After her mom dies, Vannie Taylor's dad takes her and her brother to live on the large estate where he works. Vannie wishes things would return to normal, but her mom's best friend and a friendly ghost bring about important changes in her life.
Sixth-grader Vannie Taylor’s mom has just died. Her father, completely lost without his wife, brings Vannie and her younger brother to live in a dismal cottage on the estate where he manages craft fairs, dinners, and other events. When strange events start happening around the estate, Vannie decides to investigate, and soon discovers a ghost who wants her to help him make amends for something in his past. Vannie’s life is starting to get back to normal, but in a way she’s never imagined.
Professional Reviews
Archie’s Cri de Cœur By Amelia Curzon Reviews on February 10, 2014
Eleven-year-old Vanessa (Vannie) has lost her mother and is left with her inattentive father and younger brother, Robby, for company. Anxious to move away, Vannie’s father rents out the house they have been so happy living in as a family, and they move to a cottage on the estate where he works as the Director. He is so busy planning events and running the estate, Vannie and Robby are more-or-less left to their own resources. Despite the lack of food, Dad, who needs as much looking after as the children do, has forgotten to go shopping, and failed to turn up with the promised take-away. Vannie is at a loss and Robby keeps crying hunger. Unable to deal with what little food is available, Vannie takes a walk in the grounds.
““I want to cook dinner tonight,” she says out loud. “But what can I make? Number one, I don’t know how to cook.”"
Without warning, a formally-dressed young man appears from nowhere and helpfully answers her question. He offers Vannie a quick and easy recipe to try. The mysterious stranger introduces himself and they talk for a while. Seeing him sitting on a nearby bench, Vannie notes, to her alarm, she can see right through him. She later thanks him and he disappears without trace. At this point she realises she has been talking to a ghost.
Thereafter, ‘Archie’, the ghost, continues to manifest himself to Vannie, always with helpful tips and recipes, until he finally puts in a request for some help in return. Still grieving for her mother, Vannie is flabbergasted by Archie’s cri de cœur, and battles with her inner self about the rights and wrongs of it all. All she really wants to do is live a normal life.
Great YA Read
This is a wonderful book for the younger crowd. When I was in grade school I read Apple books by Betty Ren Wright and I instantly felt like I was reading one of her books as I dove into this one.
Marilyn has a fantastic set of characters with Vannie her brother Robby , her dad, her aunt Mayda and her friend Tammy as well as Theodore the cat and Archie the ghost.
The story is told through Vannie's eyes and she really is the picture of the typical 6th grade girl. She's almost grown up, but not quite and her world has been turned upside down. Not only has she lost her mother, but her father isn't coping well and they are moving to a cottage on the grounds of the estate that he works for.
That really makes for a lot of pre-teen angst and even more angst from her younger brother Robby. It doesn't help matters that their dad isn't the best parent in the world. He's way more concerned with work then keeping house. I really felt sorry for the 11 year old who was learning to cook from recipes she was given by Archie the ghost.
Vannie is really inquisitive, as is her friend Tammy and they really work hard to uncover who Archie is, though Vannie is a little less enthusiastic about the request Archie has for her. It has to do with her aunt Mayda getting a husband. (I'll say no more, as that would be SPOILERS)
I recommend this book highly to the pre-teen set. It is a quick, fun read that kids and parents will enjoy.
Intriguing and Delightful
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL is a charming story about an 12-year-old girl dealing with loss, changes and a ghost.
Vanessa `Vannie' Taylor is dealing with the loss of her mother as she cares for her younger brother, Robby. Dealing with his own grief, Vannie's father moves his family out of their home and into a tiny cottage on the estate where he is the director of Merrymount Gardens. The move is made a bit easier by her Aunt Mayda, who really isn't an aunt but her late mother's best friend. Mayda owns Merrymount Gardens, but lives in the city where she's a lawyer.
To Vannie's surprise, she encounters Archibald `Archie' Heatherton, the estate's resident ghost and Mayda's grandfather. After helping Vannie with a problem or two, Archie ask for her help in return. He wants her to help him make amends for something that happened with his death. While she'd like to help Archie, if she does it will mean a drastic change in Vannie's life. Longing for life to get back to normal, Vannie learns normal may not be what she expected.
Author Marilyn Levinson has taken a story that deals with the death of a parent, added hope and mixed in a bit of humor for a well-balanced tale. Her characters are well-developed, likable and realistic. She blends the stress of family life with a touch of paranormal for a light-hearted tale that will have you smiling.
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL is a quick read that flows smoothly with a surprise or two along the way.
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