Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities by Casey Lyall (review)

Reviewed by: Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities by Casey Lyall Jessie Maimone Lyall, Casey Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities. Greenwillow, 2024 288p Trade ed. ISBN 9780063239876 18. 99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780063239890 8. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 5-8 As the youngest living member of the Jones family bloodline, Kimmy is being trained by her grandmother to understand and hone her inherited ability to wake the dead to help them with their last wishes. But when Grandma Bev dies and Kimmy is unable to wake her, she's left grieving and struggling with her sudden loss of purpose. She sneaks out to try to solve the murder of a young boy, Devon, and is relieved when she is able to wake him, but things get strange when Devon doesn't return to his deathly state. As Kimmy and Devon try to find out why he was murdered and how he's able to come back for a prolonged period of time, they find that Kimmy isn't the only one who can work magic with the dead. The duo quickly learns there are bigger things at stake than Kimmy's own abilities, and they have to work fast to prevent more murders before it's too late. The mystery and supernatural elements add appeal, but this is really a story of friendship, family, and the difficulty of grief, and it highlights the importance of living a fulfilled life with no regrets. Kimmy's struggle to do the right thing while juggling her own and others' feelings is authentic to a kid reeling from a terrible loss while trying to find a way to move forward. Readers will enjoy the budding friendship between Kimmy and Devon, and those who have lost a grandparent they're close with will appreciate the loving and supportive relationship between Kimmy and Grandma Bev. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois