Auxier, Jonathan. The Night Gardener. Harry N. Abrams, 2014.
Molly and her brother Kip are orphans, only Kip has been led to believe his parents are on a grand adventure somewhere in the world. Molly is caring for Kip and trying to make sure they are safe and fed and clothed. She finds work for them caring for a creepy old house and the family that has moved there. This house is right next to a mysterious tree; moreover, the house's inhabitants seem to have gotten very sick and weak since they moved in. Molly is able to put the pieces together and discovers the problem, but will she be able to save the family, and will they even want her to save them?
This book was appropriately mysterious, spooky, and creepy. I enjoyed the fairy-tale elements and the creepy bits of the story. Everything was great until I got to the end. I expected the ending to rush past in a blur as everything came to a climax, but it dragged a bit. Still, I would easily and readily recommend this book to middle grade students, tweens, and even some teens.
Recommended for: tweens, fans of spooky stories,
Red Flags: minor amounts of violence
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
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