Cabot, Meg. Shadowland. Simon Pulse, 2000. 256 pages. ISBN-10: 0671787918. ISBN-13: 978-0671787912.Plot:
Suze Simon has always been able to see, talk to, and touch ghosts. She's a mediator and it's her job to help ghosts pass over into the after life, though some ghosts don’t need help so much as a kick in the butt to get them going. When Suze moves from New York to California to live with her new step-family, she hopes that she can put her job behind her and live like a normal girl. Unfortunately, she discovers that her room is haunted by a very cute ghost named Jesse and he seems pretty content to stick around. Suze also learns that there is the ghost of a girl named Heather hanging around her school. Heather shot herself after her boyfriend broke up with her and she is out for revenge. With the help of Jesse and Father Dominic, another mediator, Suze must try to help Heather cross over. Heather isn’t interested; she thinks that Suze is there to take her place. Heather wants her old life back and she isn’t going to let anyone stand in her way, no matter who gets hurt.
Critical Evaluation:
Like most of Cabot’s writing, this is a very cute book. Suze is a hilarious narrator. Her comments about those around her and her transition to life in California are humorous and witty. Though she tries to maintain a tough persona, her sensitivity often shines through. This aspect of her personality makes her a very sympathetic character. Jesse is an unusual but great romantic hero. His old fashioned chivalry perfectly counters Suze’s modern tough girl. Their budding romance is the driving force of the book.
The romance isn’t the only fun aspect, however. The mediator storyline is entertaining, especially when it comes to the disparity between Suze’s methods and Father Dominic’s methods. The two of them bouncing off of each other is one of the more fun parts of the story. Though Cabot does insert a few small frightening parts when it comes to the mediating, they don’t seem out of place with the relatively light storyline. This is definitely a fun read.
Reader's Annotation:
Suze is a mediator, which means she has an unusual gift: she can see, touch, and talk to ghosts. When she encounters a cute ghost who lives in her new bedroom, her life becomes even more complicated than it already was.
Author Information:
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967 in Bloomington, Indiana. As a child, she was an avid reader and frequently spent her summer days in the library. In high school, she entertained herself by writing her own stories. She credits much of her inspiration for writing from the diaries she kept as a teenager, her own experiences, those of people she knows, and things she reads in the news, as well as a healthy dose of imagination.
She attended the University of Indiana as a Fine Arts major. After college, she moved to New York to pursue a career as an illustrator. When that failed, she turned again to writing. Her first novel - Where Roses Grow Wild - was published in 1998 under the pen name Patricia Cabot. Since then she has published over 40 novels for young adults as well as several others for tweens and adults. She has published under the pen names of Patricia Cabot, Jenny Carroll and under her real name.
Genre:
Fantasy
Curriculum Ties:
None
Booktalking Ideas:
- Talk about what it would be like to be a mediator.
- Discuss Suze's relationship with Jesse.
- Introduce Suze in character.
Reading Level/Interest Age:
13 and older
Challenge Issues:
Violence
Challenge Defense Ideas:
- Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
- If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
- Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
- Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.
Reasons for Selection:
Meg Cabot's books have been popular with teens for many years.
