Path of Names by Ari Goelman - OPTIONAL

Goelman, Ari Path of Names, 339 p. Levine (Scholastic), 2013.  $17.  Language: G; Mature Content: OG (gossip); Violence: PG.  

Dahlia, 13, is not happy.  If she wants to go to magic camp, she must first submit to 2 weeks at Hebrew camp.  That’s bad enough, but it also means being way too close to her older brother Tom, whom she doesn’t not enjoy any more.  Wouldn’t you know, the first day Dahlia gets branded as crazy by the “pops” because she sees what she thinks is a joke, but is actually two ghosts.  Ghosts?  Yep.  There is an evil force at camp and more lives are in danger.  Someone needs to believe Dahlia if no one else is going to die.  

Dahlia’s chapters are interspersed with the story of David – a young man who lived 72 years earlier – and sets up the back story for the present-day evil.  His first chapter – chapter 2, hooked me and kept me going with the story, even in those times I was losing interest.  The cover illustration for this book is completely wrong – making it look more like a comedy adventure, instead of the evil ghost story it really is.  The Jewish mysticism threw me off a bit, but only because I am unfamiliar with the history and issues.  

MS – OPTIONAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher