may not expect the history of a beloved presidential family to contain an alarming amount of death and calamity, but the Roosevelts experienced more than their fair share of tragedy, particularly in the case of cousins Eleanor and Alice. Salerni places their true story of loss and friendship in a fictional world plagued by ghostly eruptions of supernatural energy, and their strength in the face of adversity is made all the more memorable and noteworthy. The young women, teenagers in the tale, must investigate an unexpected haunting that brings to light a hidden and complicated family history. Their alternating perspectives provide fascinatingly different depictions of their resilience in the face of tribulations. This book is highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and thrilling mysteries.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2020
In an alternate-universe 1898 New York City, cousins Eleanor and Alice Roosevelt unite to solve the mystery of the ghost who has recently "erupted" in their aunt Bye's house. Here ghost eruptions are common; professional diagnosticians determine if spirits are Friendlies, Unawares, or Vengefuls. The one haunting Aunt Bye's house is initially categorized as a Friendly -- so why the vicious pranks, the cruel auditory hallucinations, the attempted poisoning of Aunt Bye, and worse? Salerni skillfully incorporates facts about the extended Roosevelt family (Theodore's grief over his first wife's death; the burgeoning romance between Eleanor and Franklin) into a lively and inventive ghost story/mystery/historical fiction mashup. Chapters alternate between Eleanor's and Alice's point of views, allowing readers insight into each young woman's thoughts, emotions, and personality. Introverted and awkward, Eleanor longs to continue her education in London and escape life with her oppressive Grandmother Hall; daring, self-confident, outrageously misbehaving Alice misses the mother she never knew and longs for her distant father's attention. Initially not at all close, the two bond over their shared mission to solve the mystery and dispatch the ghost, and in so doing uncover a second haunting and a dark family secret. Although the novel is engrossing right from the start, tensions build very quickly to a thrilling, Ghostbusters-esque climax, and readers will never think about FDR in quite the same way again after seeing him swing an iron poker at a ghost -- though in fact it is Eleanor and Alice who finish the job. Who you gonna call? An author's note provides additional information about the Roosevelt family.

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2020
In an alternate-universe 1898 New York City, cousins Eleanor and Alice Roosevelt unite to solve the mystery of the ghost who has recently "erupted" in their aunt Bye's house. Here ghost eruptions are common; professional diagnosticians determine if spirits are Friendlies, Unawares, or Vengefuls. The one haunting Aunt Bye's house is initially categorized as a Friendly -- so why the vicious pranks, the cruel auditory hallucinations, the attempted poisoning of Aunt Bye, and worse? Salerni skillfully incorporates facts about the extended Roosevelt family (Theodore's grief over his first wife's death; the burgeoning romance between Eleanor and Franklin) into a lively and inventive ghost story/mystery/historical fiction mashup. Chapters alternate between Eleanor's and Alice's point of views, allowing readers insight into each young woman's thoughts, emotions, and personality. Introverted and awkward, Eleanor longs to continue her education in London and escape life with her oppressive Grandmother Hall; daring, self-confident, outrageously misbehaving Alice misses the mother she never knew and longs for her distant father's attention. Initially not at all close, the two bond over their shared mission to solve the mystery and dispatch the ghost, and in so doing uncover a second haunting and a dark family secret. Although the novel is engrossing right from the start, tensions build very quickly to a thrilling, Ghostbusters-esque climax, and readers will never think about FDR in quite the same way again after seeing him swing an iron poker at a ghost -- though in fact it is Eleanor and Alice who finish the job. Who you gonna call? An author's note provides additional information about the Roosevelt family. Martha V. Parravano

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)