Knopf, $15.99, ages 8-12

What an atmospheric little novel! Two scrappy little girls in the Depression-era South find themselves thrust upon a bitter old aunt, a daffy old uncle and a crunchy servant in a crumbling mansion with a dark, Gothic past. Tennyson, the oddly named older sister, wise way beyond her 11 years, starts having dreams that are frighteningly real – and disturbingly accurate accounts of the house's twisted lore, dating before, during and after the Civil War. Touching, at times disturbing, but ultimately hopeful, this is an intriguing and unique peek into a side of life and a piece of American history that we all thought we knew. Tennyson's fresh voice is one that young readers will readily be able to "hear," and the house is one they will want to visit.