Most Popular Books by Mary Downing Hahn

Although they share a love of poetry and problems with their parents, a shy high school senior''s attraction to a popular classmate is tempered by her fear of his moody, self-destructive side.

When sixteen-year-old Cynda goes to stay with her father and his second wife, Susan, at their remote bed-and-breakfast inn in Maine, everything starts off well despite legends about ghosts and a murder at the inn. But Cynda feels like a visitor in Dad''s new life, an outsider. Then intense, handsome stranger Vincent Morthanos arrives at the inn and seems to return Cynda''s interest. At first she is blind to the subtle, insistent signs that Vincent is not what he seems-that he is, in fact, a vampire. Can Cynda free herself-and her family-from Vincent''s power before it''s too late? Full-bodied characterizations and page-turning suspense ensure that this eerie, riveting novel will appeal to middle school fans of mystery and horror.

Forthright, domineering Sara shows Emily how to speak up for herself and what she likes, but as a result Emily finds herself having to take a stand against Sara.

Diana and her little brother, Georgie, know every inch of the land around the old Willis place, a crumbling mansion that some people say is haunted. They climb the trees and swim in the pond. And they can do whatever they want, even stay up all night. They don''t have to change their clothes, brush their hair, or go to school. They have total freedom--as long as they don''t leave the grounds. When Lissa arrives with her father, the new caretaker of the estate, Diana is overjoyed. She''s been wishing for a friend. She can show Lissa all her favorite spots, and they can share their favorite books. Maybe Lissa can even help her uncover the ghastly secret of the creepy old Willis house. But there are rules that must be followed in order to keep the peace. Diana and Georgie aren''t allowed to make friends. If Diana makes contact with Lissa, she could unleash evil forces beyond her control . . . and then they''ll all be sorry. For more spooky graphic novels from Mary Downing Hahn, check out Took, Wait Till Helen Comes, and All the Lovely Bad Ones!

Eight-year-old Anna enjoys one exciting experience after another in this charming story set in Baltimore just before World War I. She gets a new winter coat that''s even better than Rosa''s, rollerskates down the steepest hill in the neighborhood, and rides the trolley all by herself. And she delights in the changes occurring in the world around her, as motorcars and electric lights appear for the first time on her street. Based on the childhood experiences of the author''s mother, these heartwarming episodes touch on timeless themes of family, friends, and the wonders of growing up.

Third-grader Janey is so excited about meeting her favorite author at a literature festival that she almost ruins the day for her entire class.

When economic reasons cause two families to merge into a crowded household on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, more personal problems exacerbate the tense living conditions.

QUESTIONS Sensitive and idealistic fifteen-year-old Kelly McAllisterfeels at odds with everyone around her. Her best friendhas suddenly turned boy crazy. Her talented mothercreates greeting card designs instead of real art, andher father never talks to her about anything exceptworking hard and getting ahead. That''s why Kelly becomes so involved in the plight of ahomeless Vietnam vet who takes refuge in the libraryeach day. Interviewing him began as a Social Studiesproject, but it takes on new meaning after her offers offood and friendship backfire into a real disaster.What had the war done to destroy this man? And whathad it done to her own father, who had been to thesame war ... and refuses to speak of it?

When he and his younger sister move in with their older brother after their grandmother dies, thirteen-year-old Gordy finds himself caught between the boy he was when he lived with his abusive father and the boy his grandmother was helping him become.

When Clint, a handsome, mysterious stranger, rents a room in Madigan''s grandmother''s house, Madigan becomes convinced that he is the father she''s never met.

Hüte dich vor Helen ... Als ihre Mutter wieder heiratet, versuchen Molly und ihr Bruder Michael, sich mit ihrer neuen Stiefschwester Heather anzufreunden. Die macht aber immer nur Ärger. Heather lügt und benimmt sich daneben, und irgendwie bekommen die beiden immer die Schuld. Das Verhalten von Heather wird noch seltsamer, als sie immer öfter auf dem Friedhof hinter dem Haus spielt. Sie sagt, sie könne mit dem Mädchen Helen sprechen, die vor über 100 Jahren bei einem mysteriösen Feuer ums Leben kam. Michael glaubt nicht an Geister. Aber Molly ist sich da nicht so sicher, vor allem als Heather droht, dass Helen kommt und sie holen wird ... Mary Downing Hahn (geboren 1937) ist eine amerikanische Autorin, die für ihre gruseligen Geschichten für Jugendliche bekannt ist. Wait Till Helen Comes erschien 1986 und wurde ein Klassiker, der bis heute immer wieder aufgelegt wird. Ihre Werke enthalten selten grafische Gewalt, doch einige ihrer Themen eignen sich eher für Erwachsene, etwa Selbstmord, das Übernatürliche und psychische Erkrankungen. Aus diesem Grund werden ihre Bücher häufig aus Schulbibliotheken verbannt.

Credi alle cose che non si possono dimostrare? Molly e suo fratello Michael non hanno mai legato con la sorellastra Heather, una bambina di sette anni che non perde occasione di accusarli ingiustamente, seminando discordia tra i genitori. Fin quando la famiglia si trasferisce in una vecchia chiesa ristrutturata in campagna e le cose precipitano. Attratta dall''antico cimitero che confina con la proprietà, Heather sostiene di parlare con il fantasma di una bambina di nome Helen, morta oltre cent''anni prima, e minaccia i fratelli con un cupo avvertimento: «Quando Helen verrà a prendervi, vi pentirete di tutto quello che mi avete fatto». Ma chi è Helen e come mai la sua lapide si erge solitaria, con le sue sole iniziali a ricordarla? Unita a lei da un terribile segreto, Heather ne è come posseduta, anche se nessuno tranne Molly crede alla sua esistenza. E, quel che è peggio, Heather ignora quanto sia pericolosa... Helen era così malvagia come Heather la faceva sembrare o era semplicemente una bambina smarrita in cerca di qualcuno che le volesse bene?

When Matt and Parker learn the body they found in Indian Creek is a drug-related death, they fear Parkers''s mother may be involved.

Tallahassee Higgins enjoys the vagabond lifestyle she lives with her free-spirited mother, but when Mother goes to Los Angeles to try her luck in TV and movies, Tallahassee is placed with her uncle whose conventional suburban lifestyle makes her question her mother''s values--and her own.

Daniel doesn''t believe the woods behind his new home are haunted by an evil witch and her terrifying beast. But then his little sister disappears . . . and it''s up to him to find her. This chilling graphic-novel version of Mary Downing Hahn''s popular page-turner will thrill readers who love spooky stories. They say that a ghost witch lives in the woods, up on the hill. They say her companion has a pig skull for a face and stands taller than a man, his skeleton gleaming in the moonlight. They say that the witch takes young girls, and no one ever sees them again. Daniel doesn''t believe the stories. He figures the kids on the bus are just trying to scare him since he''s new. Still, he wishes his family had never moved here?their house is a wreck, Mom and Dad keep fighting, and his little sister, Erica, spends most of her time talking to her creepy doll. But when Erica disappears into the woods one day, Daniel knows something is terribly wrong. Has she been "took"?