Ophie's Ghosts

Reach for this book when your child starts noticing that the world is not always fair or when they are ready to discuss the lingering impact of history on the present. Set in 1920s Georgia and Pittsburgh, the story follows Ophelia, a young girl who discovers she can see ghosts after her father is murdered by a racist mob. As she moves to a new city to work in a grand manor, she befriends a ghost and unravels a mystery that exposes the realities of systemic racism and the importance of restorative justice. It is a haunting but deeply empathetic look at grief and resilience. Parents will appreciate the way it balances a supernatural mystery with a historical education on Jim Crow era America, making it a powerful tool for discussing race and morality with children ages 8 to 12.