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Reviewed by Karen Pirnot for Readers' Favorite
Author Elizabeth Kimmel has another winner for mid-grade children. In "ParaNorman", seventh grader Norman Babcock finds himself a loner and an outcast in the small New England town of Blithe Hollow. The area is known for its history of witch trials and Blithe Hollow has its own witch in the form of a tiny girl who, three hundred years ago, cast a spell on the town when she was put to death as a witch. Since Norman can talk to the dead, he is the prime target to put the spell to rest so that the town can rid itself of the zombie plague which threatens to surface each year. Since everyone in the town thinks of Norman as just another really weird kid, there is no one to come to Norman's rescue when the zombies begin to rise. But then something strange and wonderful occurs. One person believes and then another and another. Soon, Norman realizes he is not as alone as he had first feared.
Kimmel does a wonderful job of character development. The child reader will surely place himself or herself in the book, along with friends from school. There are bullies and fat children and perfect kids and brainiacs, all of whom feel left out of the mainstream life. The lessons are learned and incorporated through the adventures described in the story and because of that, this turns out to be one terrific book!
