Doll Bones, by Holly Black. Middle schoolers Poppy, Zach and Alice are best friends and unashamedly use their imagination to play make believe using dolls as pirates, thieves and mermaids. The Great Queen, a China doll, rules from behind a locked cabinet inside Poppy's home. Tension arises, however, when Zach's dad, who has come back home after being absent for three years throws away all of Zach's action figures, hoping he will give up childish games and play basketball. Zach is devastated, and rather than tell the girls, he simply says he won't play the game anymore. The girls struggle with trying to determine the real reason for his sudden disinterest and yet keep their own secret from him. Poppy tells Zach and Alice of her dream requesting her to put the Great Queen in her rightful resting place, the cemetery in East Liverpool a couple of hours away. After some convincing by Poppy, they combine their money, along with backpacks full of necessities and head out for the bus that leaves in the wee hours of the morning. Many adventures await them, and strange things happen along the way, making Zach think that the Great Queen's ghost is real. Wanting to warm up, they sneak into a nearby library and accidentally fall asleep. The next morning, they are discovered by the librarian, who demands they each call their families. The quest is in jeopardy, until a final plan is put into place.

This Newbery Honor Book is a delightful story that would be a fun, juicy read aloud or to recommend to that student that likes a bit of spookiness but not too much to truly scare.