Author India Hill Brown’s latest page-turner, The Girl in the Lake, blends preteen perspectives and historical fiction with just enough scares to keep middle schoolers enthralled.
Celeste is less than excited about spending two weeks at her grandparents’ lake house with her younger brother and cousins. On top of the bugs and bad cell reception that await her, she just failed her swim test. She wishes she loved being in the water, but it's just so scary.
However, Celeste's grandparents are strong believers in Black people learning to swim, especially since they grew up at a time when public pools in the U.S. were segregated, which meant many Black Americans never got the opportunity to learn. Her grandmother's sister drowned trying to teach herself to swim.
For Celeste, something scarier than the lake's deep waters is coming. Shortly after she and the other kids arrive, spooky things begin happening at night. They suspect their great-aunt is haunting the house. Then, Celeste sees a figure in the bathroom mirror that resembles herself, but isn’t. As the past and present collide, it’s up to the kids to find out what the figure in the mirror wants.
Offering the kind of fast-paced plot and relatable characters that middle schoolers reach for, The Girl in the Lake is a perfect pick for keeping readers engaged over the summer (get tips for creating a summer reading routine for your kids) or as a weeknight read to break up the homework routine during the school year. Plus, the historical framework that Brown builds her novel around will give readers perspective on how past events influence the present.
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