Emily is completely charmed by the small playhouse she finds in the woods near her new house. There are amazing murals of the woods—including the playhouse—painted on the walls. On a return trip, Emily is armed with information from a neighbor: the playhouse belonged to the little girl who once lived in Emily’s house. She died in a fire years before, not long after her painter mother left the family. Then Emily notices elements of the painting changing. When a young girl appears and invites her to step into the painted woods, Emily does, only to discover the girl is lonely—and angry—and doesn’t want Emily to leave. Emily manages to escape, only to discover her little brother, whom she’d left on his own in the woods, has fallen into the ghost girl’s trap. Marion Dane Bauer’s ghost story has just enough tingle to keep young readers on the edge of their seats. As Emily works out a way to free her little brother, she is also able to help the ghost of a girl who is still looking for her mother find peace. (Ages 7–10)

When Emily finds a locked playhouse in the woods, she can't resist peeking through the windows. Inside, the walls are painted to look just like the surrounding woods, right down to an identical white playhouse with blue shutters. But the playhouse is not as deserted as Emily first thought. A girl Emily's age lives on the painted walls—and she's dying for Emily to join her!

Newbery Honor-winning author Marion Dane Bauer crafts an eerie story for young mystery lovers guaranteed to send shivers down their spines.

Marion Dane Bauer is the author of more than 40 books for children, including the Newbery Honor?winning book On My Honor and Rain of Fire, which won a Jane Adams Peace Association Award. She has also won the Kerlan Award for the body of her work. The Blue Ghost is her most recent book for this age group. She lives in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.