Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn

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Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story
by Mary Downing Hahn
(Audio)

This was one of my top 5 favorite books as a kid. I was totally in love with it. I probably read it 10 times easily throughout my childhood. My dad took me to a local bookstore where I got to meet Mary Downing Hahn-- the first author I ever met. That was still a magical experience for me and I still have a copy of The Witching Hour she autographed for me.

I was checking in books from the book drop last Saturday and counted the number of discs then automatically checked this book in and moved it to the section of the cart where new books go. When I went to scan in the next book, I glimpsed the title and did an actual double-take. Then I grabbed it and immediately checked it out to myself. It's got a new sticker on it so clearly it hasn't been on audio before (or not by this production company at the least). I really like this new trend of recording more JFIC and YFIC books though- thank you, companies! Because the book is an old one but SUCH a good classic.

I finished earreading it on my way to work this morning. On 3 discs unabridged it was perfect for my short drives. And I am pleased to report the book is pretty much exactly how I remembered it, except that now, with the wisdom of my years, I was even MORE outraged at Molly's family than I was when I was young.

I easily identified with the main character, the older girl--Molly, in the story. She gets scared of things easily (um, but with good reason-- Hello, there's a GHOST haunting her step-sister and they live beside the graveyard so there's no escape!) but she's the most understanding, open-minded, sympathetic, and sensible of all the characters, and I happen to like those qualities.

Even though I knew all the major plot points, the climax "battle", and the outcome from having read it so many times already, I was actually still pretty scared at the scary scenes. The author does a great job of making us FEEL the story. The cold of the ghost's visit, the morning-damp grass under barefeet, the scary, burnt, dark old house that could come crashing down at any moment, the skull with its eyes, the cold, wet of the pond and so much more. So many great details. Even knowing what would happen, I was happy to go along for the ride again and let myself be drawn into it. I was definitely scared a ton of times. But, then, dying by drowning and dying by fire are pretty much my two biggest fears from as far back as I can remember. Hmm. Coincidence? LOL

Michael seemed less... I dunno, attractive? to me this time around. He seemed like a flatter foil character most of the time (I remember liking him more as a kid... probably before I understood storytelling the way I do now). Heather was obnoxious and I just wanted to SLAP her so many times... but I think you'd supposed to feel like that about her. I felt sorry for her, too, but at any rate, my feelings about her were the same as when I read it as a kid. I was stunned and annoyed at how manipulative that little 7-year old could be! And I was more than outraged about the parents who dismissed almost everything Molly & Michael said and felt. I know I felt the same as a kid, and that's why it makes SUCH a good book for kids. We all know what it's like to be ignored or dismissed by our parents when we want to do something and can't get them to understand how important it is to us. But as a 29 year old, I was really annoyed that the parents didn't take their kids more seriously in a few places. It would have made for a dull story if they had and they wouldn't have become a happy family at the end. But trusting a crazy child who's obsessed with the graveyard not to go to the graveyard and then heading out of town for the day without telling anyone to watch her right after the house gets broken into? What?! LOL The parents came off as irresponsible, thoughtless and stupid several times. Which, as a kid, I just took to be normal parent behavior but as an adult I consider to be bad parenting. There are plenty of loving moments, and times when at least the mother really thinks she's trying to be sympathetic. So in theory they ARE good parents. But some things I just have a harder time believing now :-) Maybe it's just because *I* could see through Heather's manipulations and I couldn't understand (like Molly) why the adults couldn't.

I still loved Molly. Her family was awful and didn't listen to her. And Heather was such a manipulative, self-centered, spiteful little brat... I almost would have left her to get taken and killed by the ghost. But not Molly. She might be a scardy-cat and believe in ghosts but she's brave when it counts. And there was NO WAY she was going to leave even this awful little girl to get hurt. That is such an amazing, admirable quality. I couldn't help but love her for that.

And the end was wonderful and fantastic and heartwarming, but not quite as satisfying this time around because I totally wanted Michael to see the ghost so he knew it was real. I wanted to shout "See? I told you so!" but that never happened. I can live with the ending without that though :-)

Loved & enjoyed this. So glad I gave myself the chance to earread it. Definitely still a beloved book.

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