Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story

By Mary Downing Hahn

Book Overview

Beware of Helen...

Heather is such a whiny little brat. Always getting Michael and me into trouble. But since our mother married her father, we're stuck with her...our poor stepsister who lost her real mother in a mysterious fire.

But now something terrible has happened. Heather has found a new friend, out in the graveyard behind our home -- a girl named Helen who died with her family in a mysterious fire over a hundred years ago. Now her ghost returns to lure children into the pond...to drown I don't want to believe in ghosts, but I've followed Heather into the graveyard and watch her talk to Helen. And I'm terrified. Not for myself, but for Heather...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380704420
• ISBN13: 9780380704422
• Release Date: November 1987
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Childhood Flashback!

This book was on my shelf when I was a kid! It was so exciting to find a good horror book that I was allowed to read. I loved it.

Great book!!!!

Good ghost story. Adults and teens both will enjoy!!!

Must Read!

I remember reading this book in school and the chills it brought up my spine. Now, years later, it still does and I absolutely love it! A really great story to read around spooky season.

Amazing & Well Written Book

I first discovered Mary Downing Hahn in the sixth grade when my English class visited the school library to be shown around and to check out a library book. Feeling frustrated that they didn't have any of my go to authors, I began perusing the shelves and came across a book called Time of the Witch by Mary Downing Hahn. Intrigued by the synopsis, I checked the book out from the library, and I was hooked from the moment I started reading it. I couldn't wait to go back to the library to check out additional books by this author. Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story was either the second or third book I read by this author. In a mission to reread my favorite books from my childhood, I wanted to reread Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story because I remembered it being one of the first books I ever read that could be classified as a horror book. In fact, this author is the one who made me fall in love with horror, thriller, suspense, and mystery books. I was not disappointed in my reread. Wow is all I can say. There is a reason why I loved Mary Downing Hahn as a kid . . . I absolutely loved this book, even as an adult. Even though it was written for kids between eight years old and twelve years old, it was so well written that I think any adult would enjoy it as much as I did. Kids today would still relate to the events that happened because the only thing that was antiquated was that there were no cell phones. The character of Heather was written perfectly. I could totally picture her in my mind being a spoiled brat and doing the things she did to make life more miserable for her step mother and step siblings. Dave, Heather's father, was wrapped up in his own daughter that he believed everything she said and blamed his step kids for upsetting her. I've totally seen similar situations before so the family dynamics were very believable. The only thing I don't understand is why Dave didn't get Heather counseling after being traumatized by her mother dying in a fire regardless of him not believing in them. What I found interesting is that Michael almost seemed more mature than Molly at times even though he was two years younger. However, he was written extremely well and seemed like your typical boy. Molly was well written too. She seemed like any typical tween and reacted how most girls her age would. The parents expecting their kids to go outside and play is totally believable as well. My parents and friend's parents expected us to go outside to play . . . they had to know where we would be, but other than that, we were expected to entertain ourselves. If you're looking for an age appropriate scary story for your eight to twelve year old girl, this is the book I would recommend because it has the perfect amount of scariness and suspense. I gave Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn five stars out of five stars. The original review can be seen on therunningbibliophile.com. © Copyright The Running Bibliophile All Rights Reserved

If you're into ghosts: you'll love this

a chilling ghost story, with plenty of real-world issues thrown in, such as the struggles of being a part of a blended family, moving away from your friends as an adolescent, and on top of it all, moving into a haunted church with an attached grave yard. This story is scary, and beautiful and perfect for kids about age 10 or 11.

Absolutely one of my top 3 favorite books as a kid.

I can't say enough about it!

I first read this book about 15 years ago. I've probably read it at least 50 times. It wasn't a book - it was an experience. I mean, how often does this happen - a stranger comes up to you because you're holding a book, says they knew they had to talk to you when they saw it, you bond over it and go on to be friends for years. That's what kind of book this is...!This is a scary book. I wouldn't go near anything or anyone with the name "Helen" or "Harper" for years. This book also got me started reading the other books by Mary Downing Hahn. Every time I went to a library or bookstore, I immediately looked for new books by her.I know my paperback is around here someplace (I remember the library hardcover's much nicer cover illustration...) but I haven't read it in a while. However, little bits of it or certain phrases from it pop up for me now and then... I think the book got so ingrained in me that I don't even notice it! Parts of it were so vivid and (fittingly) haunting - the link between the girls' names, the ruins of the house, the damage done to Molly and Michael's rooms, the creek that wound around through the forest and near the graveyard before finally leading to Harper Pond. Thinking about it still gives me chills.Excellent... I can't recomend it enough.

An Exellent Story

" The book was great." It was about two sigle parents that got married. The kids didn`t really get along. They moved into a church that had a graveyard in the back yard in Maryland. One of the kids found a a tombstone under a tree. The ghost comes out and is friends with one of the kids(the youngest one). The parents think its only an imaginary friend. "This book was great. I recommend this book to anybody in 4th grade or above. In the end you will find out one of Heather`s secerets and one of Helen`s too.

Wait Till Helen Comes

...'Wait Till Helen Comes'' is soooo good. Mary Downing Hahn is a good writer. Her books are so spectcular. Heather has a friend that is a ghost. Everybody but Molly thinks she is fake. Helen is a ghost that shares the same secret that Heather shares. Dave is Heather's dad who is married to Jean. Heather hates all of Jean's kids including Jean. Dave always blames Molly and Michael for something they did not do. It is excellent. You should read the book.

A Very Scary Book

Wait till Helen comes is a very good book. The author Mary Downing Hahn is a very good describer and tella a lot about the kids in the book. At some points of the book the kids will get in a fight and Mary Downing Hahn has good descripion. The kids do not like when they move from Baltimore. If you read the book you will feel like you are in the book. At the end of the book it gets very exciting.

If you love ghost stories/mysteries you'll love this book!!

You absolutly have to read Wait til Helen Comes!!! It is such a spine chiller! I got the book 3 years ago,when I was 9. I am now 12 and I have read Wait Til Helen Comes about 100 times,I'm serious,and every time I read it,even today, it sends chills up and down my spine. I love reading,so,from an expert who owns about 300 fiction books(about 100 ghost stories and 50 mysteries) and 50 reference books, I highly suggest this book which is why I gave it a #10!!