The Forgotten Girl

About this book

"Do you know what it feels like to be forgotten?"

On a cold winter night, Iris and her best friend, Daniel, sneak into a clearing in the woods to play in the freshly fallen snow. There, Iris carefully makes a perfect snow angel — only to find the crumbling gravestone of a young girl, Avery Moore, right beneath her. Immediately, strange things start to happen to Iris: She begins having vivid nightmares. She wakes up to find her bedroom window wide open, letting in the snow. She thinks she sees the shadow of a girl lurking in the woods. And she feels the pull of the abandoned grave, calling her back to the clearing...Obsessed with figuring out what's going on, Iris and Daniel start to research the area for a school project. They discover that Avery's grave is actually part of a neglected and forgotten Black cemetery, dating back to a time when White and Black people were kept separate in life — and in death. As Iris and Daniel learn more about their town's past, they become determined to restore Avery's grave and finally have proper respect paid to Avery and the others buried there. But they have awakened a jealous and demanding ghost, one that's not satisfied with their plans for getting recognition. One that is searching for a best friend forever — no matter what the cost.The Forgotten Girl is both a spooky original ghost story and a timely and important storyline about reclaiming an abandoned segregated cemetery.

Reviews

NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teens

2020 ALSC Notable Children's Book

"This ghost story gave me chill after chill. It will haunt you." -- R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps

"Engaging, entrancing, and altogether magic! A classic ghost tale that examines racism and segregation in a meaningful story that at its core is about love, friendship, and forgiveness. A beautiful debut." -- J. C. Cervantes, New York Times bestselling author of The Storm Runner

"A harrowing yet empowering tale reminding us that the past is connected to the present, that every place and every person has a story, and that those stories deserve to be told." -- Renée Watson, New York Times bestselling author of Piecing Me Together

"Scary and spooky and sad and important. I loved every moment of it!" -- Ellen Oh, author of Spirit Hunters and founder of We Need Diverse Books

"Frightening and mysterious. A new, creepy favorite." -- Dan Poblocki, author of Shadow House and The Ghost of Graylock

"Strong middle-grade characters who will undoubtedly be enjoyed by children and adults alike. The pacing of the plot will surely send a chill through the readers' spines as they follow Iris and her journey with the paranormal. [An] eerie read." -- Booklist

"Both historically and culturally relevant, Brown's thoughtful ghost story explores the legacy of racism through segregation." -- Publishers Weekly

"The historical information about school desegregation, segregated cemeteries, and the Great Migration are welcome, unique additions. A ghostly tale with a historical twist." -- Kirkus Reviews