Rebecca’s Letter Essay #3: The Ghost of Fossil Glen

I recently read The Ghost of Fossil Glen by Cynthia DeFelice.  Cynthia is a 63 year old woman who has written 16 novels and 12 picture books. She won the edgar award for best juvenile.  The first book Cynthia DeFelice wrote was The Strange Night Writing of Jessamine Colter in 1988.  Right now Cynthia is in the process  of making a new novel Fort.  

 

The novel The Ghost of Fossil Glen is about a girl Ali Nichols who was looking for a fossil at Fossil Glen, when she was about to fall off a cliff she heard a voice inside her head leading her down the cliff safely.  When she arrived at home there was a red notebook wrapped with no stamp or proof of mailing.  Later when she was going to write in the notebook she opened the notebook and it was completely blank.  She left the room to get a pen and when she returned there were the words “I am a” mysteriously written in the notebook.  She immediately called her friend Karen to tell her what had happened.  Karen didn’t believe Ali.  Without giving away the ending, I’m going to stop here.

 

I liked the way the author hooked you in at the beginning and then explain what happened it is very dramatic way. I thought this really made you want to keep reading a book. The book was not just like a normal even read all the time it had a lot of suspense.   I would compare this book to  A detailed Peg Kahret  book. I think this because are good but they don’t have as much suspense as her books. Her books are like younger kids books of Cynthia’s books.  The resolution of the main character’s problem was very unexpected.  I didn’t think anything of that solution.  

 

Lastly, I liked how the diary entries were unique and really helped described the story. She wrote…

“ March 4, 1994

Dear Diary,

         I am so mad I think I might explode.  Wait until you hear what Gag-Me said tonight.  We were all at the dinner table.  I’d like to know how I’m supposed to eat more and gain weight when looking at him makes me sick.  

        Anyhow, he was, as usual, telling Mom what she should do.  His new idea is that we should sell this house and all the land, including the Glen, and make it into a housing development. “We,” of course, means Mom and him, when their married.  “ Real estate development, that is where the money is,” he said. Always money, money, money.  He want to call it some cheesy name like “Creekside Heights” or something just as stupid.  He said we could build roads all through the meadow and squeeze fifty houses between all the road and the glen….” ( page 91-92)

 

This passage shows how the author really goes into detail and describe everything very thoroughly.  


I would rate this book a 9 out of 10 because it is one of my favorite books but I feel the book was very scary at times.  The book was a really excellent book and some parts made me have goosebumps.  

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2 thoughts on “Rebecca’s Letter Essay #3: The Ghost of Fossil Glen

  1. Dear Rebecca,
    I really liked your letter essay. Reading your book makes me want to read the book. This letter essay makes me want to read the book and I probably wouldn’t have thought to read it if I didn’t read your letter essay.
    Erin

  2. Dear Rebecca,
    I really enjoyed reading your piece. I liked how you told enough information from the story but didn’t give away the ending. In addition I liked how you made suspense with your writing in the summary when you didn’t say what the notebook was and who it was from. Now I want to read this novel because of your letter essay.
    Julia

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