Crossing Over

The only bad thing about this book is that it’s the last one in the series. I want more! *cry*

This is my honest opinion without giving away any spoilers.<br /><br />Considering the fact that I have not read the books in the series prior to this, I found it interesting and easy to follow. While this story is not something that I would read more than once now that I am an adult, had I been introduced to this series at a younger age, I might have enjoyed it more. This story slightly reminds me of Junie B. Jones just with more supernatural tones to it. If you or your child loves ghost stories with some suspense then this would be a great book to read. This book also teaches some important lessons to young ones; it's alright to have a crush, it's alright to be scared (and even have help), it's alright to not understand, and best of all (the one that I laughed over) stranger danger (even if it's in a form of a ghost). <br /><br />Without giving too much away, this seems like it might be an Elementary school age book (second to fourth grade). Maybe in a discussion circle. This is just the vibe that I got while reading the book. This story is a quick read as it is fast paced with some slightly slow parts to build character or plot. The most challenging thing that I found about this book that might be interesting to discuss with children is the French language. While spoken fluently throughout the story not all of the sentences were pharsed (translated) for the reader. While the french does not subtract from the story, it might be difficult for some children who read better when they fully understand what they are reading. Some adults who choose to read this book might find it difficult to understand (the scenes that include french sentences not pharsed) if they do not know french. This book could also be used as a way to "clean the slate". What I mean is that some people can not go from one book with large words and definitions to look up straight to another book similar to that. So they use a book that is mostly easy to understand or to understand fully to "clean the slate".<br />Overall, it was a great book with some easy to understand sentences. The book format (hardcover is the version that I will be referring to), is what I would call modern. The one inch margins, double (at least one- point-five) spacing. Everything that a college or an essay would be. I did not feel like my eyes were straining to find the next paragraph or word. The reading was smooth and absolutely beautiful. The cover art has the resemblance of what you would expect to happen throughout the book. This is highly uncommon when it comes to book covers. Generally, cover art is to entice the reader to pick it up and to read the book jacket. Whereas, some cover art doesn't really connect to the story or book series at all. This cover art does the exact opposite. What you see, is what you get. Even down to the details of the main character, her best friend, and what I am assuming to be the main characters crush in the background.

I liked this one a lot but not as much as the third book! I felt like the existence of a boy crush made Kat act a little weirder than usual. I also didn't like that Jac and her mother never made up. Jac still seems pretty cold towards her. Ah well...you can't win them all. <br /><br />I honestly feel like this series shouldn't have ended at book 4. There was so much potential to be explored! Jac's relationship with her mom, Ben, the mean girls...these were all threads left untied. Still, it was nice for Kat to find someone else who experiences these paranormal happenings and what a coincidence that it happens to be her crush. Hhahaha oh dear, that was where the story started to slide a little, didn't it? I wanted the creepy, tense, funny vibe of the haunted motel with its rich history and scary, dark spirit trying to push Kat off a balcony. The vibe in this story was a little lighter and more focused on Kat trying to impress Ben. Ah well...you can't win them all. <br />

Kat dan Jac sedang studi tour ke Kanada. Ibu mereka berdua terpilih sebagai pengawas murid2. Dua ibu berbeda gaya dan status terpaksa menjadi satu. <br /><br />Petualangan Kat dan Jac bertemu para hantu kali ini diselingi dengan kasmaram Kat pada cowok kelasnya bernama Ben. Si cowok yang rupanya punya bakat supranatural. Membereskan si hantu ,berdua mengawali kedekatan Kat dan Ben. Dengan didukung sahabat terbaiknya Jac. <br /><br />Cerita hantu2an yang tidak seram tapi tetap lembut. Karena adanya kehangatan ikatan persahabatan antara Kat dan Jac meski tak sedominan di 3 episode sebelumnya. Tempo cerita lambat sehingga agak jenuhhh dan butuh mood untuk meneruskan hingga akhir.

After enjoying the first three books in this series with my son I thought I'd read this one even though he's way past wanting to hear them. What a mistake. It recovered about three quarters in but before that the formerly charming main character had become a boring complaining drag. It got cute at the end but it was barely worth it.

First off:<br /><br />The goddamn French. I don't know French. Why do eighth graders have to know French? I took the liberty to translate the goddamn French.<br /><br />In no correct order:<br /><br /><i>...la...C'est mal, la fenêtre...elle est trop claire...trop chaude...elle ne marche pas, la fenêtre...</i><br /><br />... ... This is the evil, the window ... it is too bright ... too hot ... it does not work, the window ...<br /><br /><i>Alors, mes enfants, ecoutez</i><br /><br />So my children listen.<br /><br /><i>Nous attendons notre...notre</i><br /> <br />We expect our... our…<br /><br /><i>Je m'appelle Sid. Qui parles français?</i><br /><br />My name is Sid. Who speak French?<br /><br /><i>S'il vous plaît<br />Et aussi un <br />Bon, merci</i><br /><br />Please<br />And also a<br />Well, thank you<br /><br /><i>Je n'aime pas le poutine.</i><br /><br />I do not like the poutine.<br /><br /><i>Bureau de change</i><br /><br />Currency exchange office<br /><br /><i>Cartier! Je dois revenir à l'Emerille avec Cartier, à Hochelaga</i><br /><br />Cartier! I must return to the Emerille with Cartier in Hochelaga.<br /><br /><i>Aidez-moi. Répondez! C'est loin, Hochelaga?</i><br /><br />Help me. Respond! It is far, Hochelaga?<br /><br /><i>Hochelaga est là? Là?</i><br /><br />Hochelaga is there? The?<br /><br /><i>...Sanguenay n'est pas loin. La-bas, il y a des riches...Il y à beaucoup de riches...c'est bien pour la roi, Pour la France. Je dois prendre Sanguenay pour la France.</i><br /><br />... Sanguenay is not far. Over there, there are rich ... There a lot of rich ... it's good for the king, for France. I have to take Sanguenay for France.<br /><br /><i>Non, Elles ne sont pas nécessaires ici parce que</i><br /><br />No, they are not necessary here because<br /><br /><i>Mère<br />la mere de Jac<br />Oui, ensemble</i><br /><br />mother<br />Jac's mother<br />Yes, all<br /><br /><i>Qui êtes-vous? Qu'est-ce que vous regardez?<br /><br />Qu'est-ce que vous regardez?<br /><br />Arretez et repondez-moi?</i><br /><br />Who are you? What are you watching?<br /><br />What are you watching?<br /><br />Stop and repondez me?<br /><br /><i>Vous ne pouvez pas échapper.</i><br /><br />You can not escape.<br /><br /><i>Va-t'en</i><br /><br />Go away<br /><br /><i>Vous allez mourir.</i><br /><br />You will die.<br /><br /><i>Laissez les vivants touts seules.</i><br /><br />Let alone living wholes.<br /><br /><i>Vous pouvez rentrer.</i><br /><br />You can go.<br /><br /><i>Le mont. Le mont. Hochelaga et sur le mont<br />La-bas?<br />Le mont.<br />Regardez. Voyez.</i><br />Mount. Mount. Hochelaga and Mount<br />Over there?<br />Mount.<br />Look. See.<br /><br />---<br />It could be Google Translate error or something, but half that stuff doesn't add up.<br /><br />I don't know. This book wasn't as great as the first three books. I guess it's because this book seemed to have dragged. I don't know. <br /><br />I didn't really like Ben, I guess he seemed okay. He didn't have much of a personality. He seemed nice. The crush didn't really add to anything, probably because Kat and Ben didn't have chemistry with each other. Elizabeth probably added the crush to stop people from assuming that Kat and Jac are going to hook up or something.<br /><br />The Hochelaga dude annoyed me and pissed me off at times. I'm not sure what Brooklyn's problem is. I don't know why someone named their kid Shoshanna. Seriously? Shoshanna?<br /><br />The kid Julius didn't make an appearance, even though I wouldn't liked to see him. I would like to know how they're going to deal with the black cloud or how Jac would handle dealing with the cello issue. I guess Elizabeth let us use our imagination.<br /><br />If you like paranormal/friendship/slight crushes/non romance arcs this book is for you. <br /><br />Edit: I remembered that the word clairvoyant was used. I looked it up, to make sure that it was used correctly, because clairvoyance is when you see the future. Yes, clairvoyance is when you see the future.<br /><br />Elizabeth used the word clairvoyant to describe a medium. HA!

Review<br /><br />Kat found out that she is a medium when she turned thirteen. Now that she’s fourteen, she is getting better at using her powers. But that doesn’t mean she has all the answers or always feels comfortable as a medium.<br /><br />In Crossing Over, Kat takes a school trip to Canada by bus. Guess who comes along? Her mother, who is also a medium, her best friend Jac, and her secret crush, Ben. We learn some interesting things about Ben and how he has more in common with Kat than she ever imagined. It’s fate that these two would be on this particular trip together. I liked the setup to the story and that Kat has a crush for the first time.<br /><br />Spirits and more spirits! While the earlier books in the series each focused on one spirit, this time Kat meets up with a whole group of spirits. It was like a Spirit Fest on this trip – including on the bus. One of the spirits actually got on the bus right at the start of the trip because she wanted to get to Canada. That cracks me up. You would think a spirit wouldn’t have to take a bus to get around, wouldn’t you? That’s what I like about this series, it is surprising and fun. Oh, and the spirits kept meddling in Kat’s love life too. Silly spirits!<br /><br />This series is perfect for middle grade readers who like to read about ghosts, but not in a scary way.<br /><br />Rating<br /><br />4 Liked<br /><br />Cover Comments<br /><br />I loved that the cover included all the main characters – even the three main spirits. I like sparkles and these spirits have plenty to go around. The orange and yellow title really pops too.

I absolutely love this book! I was pleased that with the addition of another boy in this story - he turned out to be a NICE boy. The boy in the last one which Jac was interested in turned out to be crummy. This boy that Kat likes in this story turns out to be Clairaudient, and Kat can hear the spirits he sees when he is connected to something related to their time period. He can also see the spirits Kat can see when he is touching her. Ben is a great great great addition to this story and this series. It was nice to have Jac so supportive of pushing Kat to talk to him at first and then giving them time to spend time together without her tagging along. I hope a nice boy comes along to pair with Jac eventually too. Ben and Kat make a great pair with their ability to help the spirits they see and hear. This book had me literally laughing out loud at times when it came to Britches repeating the same thing over and over though.<br /><br />I could go on and on about this book like I do with them all, but just know I loved it. I recommend this book and this series to anyone. They are written for kids and at a juvenile fiction level, but I highly enjoy them as an adult too. I think anyone would enjoy them. I don't think identifying books as a certain age level should stop anyone from reading something that is this entertaining!

at Roberts is back again for another ghostly mystery and adventure. In Suddenly Supernatural: Crossing Over, Kate, Jac and some of her classmates are going to Montreal, Canada for a French class field trip. Along the way Kat and Ben (her new-found crush) pick up some invisible friends- ghosts. While Kat's trying to figure out how to talk to Ben (without looking weird when she's talking to ghosts), avoiding Shoshanna and the Satellite girls (especially her enemy Brooke Bigelow), and trying to cross over ghosts, she discovers new things and solves a few mysteries. Suddenly Supernatural: Crossing over is defiantly a good book for readers ages 9-13. The wording is large, and there aren't any words that are too hard to understand. The plot is simplistic, and the characters likeable. But I wouldn't recommend this book/series for anyone older than 14 years old.

This is a good late 3rd or 4th grade fantasy book for girls. Kat has inherited her mother's ability to talk with ghosts and in this book, she encounters several on a class field trip from New York to Montreal. It doesn't help that her mom is a chaperone, as is her best friend's mom--and the two moms don't get along. Kat is also dealing with the popular group, some girls of which think her mom is very strange and take it out on Kat. And if that weren't enough, Kat has a crush on a boy on the trip. Ghosts, moms, popular girls, a boy--it's a lot to handle.<br /><br />I like this series. It isn't an amazing book, but it's a good series book with an interesting premise.