Ollie Oxley and the Ghost: The Search for Lost Gold

by Lisa Schmid

Overview

Twelve-year-old Ollie Oxley is moving-again. His mom is starting another new job, this time at the Bingham Theater in Granite City, California. Moving all the time means Ollie has struggled in the making friends department, but he quickly connects with a boy named Teddy. To Ollie's surprise, though, his first friend in town is a little more . . . unique than those he's made in the past. Teddy is a ghost.

Befriending someone who lived during the famous California Gold Rush sure does make things interesting for Ollie. But when the school bully, Aubrey, targets Ollie and it looks like the Bingham Theater might close, the stakes couldn't be higher. Can Teddy and Ollie work together to take down Aubrey, save his mom's job, and solve a mystery years in the making?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631632891
Publisher:	North Star Editions
Publication date:	06/18/2019
Pages:	220
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	8 - 13 Years

About the Author

Lisa Schmid is an author, a stay-at-home mom, and a pug wrangler. When she is not scaring up ghostly adventures, she is most likely scaring up fun with her husband and son. She lives in Folsom, California, home of the 1849 Gold Rush.

Editorial Reviews

"[A]n engaging story full of mystery and mischief."—Foreword Reviews

"Full of humor, friendship, and new beginnings." —Booklist

“A solid mystery that springs like a well-coiled mousetrap.” –Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

04/01/2019

Gr 3 Up—Twelve-year-old Ollie Oxley is the new kid in town again. His mother has a new job at the local theater in Granite City, CA, and Ollie and his sister DeeDee have to start over in an unfamiliar place. Granite City seems like every other town they've lived in until Ollie realizes that the boy sitting in the back of the class at school is actually a 200-year-old ghost named Teddy. When a local bully buys the theater and threatens to shut it down for good, Ollie and Teddy try to track down an old treasure in order to save his mother's job. Though this is a story about ghosts, it never veers into scary territory; Teddy is kind and helpful, and even the less friendly ghosts in town are more annoying than menacing. The book weaves together a historical mystery with a contemporary school story about bullies and class elections, and though the villains are over-the-top and one-dimensional, the conclusion is still satisfying and surprising, and may be particularly exciting to children with an interest in American history. Because of its simple plot and basic themes, this book would be particularly suitable for younger readers who are ready to move beyond chapter books. VERDICT This not-so-scary ghost story toes the line between simple and simplistic, but it contains enough interesting elements to engage young readers who are ready to try a longer book.—Madison Bishop, Plymouth Public Library, MA

School Library Journal

2019-03-17
A preteen detective solves an important case with an unusual partner.

Ollie Oxley is not pleased about moving again, but his mom's new job at the Bingham Theater in Granite City, California, may provide some form of permanence. After moving so many times, Ollie's friend-making skills are a bit rusty, but it isn't too long before he finds a pal in Teddy. But Teddy isn't like most 12-year-olds. First off, Teddy is a ghost, a ghost of a boy who lived during the Gold Rush. The two friends tangle with the school bully and solve a mystery that will save the Bing and (more importantly) keep Ollie's mom's job. The novel is light and breezy, moving forward at a quick clip. Readers may bump up against Ollie's snark-filled attitude at first, but the author provides just enough reason for the character's hard edges before sanding them down. Teddy's character is a bit more interesting, and readers might find themselves wondering how the story would seem from his perspective. While there's nothing here that bucks any trends, the novel remains a well-built work: smartly structured with enough character work to hold interest and a solid mystery that springs like a well-coiled mousetrap. Readers fascinated by ghost stories and mysteries and even history will find that this scratches those particular itches. The book adheres to the white default.

A sturdy mystery with engaging sleuths. (Supernatural mystery. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews