Girl In Between, The

A daughter and her mother live in an abandoned mill as the mother’s substance abuse issues and life choices left them homeless. When the mill is condemned, they must move, but it is revealed that the daughter died in an alley some time ago and she is simply a manifestation of her mother’s grief. Leaving the mill is the impetus for her mother to finally let go of her daughter’s ghost. This novel, for grades 7-10, is best suited for whole-class study as it addresses issues that could benefit from teacher guidance, including homelessness, substance abuse, drug addicts, social services, loss, and grief. With appropriate safeguards in place, it could also be used for a literature circle or small group novel.