The Presence: A Ghost Story
Encyclopedia
The Presence: A Ghost Story is a children
's ghost
novel
by Eve Bunting
.
of a 17 year old boy that died 120 years ago stands on the stairs of a church in California
, waiting for 17 year old Catherine, who is spending Christmas
with her grandmother while her parents are traveling in Europe. The ghost, Noah, who calls himself The Presence, is searching for a soul mate and thinks that Catherine is the one. Catherine has grief and guilt about her best friend Kristy's death and Catherine is shocked when Noah tells her that he has talked to Kristy and can arrange a time for her to talk to her friend. The ghost and Catherine tell the story and their narratives show details of the ghost's past as well as the accident that claimed Kristy's life.
review says, "Though the heroine's survival is never in question, crisp writing and questions that remain unanswered till tale's end will likely keep fans of ghost stories engaged". Susan Riley, of School Library Journal
, reviewed the book saying, "Bunting, long a favorite of teen thrill seekers, has produced another winner in this well-written story of acute loneliness, alienation, romance, the occult, hope, and tragedy. Fans of the genre will surely pass it from friend to friend, and it's a natural for reluctant readers". A Kirkus Reviews
review says, "friend/romance Collin, the minister's son, provides Catherine with fleeting bits of joy and a feeling of solidity from his realness. She is not free of burden by the end, but there is hope. Memorable".
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
's ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Eve Bunting
Eve Bunting
Anne Evelyn Bunting , better known as Eve Bunting, is an Irish author who has written more than 250 books. Her work covers a broad array of subjects and includes fiction and non-fiction books. Her novels are primarily aimed at children and young adults, but her works also include picture books...
.
Plot introduction
The spiritSpirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
of a 17 year old boy that died 120 years ago stands on the stairs of a church in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, waiting for 17 year old Catherine, who is spending Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
with her grandmother while her parents are traveling in Europe. The ghost, Noah, who calls himself The Presence, is searching for a soul mate and thinks that Catherine is the one. Catherine has grief and guilt about her best friend Kristy's death and Catherine is shocked when Noah tells her that he has talked to Kristy and can arrange a time for her to talk to her friend. The ghost and Catherine tell the story and their narratives show details of the ghost's past as well as the accident that claimed Kristy's life.
Reception
A Publishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
review says, "Though the heroine's survival is never in question, crisp writing and questions that remain unanswered till tale's end will likely keep fans of ghost stories engaged". Susan Riley, of School Library Journal
School Library Journal
The School Library Journal is a monthly magazine with articles and reviews for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with a focus on technology and multimedia. Reviews are included for preschool to 4th grade,...
, reviewed the book saying, "Bunting, long a favorite of teen thrill seekers, has produced another winner in this well-written story of acute loneliness, alienation, romance, the occult, hope, and tragedy. Fans of the genre will surely pass it from friend to friend, and it's a natural for reluctant readers". A Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus . Kirkus serves the book and literary trade sector, including libraries, publishers, literary and film agents, film and TV producers and booksellers. Kirkus Reviews is published on the first and 15th of each month...
review says, "friend/romance Collin, the minister's son, provides Catherine with fleeting bits of joy and a feeling of solidity from his realness. She is not free of burden by the end, but there is hope. Memorable".