Rimwalkers

At home in Milwaukee, soft-spoken Tory lives under the shadow of her vibrant, popular sister, Sara; but tables turn when the two girls spend a summer on their grandparents' Illinois farm. While Sara is bored and homesick for her friends, her older sister relishes the quietude of farm life and soon forms close friendships with cousins Elijah and Oren. Coinciding with the heroine's rising self-esteem is the unraveling of a mystery involving the apparition of a small boy. As the teens investigate the ghost that inhabits an abandoned house, ancient secrets come to light and past tragedies seem tied to present events. Although Grove's depiction of country people (their dialect and simple values) is somewhat cliched, her rendering of the prairie land as isolated, expansive and mysterious is quite effective. Addressing such topics as family relationships, friendship, jealousy and loneliness, this modern coming-of-age story with gothic undertones offers a little something for everyone. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)