One hundred years ago, Dies Drear and two runaway slaves hiding in his house, an important station on the Underground Railroad, were murdered. Legend has it that the ghost of Mr. Drear still haunts the lonely old house. But Thomas Small's father, a Civil War history professor, doesn't believe the legends and buys the house. The house is fascinating, thinks Thomas, and it is filled with hidden doorways and secret passages that he can't wait to explore. But funny things keep happening-frightening things that no one, not even Thomas' father, can explain. Is someone playing a prank? Or is the ghost of Dies Drear trying to warn the Smalls of danger? From Virginia Hamilton, the author of the Newbery Medal and National Book Award winning M.C. Higgins, the Great, comes a spellbinding mystery filled with edge-of-the-seat suspense. The House of Dies Drear wraps an important history lesson into a brilliantly imaginative story for all ages.
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"I loved this book! So many people said that it was uninteresting and boring, but I don't see how! It was full of suspense, and nothing turned out how you thought it would. I learned so much about the Underground Railroad and such. I enjoyed this book. :) I liked her style of writing, but it annoyed me at the same time. It bothered me how it was basically from the third person point of view, yet it shared Thomas' emotions and thoughts. If it is from the third person it should stay like that and not switch over."
— Anna (5 out of 5 stars)
“Newbery medalist Virginia Hamilton creates a heart-pounding adventure with this absorbing classic for older readers.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review" I didnt like this book that much. For me it was ok.... "
— Sabrinah, 2/18/2014" hated it!!!!!!!!! "
— Emily, 2/9/2014" The cover was different. I read it along with students in 7th grade as it is a literature circle book. I didn't care for it and the kids thought it was boring. "
— H, 2/1/2014" I read this because of school, no other reason.In fact if it weren't for me being forced to read this, I wouldn't have.Most "forced books" are boring and don't have much action.I didn't enjoy reading it it was just okay. "
— Chloe, 1/31/2014" Its okay, but the begining is confusing "
— Sydney, 1/28/2014" Meh. I would have given this two-and-a-half stars if I could. While the story of a boy and his family moving into a house supposedly haunted by the ghosts and runaway slaves is compelling, the writing is very choppy and difficult to follow at times. The main character, Thomas, seems incredibly cantankerous for a 13 or 14 year old. Other than his fear, we don't get a realy good idea of what's motivating him to make the observations he makes. (And he's always making motivations.)The ending was also completely unsatisfying to me. This is a book that could have been so much better. "
— Chris, 1/9/2014" I wish they had introduced more of the underground railroad part of the story, but still enjoyable (when you remember its a kid's book). "
— K, 1/6/2014" Real slow start for my lit group students. (5th graders) Right now they are calling it boring. As they get into it, I think they will like it better. "
— Stella, 12/18/2013" SIX WORD REVIEW: Read this twenty years too late. "
— Sidik, 12/1/2013" I loved the idea of the plot, but it was a bit slow. I have to admit that I was disappointed. "
— Lori, 11/29/2013" Good characters but lacking in depth in terms of mystery and plot. "
— Pamela, 11/22/2013Virginia Hamilton (1936–2002) grew up in rural Ohio among an extended family and generations of storytellers. Her grandfather, Levi Perry, was brought by his mother from Virginia slavery to Ohio via the Underground Railroad. She received nearly every award in the field of children’s literature, including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, the Newbery Medal, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, and the Coretta Scott King Award.
Lynne Thigpen (1948–2003), an Earphones Award–winning narrator, was a multitalented actress who performed in community theater and university theater productions while attending the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. During her thirty-year career, she went on to appear in nearly forty movies and numerous television series.