Tombstones, Tea and Sympathy

Rebecca is a 12 1/2 year old girl from Virginia. She enjoys reading, playing the piano and violin and is currently writing her own book. She is on a competition dance team and during the summer she is enrolled in a theater group.

Tombstone Tea (Running Press Kids, grades 6-9) written by Joanne Dahme is the story of a girl named Jessie. Jessie has always been sort of a strange girl. She senses people that are not there. When she moves to Philadelphia she will do anything for friends. A chance for friendship is offered and she takes it. However it means she must take a dare to spend a night at the local graveyard and collect rubbings from 10 different tombstones. There she meets a boy named Paul. Paul tells her she is just in time of the rehearsal of Tombstone Tea. He explains it is where actors gather and play the role of the dead. Jessie notices there is something odd about the actors; it seems like they’re really trying to convince her the dead person’s lives they are “playing” are real. Jessie wonders if her life is at risk.

This was a great book! I couldn’t wait to finish it. It had me hanging on every word. I love how Jessie had to deal with real life problems-moving, meeting new people, a new school all while trying not to be different. If you asked me to describe this book in one word it would be brilliant! I would recommend it to everyone eager for great, edge-of-your-seat entertainment.