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Reviewed by Nino Lobiladze for Readers' Favorite
Fifteen-year-old Austen lives with his mother, Penny, and sister, Anne, in a remote neighborhood. His father, Tom, has left the family. Austen sees disturbing dreams and senses a menacing presence in his room at night. Is it possible that something evil lurks behind the door of his closet? Penny rushes from one extreme to the other. She invites a team of ghost hunters to their home and seeks help in a local church. Austen hears an urban legend about ghosts of children who perished in a tragic accident and meets an enigmatic new girl on a school bus. What secrets does she hide? And why does Austen's family never talk about his childhood imaginary friend? The Yellow Bus by Jennie Durkee is for young adult fans of horror, drama novels, and coming-of-age stories.
In The Yellow Bus, Jennie Durkee does a great job of crafting paranormal elements. Something dark tortures a boy who just wants to hang out with his friends. These scenes are unnerving and scary. Yet, it's a coming-of-age story about the difficult stages of growing up. Austen is under pressure from his dysfunctional family and insensitive high school friends. Austen is different, and we can't help but sympathize with him in his struggles. Jennie excellently defines the main character's mood, using rain as a metaphor. Penny's character is irritating, and the author deliberately allows her to get under our skin. Jennie's imaginative writing produces an eerie, almost nightmarish setting for the unfolding events. The ending is intriguing, and I hope to read the next installment of Austen's captivating story.
