I have been reading many of Mary Downing Hahn's books for children and YA and love her supernatural-themed stories, especially her ghost stories. The Old Willis Place is an atmospheric ghost story which centers around a pair of siblings named Diana and Georgie. They have been living on the Willis farm for many years, and yet have no parents or family taking care of them. The siblings fend for themselves and are used to being on their own. Things change when a twelve-year-old girl named Lissa moves with her dad to the farm. Lissa's dad is the new caretaker who is tasked with overseeing the maintenance of the Old Willis Place, and when he's not working, he's writing.
Diana and Georgie begin to 'borrow' Lissa's things and Lissa gets upset when her new bicycle, a favorite book, and her beloved teddy bear get taken. She writes about her angry feelings in her diary, wishing her dad would send her to school like other children instead of homeschooling her and keeping her isolated from everyone else. Diana is curious about Lissa and wishes to make friends with her, but her brother keeps reminding her of the 'rules' which can't be broken - rules such as not being seen by Lissa and her dad, not talking to anyone else, etc.
When Diana eventually breaks the rules and becomes Lissa's friend, terrible consequences follow. Something old and malignant is unleashed when Lissa breaks into the Old Willis Place, and secrets long buried come to light. The story moves quite slowly in the beginning, and only takes off after Lissa enters the Old Willis Place. Children ages 9-12 will enjoy this suspenseful ghost story.
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