Whispering Pines (Whispering Pines #1)

by Heidi Lang (Author)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

Stranger Things meets The X-Files in this eerie, heart-pounding middle grade adventure about a young boy and girl who must protect their small town from otherworldly forces threatening to destroy it.

Rae's father vanished without a trace--and Rae knows what happened to him. But no one believes her when she says that her father didn't run off, that he was actually taken. Now, a year of therapy later, Rae's mother decides they need a fresh start, and so they move to a new town in the hope that life can return to normal.

The problem is, there is nothing normal about the town of Whispering Pines.

No one knows this better than Caden. He's lived in Whispering Pines his entire life, and he's seen more than his fair share of weird--starting with his own family, as the town is the perfect home base for his mother's ghost hunting business.

When several kids go missing and then show up like zombies with their eyes removed, many locals brush it off. Just another day in Whispering Pines. But Caden has a dark secret, one that may explain why someone is stealing eyes. And Rae, who knows how it feels to not be believed, may be just the person Caden needs to help him put things right.

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Kirkus

Perfect for reading under a blanket with a flashlight.

ALA/Booklist

Starred Review

A thrilling novel perfect for fans of Stranger Things and stories filled with mystery and suspense.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8--Twelve-year-old Rae Carter arrives in Whispering Pines, CT, determined to appear normal. No asking people if they believe in aliens and no mention of her dad's disappearance from a secret government lab. The fact that her neighbor Caden Price's family are ghost hunters doesn't help her, nor do the strange disappearances of children. Even worse, when children do reappear, their eyes are missing. After Rae's new friend vanishes, Rae, Caden, and their friend Vivienne decide to investigate. Caden has his own experience with the supernatural; he accidentally trapped his magic-hungry brother Aiden in another dimension. Add in a suspicious green energy plant and the feeling that supernatural creatures dog their every step, and the result is a spooky story with mystery elements. The chapters alternate between Rae and Caden in third-person limited perspective. Both children are such underdog loners that readers will feel immediately sympathetic, especially as Rae and Caden's families don't seem to support them emotionally. The chilling preface where the eye-snatching demon hunts its prey, as well as other unusual settings, enhance the book's dark tone. One might wish this series opener--ending on a cliffhanger--didn't have quite so many different story threads, but perhaps they will be untangled in future installments. VERDICT Like "Goosebumps," but for an older audience, this book seems custom made for kids who like a good scare. A high appeal horror suitable for middle grade and tween readers. Recommended for most libraries.--Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Lib. Assoc., CT

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

This horror series starter weaves a tense narrative within an atmospheric small town. When Rae Carter, 12, moves with her mother and older sister from Sunnyside, Calif., to Whispering Pines, Conn., she sees an opportunity to reinvent herself, leaving behind last year's identity as the "conspiracy freak" who believes her father's mysterious disappearance was orchestrated. But their new town is uncanny: bottomless sinkholes, a family of mediums and exorcists across the street, a rash of children whose eyes have been stolen by inexplicable means, and an enigmatic, supposedly benevolent company called Green On! monitoring the whole town's energy--as well as the eyeless children. Befriending neighbor Caden Price, who's haunted by his missing brother, and chatterbox Vivienne Matsuoka, whose giant ever-present backpack poses another mystery, Rae delves into Whispering Pines' deadly secrets. Hoping to thwart the "serial eye snatcher" before they claim another victim, the trio must face challenges both mundane and supernatural. Though the genre-blurring inclusion of aliens alongside ghosts and monsters threatens to destabilize the various elements, Lang and Bartkowski (the Mystic Cooking Chronicles) effectively develop their heroes and setting while crafting an unpredictable, unrelenting adventure. Ages 8-12. Agent: Jennifer Azantian, Azantian Literary. (Sept.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



Heidi Lang
Heidi Lang managed to stumble upon the two best jobs in the world: writing for kids and walking dogs. If she's not out on the trails surrounded by wagging tails and puppy kisses, she's probably hunched over her laptop working on her next book. She lives in northern California with her husband and two adventure-loving dogs, and she is the coauthor of the Mystic Cooking Chronicles and Whispering Pines series, and author of Out of Range. Find her on Twitter @HidLang or visit the website she shares with her writing partner at HeidiandKatiBooks.com.

Kati Bartkowski was originally drawn to illustration before she got swept up in the world of words. Nowadays she's a fan of creating fantastical creatures and feisty heroines in both mediums. If she's not reading, writing, or drawing, she's probably chasing after her high energy little girl. She lives in northern California and is the coauthor of the Mystic Cooking Chronicles and Whispering Pines series. Find her on Twitter @KTBartkowski or visit the website she shares with her writing partner at HeidiandKatiBooks.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781534460485
Lexile Measure
700
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date
September 14, 2021
Series
Whispering Pines
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
JUV058000 - Juvenile Fiction | Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural
JUV067000 - Juvenile Fiction | Thrillers & Suspense
Library of Congress categories
Ghosts
Ghost stories
Missing persons
Connecticut
Supernatural
Paranormal fiction
Monsters
Conspiracy theories
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 09/01/20

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