For Francis, alone is often better. Shy, apologetic, and bullied because of his unusual interest shion design ancis has learned it's best to keep to himself. So when he meets Jessica, friendship is the last thing he expects. But it's a friend he finds: Jessica is spunky, fashionable, and seems to like him. But she is also a ghost, and at first, Francis is the only one who can see her. As their strange friendship blossoms and Jessica coaxes Francis out of his shell, the two encounter others who can see Jessica, and though they have no idea why they all have this in common, they begin to form a fast friendship. As time goes by, they get closer and closer to discovering the devastating truth behind Jessica's death, and the reason they can all see her ghost. British author Norriss deals with some heavy themes here ath, dying, depression t handles them delicately enough for his younger audience, ultimately crafting a simple, quiet story about the effects of bullying and the power of friendship.

Gr 5 Up-Francis, a middle school student, is sitting by himself on a bench during lunch. He wants to be alone and seldom speaks to anyone in school. Out of nowhere, a young girl, Jessica, appears wearing a sleeveless dress in the freezing February weather. He offers her warm tea, and she is more than a little startled because she, too, has not communicated with anyone for a very long timea year, in fact. Jessica is a ghost, and Francis is the first live person able to see and talk to her. Thus begins an unusual friendship of a lonely boy and a sympathetic ghost. But it doesn't end there. Jessica and Francis go ahead and befriend two more lonely souls, Andi and Roland, and the four become inseparable. The adolescents are linked by their painful experiences and their mutual thoughts of suicide. Each person's situation is a bit different; Francis is teased because he likes to design and sew girls' clothes; Andi looks masculine and is quick to punch anyone, boy or girl, who makes comments; while Roland is grossly overweight and bullied. The friends make it their mission to discover why Jessica is still roaming the world of the living. Norriss has a keen eye for well-meaning adults who are nevertheless powerless to prevent possible tragedies. In the course of the book, Norriss provides some positive suggestions that a suicidal or depressed youngster may pick up on. VERDICT This novel deals with the subjects of suicide and depression among young teens and should be available in middle school classrooms and libraries. Lillian Hecker, Town of Pelham Public Library, NY