This middle-grade retelling of Hamlet dives into the brain of neurodivergent Hannah Edwards, who has ADHD, as she journals her way to the truth about her father's disappearance. Riverway isn't the kind of town you want to stop in for long 's a farming town whose river is drying up, but Hannah had a good life as daughter of the Canola King . . . until her father disappeared. When her best friend sees a ghost who looks like Hannah's father, she is forced to confront the truth of what might have happened and desperately grapples with finding a way to show the truth to the world while dealing with a slimy guidance counselor, school assignments, and her own unraveling grief. A strong retelling that doesn't feel pedantic and captures the middle-grade spirit, this debut novel is perfect for fans of mysteries, ghost stories that feel rooted in the real world, and strong characters who make internal revelations as well as strides in their worlds. For readers of Jenn Reese, Rebecca Stead, and Tracey Baptiste.

In the small prairie town of Riverway, sixth grader Hannah is troubled: Her beloved farmer dad, dubbed the Canola King, has been missing for four monthsPushy uncle Fergus keeps coming over, giving unsolicited advice and cooking subpar meals. When Hannah's best friend, Sam, claims to have seen a ghost that looked like her missing father, Hannah at first dismisses it-"My dad cannot be a ghost because he is alive." She decides to investigate, recording her progress with the case in the grief journal her concerned mom gave her to help her cope. But Hannah discovers it's hard to find clues when the trail has gone cold, especially with an invasive, cloyingly sweet school counselor getting into her business. Debut author Hards' story is told through Hannah's first-person narration, which tells more than it shows. The writing often fails to convey the depth of emotion a missing parent would be expected to evoke. One chapter is written in rhyming couplets that scan awkwardly and are organized into paragraphs of text: "Click! That's the sound Tim's key made as it slid into Ms. Grant's door. Tim (previously known as Tim the Timid) was the Hall Monitor of lore!" Although she's not given an explicit label, Hannah struggles with paying attention in class and is cued as neurodivergent; by the end of the book, she's being evaluated and given support and validation. Hannah and her family present white; Sam is of Filipino descent.Passable.(Mystery. 8-12)