Peeled by Joan Bauer

Most small towns in the North East United States have something unique to their town and Banesville, New York is no exception. Banesville is home to the Apple Blossom Festival and also the supposedly haunted Ludlow house. Hildy Biddle is a reporter for her high school news paper The Core, and is notorious for getting all the facts for her articles. So when mysterious signs start showing up at the Ludlow house, Hildy's editor sends her to investigate. At first there's not much to the story, but when someone is arrested trying to break in and then a few days later another person dies on the property the story pics up. The other local paper, The Bee, is publishing exaggerated stories about what is going on at the Ludlow house, The Core is publishing the truth. A battle ensues between the editor of The Bee and Hildy and the staff of The Core. As the battle escalates The Core is shut down and Hildy, who thinks all is lost, gets inspiration from a Polish cafe owner to start her own paper. With the popularity of The Peel, the truth finally comes out about what the Mayor of Banesville really wants to do with the town.

A fun and quirky novel that shows the importance of knowing the truth, and once you know the truth, how to get it out to the people. It also shows what happens when peoples fears are played on. Fear can be a powerful emotion, and in the wrong hands can be turned into something ugly.

T.B. 8/13/08