Neshama

A bullied girl who communicates with ghosts finds her inner strength in this haunting novel in verse that will resonate with anyone who has felt themselves to be different.

Anna sees ghosts. The spirits of her ancestors call to her from the shadows, and no matter where she is, Anna always answers. Kids in her middle school tease her. Teachers and parents are worried by her strange behavior. The only one who seems to understand is Anna’s beloved grandmother, Bubbe, who has always treasured Anna’s shayna neshama, her beautiful soul. Spending Shabbos with Bubbe is the only thing that gives Anna the sense of love and belonging that she needs.

But when a ghost named Ruthie appears at Bubbe’s house by the sea, Anna begins to uncover long-hidden secrets that reveal the mystery of her family’s troubled past. As Anna and Ruthie get closer, Anna must decide for herself whether being connected to a restless ghost is worth the risk. When it becomes clear that Bubbe’s life is in danger, Anna must face the horrible truth: She alone has the ability to save her family and heal the wounds that follow them from one generation to the next.

National Book Award long-listed author Marcella Pixley brings her Jewish faith and her acclaimed sense of lyricism to this powerful story of bravery, forgiveness, and healing.

Marcella Pixley is the award-winning author of four novels for middle-grade and young adult readers, including, most recently, Trowbridge Road, which was long-listed for the National Book Award, received a Massachusetts Book Award Honor, was nominated for Vermont’s Golden Dome Award, and was a Junior Library Guild Selection. It was also named a best book of 2020 by Shelf Awareness, Reading Group Choices, and A Mighty Girl. Marcella Pixley teaches eighth-grade language arts in Massachusetts, where she lives with her family.