Thornhill by Pam Smy

This is the story of two girls, Mary and Ella.  Mary lived in the Thornhill Orphanage in the 1980's.  Ella moves into the house next to Thornhill in the present time.  Ella finds Mary's journal that tells how Mary was brutally bullied by another girl in the orphanage.  As Ella reads, she feels a kinship to Mary because, she too is lonely since her mother's death.  Mary's stories are told as journal entries, but Ella's are told through Hugo Cabret like black and white illustrations.  The book is pretty dark and creepy and I am guessing that is will show up on Banned Books lists in not to long because it suggests (spoiler allert) that the girls both commit suicide in the end.

I brought this book home to read because have to decide whether to keep it in the children's department or not.  It is pretty sad and creepy, but I know some kids that will like it because it is.  I will talk about it to my director to see what she thinks. (544 p.)