April 23, 2011
“The Haunting of Charles Dickens by Lewis Buzbee is about Meg’s search for her beloved missing older brother, Orion, in London in the year 1862. Accompanying her is her family’s greatest friend, Mr. Charles Dickens, who is looking for inspiration after finishing his novel Great Expectations. The quest takes them all over London, from seedy taverns, haunted houses, and even to mansions, all in the hopes of rescuing Orion and perhaps other misfortunate children along the way.
Buzbee does a good job in demonstrating how deductive reasoning works, how to digest clues and information into a meaningful whole and asking why something happened is as important as the how. Another element I enjoyed was Buzbee’s subtle weaving of how we can all be inspired by our everyday environment. I would recommend this book for nine-to-twelve-year-old girls. It is told from Meg’s point of view, and while Dickens is a central figure, I am not sure how relatable he would be to boys of the same age.”—Amber, Seattle Mystery Bookshop