The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee

by Erin Petti, Kris Aro McLeod (Illustrator)

Overview

Ghost-story lover and debut author Erin Petti has written a quirky story for fans of The Goonies, Goosebumps, and Coraline.

Eleven-year-old budding scientist Thelma Bee has adventure in her blood. But she gets more than she bargained for when a ghost kidnaps her father. Now her only clues are a strange jewelry box and the word “Return,” whispered to her by the ghost. It’s up to Thelma to get her dad back, and it might be more dangerous than she thought—there’s someone wielding dark magic, and they’re coming after her next.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781938063725
Publisher:	Mighty Media, Inc.
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	740L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Erin Petti lives beside some very tall pine trees in Winthrop, Massachusetts and loves to read about magic, dinosaurs, folklore, and ghosts. She has a masters in education and a background in improvisational comedy. Erin lives with her husband, excellent toddler, and a very helpful cat, Lucy.

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2016
Gr 4–6—Thelma Bee is a young scientist. She believes in experimentation and observation—pure scientific method. However, she is also able to accept when events border on the weird, as they do the day that a strange old woman sells her father an antique keepsake box. Thelma immediately begins to experience scary, supernatural events that seem to be related to the box. When the box is responsible for the disappearance of someone she loves, she knows she must figure out how to defeat it and the witch controlling it. Fortunately she has friends who will help her. Petti steadily increases a sense of suspense and dread. The worlds she creates, especially the ones inside the box, are imaginative and fresh. It is rewarding to read about a scientifically minded female protagonist, and that should help attract an audience. VERDICT Those looking for a chilling but quick read should enjoy this one, as will reluctant readers. Recommended for most middle grade collections.—B. Allison Gray, Goleta Public Library, CA

School Library Journal

2016-06-01
When a ghost kidnaps her father, a budding young scientist must complete a daunting task to save him.Growing up in Riverfish, Massachusetts, Thelma Bee, an 11-year-old white girl with experimentation and exploration in her blood, dreams of the day she'll "adventure through the world." But when her father purchases a strange antique jewelry box, an angry ghost appears, trashing their house and screaming "RETURN" while Thelma's father vanishes into the box. Desperate to save her father and unaware of her own supernatural powers, Thelma opens the box and finds herself in a bleak place and meets her ancestor, Annabelle, imprisoned in the box for 200 years by a sinister demon named Zachariah Understone. Annabelle tells Thelma the women in their family possess powers strong enough to "bend worlds" and "break magic" and gives her a task to perform. In order to release her father and Annabelle, Thelma must draw upon her own powers and confront Understone. Black-and-white illustrations add visual dimension to Thelma's peculiar haunting, punctuated by secrets from the past, paranormal happenings, diverse and devoted friends, and a fiery finale. Such humorous details as a car named Gary Indiana and the bickering of Thelma's friends in the Riverfish Valley Paranormal Society keep the tone light. An inventive debut ghost story starring a contemporary girl with ancient powers. (Ghost story. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews

"Petti steadily increases a sense of suspense and dread. The worlds she creates, especially the ones inside the box, are imaginative and fresh. It is rewarding to read about a scientifically minded female protagonist, and that should help attract an audience. VERDICT Those looking for a chilling but quick read should enjoy this one, as will reluctant readers. Recommended for most middle grade collections." — School Library Journal

"Black-and-white illustrations add visual dimension to Thelma’s peculiar haunting, punctuated by secrets from the past, paranormal happenings, diverse and devoted friends, and a fiery finale. Such humorous details as a car named Gary Indiana and the bickering of Thelma’s friends in the Riverfish Valley Paranormal Society keep the tone light. An inventive debut ghost story starring a contemporary girl with ancient powers." — Kirkus Reviews

The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee is a delightfully scary story about a bright young girl with a curious mind and an adventurous spirit. When Thelma’s dad is kidnapped by a ghost, she must find a way to get him back. The book is filled with likeable characters and interesting settings, brought to life by simple black-and-white drawings scattered throughout the text. Children ages eight to twelve will be thrilled with an engaging story that is full of twists and surprises. — Foreword Reviews

"Thelma is a smart, independent character who quickly takes control of the situation and her dislike for the annoying popular girls will endear her to many readers. This supernatural thriller is a must for those who enjoy the similarly chilling books by Mary Downing Hahn and Dan Poblocki." — San Fransisco Book Review

" The thing I like most about Thelma Bee is the way she views the world. Whether she’s planting exotic flowers or chasing ghosts through the kitchen, she sees things as a (proudly) smart, young scientist and as a hopeful, starry-eyed dreamer. Hypothesis: she’ll steal lots of hearts."— Natalie Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of A Snicker of Magic and The Key to Extraordinary

"A full-of-surprises heroine, her intrepid friends, ghosts and monsters, dark wizards and good witches, mad bulls and wild cats, a haunted jewelry box and spooky goo—there's something for everyone in this rollicking fun read!"—Margi Preus, author of Newbery Honor winner Heart of a Samurai and Enchantment Lake

“Thelma Bee is the girl I always wanted to be friends with in school: a smart, funny, chatty little scientist who'd be endlessly entertaining even if she weren't developing supernatural powers. Likewise, The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee is a smart, fun, and inventive adventure down a fantastical rabbit-hole. Thelma's world is brimming with wit, colorful characters, and unexpected thrills. (And magic, of course.)”—Neil Reynolds, writer for The CW's The Vampire Diaries

"I want to hand copies of Thelma Bee to every middle schooler in town. Thoroughly original, but with little echoes of everything from Stars Hollow to  Ghostbusters  to  Buffy the Vampire Slayer , it's sure to leave everybody as it left me: looking for the next page.”—David Mogolov, writer, comedian, and parenting advice columnist at The Boston Globe

“ Thelma Bee takes place at the intersection of science, magic, and mystery.  It's engaging, clever, and suspenseful.  I only wish I could time travel and give it to myself at ten.  This one is definitely going on my daughter's bookshelf!”—Annie Mebane, writer for ABC’s The Goldbergs , NBC’s Community , and ABC’s Happy Endings

"Terrific, energetic and full of supernatural wonder!  As someone who comes across a lot of paranormal fiction, I believe Thelma Bee is refreshing and a must-read for all ages!" —Ryan Buell, host/executive producer of A&E's Paranormal State and author of My Journey Into The Unknown .

"A fast, engaging read, this book should entertain and charm readers everywhere. The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee is a clever, imaginative book with wonderful characters that has the real potential to become a huge hit. ...Young women should really relate to this magical book and be swept up into its enchanted, albeit slightly frightening, world... If you love Coraline, Matilda, Harry Potter, The Secret Circle, or Ghostbusters, then this is the book for you." —The Silver Petticoat Review

"Okay so this book is a quirky mystery with ghosts?!!! Where’s the heart face emoji when you need it!! This sounds absolutely WONDERFUL and the comparison titles are amazing. Seriously I cannot wait to read this one!!!"—Laura Noakes (blogger), "My Five Most Anticipated Books of 2016"

"A spunky budding scientist faces the paranormal in this endearing new middle grade adventure in the vein of Nancy Drew and the Goosebumps series. Young readers with a taste for adventure and magic will find a new hero to adore in The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee by Erin Petti." —Novel Novice

"I couldn’t get enough of [Thelma's] endless curiosity and need to learn new things." —Bookish Babes

"Thelma is a great creation ... If you like spooky stuff, this is a book for you!" —Middle Grade Mafioso

"...a great addition to your middle grade reader’s library." —An Unconventional Librarian

"Even though The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee is a ghost story, it's also a story of a brave girl who uses her scientific skills to her advantage." —Teach Mentor Texts

“It’s so smart, and every twist and turn is totally unexpected! Erin's writing is visual, smart, and full of imagination. Her characters are so fleshed out and real, I could see each of them. I also didn't realize it would be such an adventure; it starts innocent enough and then wham, bam, thank you, you're hooked! This is a book for all ages. I would seriously recommend this to anyone and everyone. Also, I hope there is a sequel and, dare I say, A MOVIE? ”—Alexandra Fox, Emmy-nominated writer for PBS' Odd Squad and writer for Amazon's The Stinky and Dirty Show

"Starring a charming and quirky budding scientist and featuring an exciting can't-put-it-down plot, The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee had me cheering all the way through!”—Sarah Beth Durst, author of The Girl Who Could Not Dream and Vessel

"This is that rare and wonderful book that will delight middle-grade readers and grown-up parents alike (don't tell the kids that, though.) Funny, smart, fascinating, clever, with a wonderful, glowing heart and a strong GIRL in the lead. I can't wait to read more books by Erin Petti for many years to come."—Sara Benincasa, comedian and author of DC Trip and Agorafabulous!: Dispatches From My Bedroom

"Middle graders are going to love the smart, spunky middle grader that doesn’t care about the mean girls and their dopey fashion choices – she has better things to do. ... Put this one right next to Neil Gaiman’s Coraline , Sally Gardner’s Wings & Co. series, and Karen Foxlee’s Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy to create a solid girl-power reading display."—Mom Read It

"This is a fun, fast-paced read for those who like their ghosts just a little bit scary. It’s a promising beginning to an exciting new series. It is a must read." ––Middle Grade Mafia

"...the storyline was well-crafted with a great spin on Norse mythology and played off a real historical event. The fast-pacing kept me entertained from start to finish. Thelma and her friends were a fun bunch that I loved following on this adventure!" ––Stories & Sweeties

“In Thelma Bee , author Erin Petti brings the reader on an exciting paranormal adventure full of surprises. Her quirky characters add life to this ghostly story and draw us in. It's a fun read that quickly becomes a can't-put-down page-turner.”—Ellen Prager, author of the Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians series

From the Publisher