Twelve-year-old Willow Ivan’s family has run the Hotel Ivan for four hundred years. Through thick and thin, they’ve held on tight to their title as the Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street. That is, until the Hauntery—a corporate chain of haunted hotels—moves in down the street. As the Ivan’s business fades, so do their ghostly staff. And Willow begins to worry that The Ivan’s days are numbered.
Then Willow meets Evie, a Hauntery ghost who’s forced to play the part of a Spooky Little Girl even though she longs to be a Terrifying Phantasm.
Together, the girls come up with a plan to save The Ivan. But with The Ivan ghosts already fading, will it be too late?
For ages 8-12 (Middle Grade)
Published: 2020 (Abrams Amulet)
Praise for Mercer Street
KIRKUS
“This straightforward, heartfelt narrative with engaging, well-developed characters will have readers rooting for the underdog.”
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SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“For any young reader who enjoys a bit of mystery, tales of unlikely friendships, and amiable ghosts, this spooky-sweet title is a first rate choice.”
AUSTIN 360
“[T]he truths Oakes shares are universal and will resonate with both middle-graders and their parents – even if you don’t believe in ghosts.”
ADDITIONAL HONORS
2020 Writer’s League of Texas Book Award Finalist