For a child navigating big family changes and a new environment, this story explores friendship, history, and finding your place, even with a ghostly friend.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is struggling with a family change, like a new stepparent or a move, and feels lonely or out of place. This story centers on thirteen-year-old Jenny, who is miserable after her mother remarries and they move to a remote military base. Her feelings of isolation begin to change when she makes two very different friends: Charlie, the son of the base commander, and Jonah, the ghost of a Lakota boy who died there when the base was an Indian boarding school in the 1880s. The book gently explores complex themes of loneliness, friendship, historical injustice, and finding a sense of belonging. For ages 10 to 14, it’s a thoughtful choice for a child who enjoys historical mysteries and stories about navigating new beginnings.
The historical mistreatment of Native American children at a boarding school is a core theme.
Sensitive Topics
The book deals directly with character death (Jonah's story) and the historical trauma of the U.S. Indian boarding school system. The approach is secular and historical, not metaphorical. The resolution for Jenny is hopeful as she finds belonging, while the resolution for Jonah is somber yet respectful. His story is acknowledged and honored, providing a sense of justice and peace, if not a happy ending.
Ideal Reader
A thoughtful, sensitive reader aged 10-13 who is navigating their own feelings of being an outsider, whether due to a move, a new blended family, or social anxieties. It’s perfect for a child who appreciates gentle ghost stories, historical fiction, and character-driven narratives about friendship.
Parent Prep
Parents should be prepared to discuss the real and painful history of Indian boarding schools in the United States. The book offers a good, age-appropriate entry point into this topic, but having some context ready will enrich the reading experience and help answer a child's questions. It can be read cold, but the historical element is significant. The parent hears their child say, "I hate my new school," "I don't have any friends," or expresses feelings of resentment about a major family change, such as a move or a new stepparent.
Age Experience
A younger reader (10-11) will likely focus on the ghost story, the mystery, and the budding friendships. An older reader (12-14) is more equipped to understand the nuances of the historical injustice, the themes of cultural loss, and Jenny's complex emotional journey toward accepting her new family.
What Makes It Special
This book uniquely blends a contemporary middle-grade story about blended families and loneliness with a poignant historical ghost story. Unlike many books that use ghosts for scares, this one uses a spirit to give voice to a forgotten historical tragedy, creating a powerful link between past and present, and personal and collective healing.
Read plot summary
Thirteen-year-old Jenny is unhappy with her new life. Her mother has remarried a military officer, and they've moved to Fort Repose, a remote base that was once an off-reservation boarding school for Native American children. Feeling isolated, Jenny's world shifts when she befriends Charlie, another kid on the base, and more surprisingly, Jonah Flying Cloud, the ghost of a Lakota boy who died at the school in 1880. Together, the three uncover the tragic history of the school and Jonah's past, a journey that helps Jenny process her own family changes and find her place in this new world.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Jonah's ghost has been at the school for over 100 years. Why do you think he finally chose to reveal himself to Jenny and not to someone else?
2
Jenny has two very different friends, Charlie and Jonah. In what ways did her living friend help her, and in what ways did her ghost friend help her?
3
At the beginning of the book, Fort Repose felt like a prison to Jenny. By the end, how have her feelings about 'the place at the edge of the earth' changed?
4
Learning about Jonah's life in the 1880s is a big part of the story. How does discovering the history of a place change how the characters see it in the present?
