THE OLD SECRET AT HOTEL OREGON

A fourth grader helps out friendly ghosts at a 120-year-old hotel in Black’s middle-grade novel.

Sara is still trying to fit in at her new school in California. Drawing attention to herself surely isn’t the way to do it, so she worries when she’s randomly chosen to represent her classroom in a contest that involves pairing up with a family member and asking personal questions about each other. The only available participant in her family is Daniel, her dismissive older brother who’s chock-full of insults. They’ll have plenty of time to practice during the family’s outing in Oregon (a business trip for Dad). Mom books a reputedly haunted hotel where Sara is able to chat with the ghostly pieces of old clothing—like Silas, a Civil War coat she has befriended and now owns. (Her hotel room’s secret closet is a treasure trove containing the ghosts of socks, a souvenir cap, and even a 1960s calculator.) While at the hotel, Sara meets kids who’ve been trapped in a painting for a century and resolves to help set them free. Black’s returning young hero from her previous novel Deetjen’s Closet(2023) tackles relatable problems; she frets over making new friends and just wants a brother who’s nice. It’s a treat to see how the siblings’ relationship develops and wonder how they’ll do in the contest back in California (if Daniel even shows up). This short, easygoing novel’s highlights are Sara’s lively conversations with the ghosts; they teem with educational tidbits, from references to the world’s largest living organism and the harsh travel conditions of 1843 America to the famous man who wore those haunted socks. And these scenes are just plain fun, especially with Chip the calculator repeatedly chiming in with calculations that no one asks for. Graham’s simple but memorable black-and-white illustrations capture some of the story’s best parts, like Sara’s beloved “very strange kitty,” Casper.

A jaunty and enlightening supernatural tale.