THE SECRET DEAD CLUB

After moving into her late grandmother’s haunted home, a girl attempts to make friends while hiding her inherited powers as a paranormal medium.

Despite her newfound anxiety over her gift following a near-fatal spectral encounter, Black seventh grader Wednesday Thomas sees and interacts with ghosts every day, everywhere she goes. These spirits include harmless wisp and guide ghosts; she tries to avoid the wicked ones—malevolent, violent shape-shifters who terrorize both the living and the dead. But Wednesday must face her fears when she’s invited to join the top-secret Dead Club at school. She agrees to help new buddies Miki Okada and Danni-Lynn Porter communicate with Violet Delgado, their recently deceased friend, who appeared to them on Halloween, desperate for help. Although she’s warned away from the group by estranged member Alexa Scott and unnerved by her own growing sense of dread about a sinister force watching her, Wednesday attempts to fulfill Violet’s final wish with the help of her new crew. While the story, which features a racially diverse cast, includes dark and scary moments, the heavy themes are buoyed by representations of strong familial support and protective, loving friendships that endure even through conflict. Wednesday displays bravery, compassion, and creativity in overcoming both life challenges and nefarious spirits.

A strongly characterized paranormal coming-of-age story that grapples with relatable issues.