Skip to main content

The Haunted Lake

 


The Haunted Lake
Written by: P.J. Lynch
Candlewick press, 2020. Picture Book.

 The Haunted Lake by P.J. Lynch is not for the faint of heart or younger children even though it is an illustrated picture book. It's a beautiful haunting story about a village that is flooded with water after the river is dammed. The local people claim that it is a haunted lake. But a local fisherman and his young son Jacob don't listen to the stories. They stay in the village that was once their home where Jacob's mother is buried in the cemetery beneath the water. Jacob and his father catch fish in the waters above the town and then take the fish to market to sell making a small meager living. One night while Jacob is out fishing he disappears lured beneath the waters by the ghosts who live there.

This is a ghost story about undying love with stunning illustrations. The author builds two worlds, the world above the water which is bright and cheerful, and the world below that is eerie and icy cold with the remnants of a lost village hidden beneath the watery waves. This is the perfect book for older readers who are looking for an enticing love story with a little bit of ghostly suspense and a lot of striking, brilliant art work. Check out The Haunted Lake and get ready to meet the ghosts from the village of Spetzia.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

An ABC of Flowers

An ABC of Flowers   by Jutta Hilpuesch New York, NY : Philomel Books, [2019] It turns out there really is a flower for every letter. This sweet book has a photograph of every flower and  a sweet cartoon illustration to go along with it. All your favorite flowers are here (forget-me-nots, mums, and sunflowers), along with some you probably haven't heard of before (billy ball, kalanchoe, xeranthemum?).  This is a perfect book for reading together, and readers of any age will enjoy every page. Don't miss this great springtime alphabet book. 

Review: The House with Nobody in It

  The House with Nobody in It By Jon Klassen Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2026. Board Book.  The House with Nobody in It may very well be your child's first ghost story. The simple story begins with the narrator explaining to readers that this house used to have someone in it, but there is now nobody there. Toddlers and preschoolers will love contradicting this statement as they peek through the house that the board book forms, as the ghost is clearly visible throughout the story.  This unique and imaginative board book is the perfect thing to read during Halloween season! The book itself plays into the experience, with cutouts and clever turns that make it especially interactive. The illustrations are superb, simple but well crafted, adding to the story's theme as a whole. This will likely be a book that gets many repeat reads!

Display: Teddy's Top Picks

  Bear in the Air Written by Susan Meyers Illustrated by Amy Bates New York : Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2010. Picture book. When a teddy bear is lost by the child who loves him, the bear begins an adventurous journey to get back home again. -- Editor Blanket and Bear, A Remarkable Pair Written by L.J.R. Kelly Illustrated by Yoko Tanaka New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2013. Picture book. When a boy loses his beloved blanket and bear, they travel a great distance to make their way back to him. -- Editor A Bear to Share Written by Jessica Alba, Nora Weinstein, and Kelly Patricof  Illustrated by Alicia Mas New York, NY : Baby2Baby/Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2021. Picture book. Tiana loves her teddy bear, Bach. She doesn't mind that he's a little worn and somewhat torn. So when her mother suggests she make room for a new bear, Tiana can't believe her ears! Will Tiana have to lose the one bear she really loves? Or will she find room in her heart for t...