The Black Butterfly

By Shirley Reva Vernick

Penny’s reluctant stay at the Black Butterfly is interrupted by two ghosts (one friendly, one not), and a potential first love in this sweet and chilling story set on the coast of Maine.

Description

Penny is furious that she has to spend Christmas break alone at the Black Butterfly, an old inn at the coldest, bleakest edge of America–the coast of Maine. This trip is the brainchild of Penny’s flaky, ghost hunting mother, who leaves Penny at the Black Butterfly so she can hunt ghosts across the country. Penny does not believe in ghosts, until, that is, she discovers two very real apparitions in the Black Butterfly, which only she can see. As if things couldn’t get any more complicated, she meets George, the handsome son of the inn’s owner. George definitely does not believe in ghosts, which poses a problem for Penny since one of the ghosts wants her dead.

With George unwilling to believe, and her mother out of reach, Penny must find a way to save herself. Or is it too late for her and the ghosts, and will she lose her life, first love, and her sanity?

About the Creators

Shirley Reva Vernick

Shirley Reva Vernick is an award-winning author and journalist. Her works include The Sky We Shared, Remember Dippy, The Blood Lie, and The Black Butterfly. Her interviews and feature articles have appeared in numerous magazines, national newspapers, and university publications. She also runs a popular storytelling website, storybee.org, which is used in schools, libraries, hospitals, and homes all over the world. Shirley graduated from Cornell University and is an alumna of the Radcliffe Writing Seminars. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Reviews

  • "An amusing and engaging romance with the added spice only a pair of specters can add."

    - Kirkus Reviews
  • "Vernick's variety of likable characters makes this a solid read for young adults. For a book that involves a ghost in a love triangle, the thoughts and actions of the protagonist are relatable and realistic. The book successfully sells both Penny's fragility as well as her grudging, growing love for the inhabitants of the hotel. The descriptions of everything from the culture of the island in the off-season to the lavish meals prepared by the inn's French chef enhance readers' experience."

    - School Library Journal

Paperback

  • ISBN 9781935955801
  • Price $11.95
  • Publication Date Jun 24, 2014
  • Trim Size 7 × 5 in
  • Weight 0.4375 lbs
  • Page Count 226
  • Hardcover

  • ISBN 9781935955795
  • Price $19.95
  • Publication Date Jun 24, 2014
  • Trim Size 7 × 5 in
  • Weight 0.9375 lbs
  • Page Count 226
  • Interests

  • Imprint Cinco Puntos Press
  • Audience Middle Grade
  • BISAC Category 1 JUV / Horror
  • BISAC Category 2 JUV / Family / Marriage & Divorce
  • BISAC Category 3 JUV / Social Themes / Friendship
  • Themes Conflict resolution, Families, Fantasy, Fiction, Identity / Self Esteem / Confidence, Mothers, Mystery / Suspense, Paranormal, Realistic Fiction, Teen Interest, YA interest
  • Languages English
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 13 - 18
  • Grade Range Grades 8 - 12
  • Guided Reading Z+
  • ATOS Book Level 9
  • Interest Level Grades 8 - 12
  • Lexile Level 690
  • Lexile Measurement 690L
  • Reading Level Grades 9 - 10