The publisher’s summary compares this title by Casey Lyall (Gnome is Where Your Heart Is) to Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters but Waking the Dead is not in the least be scary and Spirit Hunters was. Unlike Oh’s main character Harper, who hunts down evil spirits to exorcise them, Lyall’s Kimmy has the ability to wake the dead for a few minutes to discover what task has been left undone, make note of it and then attempt to finish it, thus performing a kindness that leaves the recently departed comforted. But Kimmy’s power has taken a turn towards the more powerful and she awakens Devon, a boy around her own age, and two senior citizens and they stay alive. Turns out, there is a witch messing with the sparks of the living in order to increase her own power and life span and it may be up to Kimmy, her family, the undead trio and new magical friend Tamsin to defeat the witch and return life to its usual routine. So much to enjoy in this one-Kimmy’s supportive family which includes mom, step dad and grandmother, her desire to help each and every dearly departed that comes into her family’s funeral home, and certainly the mystery of what’s happening to Kimmy’s power and the life sparks and how everything will ultimately be resolved. Perfect for those in grades 4-7 who enjoy magic but do not want the usual tropes with schools, dragons, and spell-learning. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and while the witch does kill her victims, there is no gore or graphic depictions of the deaths.

Quick Thoughts and Rating: 5 stars! This is an excellent story about a young girl discovering her power to wake the dead and inadvertently capturing the attention of a serious villain. Honestly, I gobbled up this book in one day! I loved the swift pace of the rising action and the excitement I felt approaching the climax of the story. I refused to stop reading because I can’t resist a suspenseful story about a character with a magical ability or special power. Best of all, this story highlights that the greatest magic and power comes from the love and support of family and friends. I am an elementary school teacher in Canada and I would certainly read this book with my class. I have mostly taught in grades 4-8 and I am confident that any of my students in that range would be as captivated with the story as I was. I would recommend this book to anyone in middle grades and up.

Review: Kimmy is a 12 year old girl learning how to use her magical power to wake the dead. Her paternal side of the family uses their power to briefly wake the dead as a way to discover if the deceased has one final wish before moving on. Kimmy is being trained by her Grandmother because she is Kimmy’s only remaining magical relative. Kimmy’s Father passed away as a result of exploring his untapped powers. Kimmy’s entire family is worried that she will follow in her Father’s footsteps. However, the sudden passing of Kimmy’s Grandmother leaves Kimmy without proper training and curiosity about the extent of her power. With Kimmy’s curiosity and lack of training she quickly runs into trouble while attempting to wake a young boy close to her age. The magical mishaps and that follow are wholly absorbing. Kimmy is tugged into a whirlwind adventure to defeat a villain and she needs to rely on her magical and non-magical family and friends to make things right. This is a very heartwarming story with plenty of light/feel-good and even comedic moments spread throughout. Readers will find that the themes of family and friendship really come through while reading this book.