This book was the perfect balance of creepy and mysterious! I can see this being a page turner for students! The characters were lovely and the location was perfect! I left off a star because it sometimes felt a little slow in certain parts. Overall, I think my students would enjoy this book and I plan on purchasing a copy when it comes out!

I have never heard of Mary Downing Hahn, but I also don’t typically read graphic novels. I have been much more invested in them as many of my students read them. Well, I picked the perfect story to begin my journey. Hahn weaves a very good ghost story and everything is perfectly in order from beginning to end. The children Georgie and Diana keep you wondering throughout the entire novel. They are super dirty and I thought they were runaways living in squalor to keep from being separated. As they meet Llissa, we share the slow bond between her and Diana. But suddenly the truth comes out after quite a few Easter eggs have been dropped throughout the story. The artwork was perfect as it depicted a dark gothic like feel to the novel. I enjoyed this very much and will be searching for more of this authors stories

Thanks to #netgalley #marydowninghahn #harpercollins for the ARC

I am living for these adaptations! I never read the original but I'd heard about it. I think I grew up a bit after MDH's peak popularity, but I'm thrilled to see what I missed out on as a kid! I have the others on order for my school library because my students devour graphic novels and won't stop asking for horror. I suspect those will go over great and that this will be a fantastic addition to our collection next time I'm making a purchase.

In Mary Downing Hahn's latest spine-tingling tale, "The Willis Place," readers are transported to the eerie grounds of the old Willis mansion, where siblings Diana and Georgie roam freely under the watchful eye of the caretaker. With rumors of hauntings and a ghastly secret lurking within its walls, the mansion holds a dark allure for the curious siblings.

Hahn expertly weaves a tale of mystery and suspense as Diana befriends Lissa, the daughter of the new caretaker. Their budding friendship threatens to unravel the carefully guarded secrets of the Willis estate, putting them all in grave danger. With every page turn, the tension mounts as Diana grapples with the sinister forces at play and the consequences of breaking the rules.

"The Willis Place" is a chilling reminder that some secrets are best left undisturbed. Hahn's masterful storytelling and atmospheric illustrations draw readers into a world of eerie suspense and supernatural intrigue. Fans of spooky graphic novels will be captivated by this haunting tale of friendship, betrayal, and the terrifying power of the unknown.

E ARC provided by Netgalley

**Spoilers, if you haven't read the 2004 original.**

Diana and Georgie are intrigued when yet another caretaker moves into the trailer on the old Wills place. The remote property has been derelict for years, ever since Lilian Willis died and the county took ownership of it. Diana would like to have a friend, but Georgie reminds her of the "rules" that they have to follow after a horrible thing happened. Diana and Georgie's father died, and their mother worked for Mrs. Willis, who was very mean to everyone, especially the children. Lissa, the caretaker's daughter. lost her mother when she was very young, and has lived a peripatetic lifestyle with her writer father, who used to teach but now takes small jobs to keep the two financially afloat while he tries to write. Lissa writes in her diary about the creepy things that people say happen at the house, but doesn't quite believe them. When her bike is stolen and ruined, even though the property is fenced and no one should have been able to get in, and she hears weird noises, she starts to doubt herself. Diana is so curious that she breaks into Lissa's room while she is sleeping, and Georgie steals Tedward, the stuffed bear Lissa's mother had given her. This is alarming, but Lissa eventually agrees to meet Diana. Diana and Georgie live in an abandoned shack, never wear shoes, and look like feral children, but never seem to be cold or hungry. Having scared Lissa with her appearance once, she cleans up and finds old clothes of Mrs. Willis' that aren't rags. Lissa is less scared of her, and the two become somewhat reluctant friends. There are questions, of course, but Diana tells Lissa and her father that their family lives across the highway in a new housing development. When Lissa breaks the rules and goes into the house because she wants to see a ghost, she unleashes Mrs. Willis' ghost. Once this happens, the true nature of Diana and Georgie's existence is revealed, and the new friends must work together to rectify the situations of the past.

Strengths: There are several other graphic novel adaptations of Hahn's work (Took, All the Lovely Bad Ones, Wait Till Helen Comes), and there are still lots of fans for her creepy, violent ghost stories. The artwork is nicely atmospheric, and Diana and Georgie's feral lifestyle is captured well. Lissa makes very typical tween decisions, not all of which are good, and this leads to some of the problems. It's good to address these problems, of course, since they have existed for a very long time. Astute readers will pick up on the clues that tell us how long this has been. This has a nicely formulaic feel to it (although not as formulaic as Betty Ren Wright's work) that makes it somewhat less scary.
Weaknesses: This is really a rather disturbing book. The mystery of Diana and Georgie is (highlight for spoilers) that they were locked in a basement room by Mrs. Willis when they irritated her, and the old lady then suffered a stroke and the children died in the room. No one ever questioned Mrs. Willis, and she was never punished. Lissa informs her father and the police, and the decades old bodies are removed from the house.
What I really think: I'm not sure that my graphic novel readers will read the diary entries, which are just text. I don't have a copy of the original book to compare them to, but assume they are pretty much copied from the novel. I might buy a copy anyway, since there aren't that many creepy graphic novels, but this wasn't my favorite, since the ick factor was pretty high. I don't think I would put it in an elementary school library.

I love the way these stories play out and this graphic was much like the other graphics of her stories. The way the ghost story played out was interesting and I loved the art work in it and it was easy to follow.

The Old Willis Place is the latest adaption of Mary Downing Hahn's classic middle-grade supernatural novels, and like the others, it's been a visual delight. The drawings and dialogue captured the heart of Hahn's original story. Students will love the twist about Diana and Georgia, and this graphic adaption will open up a whole new readership for the original books.

My daughter LOVED this book. She’s read through it twice and loved it. She said it’s spooky and she loves any of the Mary downing Hahn graphic novels. Well definitely be buying the physical copy.

I was already a big fan of this writer, so I'm biased. Reading authors like Mary Downing Hahn can give kids a lifelong love of books, because the stories are so interesting and engrossing. In this graphic novel, Diana already spends too much time alone because her father is moving them around too much after her mother's death. Diana is frightened by the children watching her, and some of her most beloved possessions disappear -- who are the wild kids spending time around her home?
This story was sweet and creepy and a little scary and heartbreaking. Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this

"The Old Willis Place Graphic Novel" is spooky and suspenseful with great art. I read it digitally, but think it would be more enjoyable to hold a physical copy. I would recommend this for elementary school and up (I loved it as an adult). Highly recommended for fans of ghost stories and good graphics. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #TheOldWillisPlaceGraphicNovel #NetGalley

The graphic novels of classic Mary Downing Hahn's books are great! Loved the feel of the story combined with top notch illustrations to bring this creepy, classic to life in a new way and for a new audience. Highly recommend!! #theoldwillisplace #marydowninghahn #netgalley #goodreads

4. I loved Mary Downing Hahn back in the 1980s, when they were first published. I had to check them out from the school library.because they were far too ‘morbid’ for my mother. Of course, I loved them. So, I was anxious to see if the stories worked in graphic novel form, over thirty years later. And they do! I enjoyed reading this one. I love how the author draws, the illustrations have just the right edges and details to fit and emphasize the story. Definitely will be a popular choice for students who love the spooky, mysterious, and unexpected. An good read!

The Old Willis Place sits in a well-deserved place in the scary story genre for upper elementary age children. Mary Downing Hahn skillfully creates scary, thrilling stories while walking a careful line of being not too young or too old for this age group. This adaptation into the graphic novel format gives an added layer of intensity as the words are brought to life in pictures for the young reader. The drawings are done in muted but vibrant colors which help to draw the reader in to the action. When ghosts are revealed they are in a slightly different color scheme to help denote their difference from the other characters.

Our story follows a young girl, Diana, and her little brother, Georgie, as they go through their days on the grounds of a large deserted manor house. They are free to do almost anything each day - provided they follow a few very clear rules. When a new caretaker and his daughter, Lissa, move in to the caretaker's trailer on the grounds, Diana is excited to possibly make a new friend. She has wanted a new friend for a long time. But there is just one problem, Diana and Georgie aren't allowed to have friends; it's one of the rules. If she makes contact with Lissa will evil things begin to happen?

Students who love scary or ghost themed stories, graphic novel fans and fans of Mary Downing Hahn's books will all be happy to read this newest adaptation. I would recommend to grades 4-6 for a few very brief references of teenagers sneaking onto the property to kiss or drink beer and for intensity of ghost scenes.

This graphic novel was such a spooky fun! I read Mary Downing Hahn books when I was in middle school and loved them so I was excited to see this story as a graphic novel. Middle school me would have loved everything about this book! The story was just the right amount of spooky for tweens and the art was very well done. The "twist" isn't well hidden but it works and the ending is satisfying. It was a quick read and I read it digitally on my phone. The colors and art still looked great. It's a fantastic book for middle school age kids and adults looking for a spooky easy read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story starts out showing two children living rough. They seemed linked to an abandoned Victorian that is being taken care of by various caretakers. They tend to drive the caretakers away, because they are mischievous children.


It is hinted that the children are more than they seem.


One day, Lissa and her father come to take care of the house. And Diana, one of the wild children, wishes that she could be her friend. And so, instead of hiding, she makes ehrself known to her.


It is lightly spooky novel. Probably perfect for children who only want to be scared a little bit. The ending mystery of the children is hinted at. And although Lissa first sees Diana as a horrible creature, we never see her that way.


I enjoyed reading the story, as it unfolded, and thought it was well done, as the clues rolled out as to what happened, and why the two children are there.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this available for an honest review. This book will be out the 16th of July 2024.

I loved the Old Willis Place as a kid so I was super excited when I got approved on netgalley for this book! Thanks so much to netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, Clarion Books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love this story! It is nostalgic and creepy. I loved the illustrations and the layout of this graphic novel. The illustrations were very detailed and easy on the eyes. I loved the color palatte used as well. It is a quick horror read for anyone interested in horror! I would recommend this to people who enjoyed the novel. I would also recommend to anyone looking for a horror graphic novel. This is a good story along with great pictures!

I read — well, listened to — the Audible version of The Old Willis Place years ago. The very first Mary Downing Hahn book I ever read was The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall. I loved it enough to read as many of her middle-grade spooky books as I could find! Like with The Old Willis Place, I was very rarely sorry.

Naturally, I was eager to read Hahn’s latest version, a graphic novel edition illustrated by Scott Peterson, Meredith Laxton and Sienna Haralson. Miss Lillian Willis has been dead for 10 years, and her mansion is falling apart. Twelve-year-old Diana and her younger brother Georgie fear the old woman so much, they don’t even say her name. With no parents around, Diana and Georgie are free of school, chores or requirements to bathe, change their clothes or keep regular hours. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t rules: Neither can enter the Old Willis Place, wander farther afield than the gate to the 300-acre property or let themselves be seen by the new caretaker’s daughter, Lissa Morrison — as much as they’d like to. But they do spend hours upon hours silently spying on the Morrisons, daughter and father, one of the few things they have to amuse themselves.

Who set these rules? Who enforces them? And what is the “bad thing” that the children keep alluding to? And why does Miss Willis hate Diana and Georgie so much? While I don’t think the graphic novel rises to the level of the original (which was much more subtle), readers will be reluctant to put down this graphic novel even though they’ll solve the mystery long before Lissa.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley. Harper Collins Children’s Books and Clarion Books in exchange for an honest review.

Read it, loved it, now reviewing it less than two hours after receiving the eARC. I had heard of Mary Downing Hahn, and she was an author I would have steered clear of when I was a kid. I can handle some horror (zombies!), but paranormal stuff almost always freaks me the heck out. However, I seem to be able to handle it better in a graphic novel format, at least as an adult, which is odd, since you’d think seeing the illustrations of ghosts would be scarier than just reading about them. I think it’s because the ghosts remind me of Scooby Doo villains, and that removes some of the dread factor. Who knows? My mind is a fascinating place. 😁

I had to wait a while for this ARC, and I was so excited to get it that I immediately dove in. The illustrations are fantastic, and you can see the difference between Lissa and Diana & Georgie right away. When I first saw the latter two, I thought, “those kids are filthy!”, and they are. You learn why in a slow and steady manner, and Hahn weaves her tale masterfully. This is a short, quick read, and I don’t want to give anything away, so I will leave it at this: This reads exceptionally well in a graphic novel format, and it will surely spook a new generation of kids and teens. The creative team has done an excellent job in bringing this classic to life, artistically speaking.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books and Clarion Books for the advance copy. As always, all opinions are my own.

NetGalley review app

Quick fun read, with alittle paranormal on the size.
Not a huge reader of graphic novels but this one kept my attention and the art was well cultivated to fit the story being told.

A great graphic novel for children and adults. The drawings were perfect. Thank you Netgalley and Publisher.