Oren Bell

By Barbara Hood Burgess

Book Overview

Oren Bell is an underachiever, while his twin, Latonya, is a powerhouse, and their little sister is a genius. Their house has its own ghost. And their Detroit neighborhood is dangerous and getting worse. Still, seventh grade is cool: Oren's playing trumpet in a band, and his history project reveals clues to a treasure left by the Bells' ghost. This is Oren's year to shine. If only he could keep his best friend and his granddaddy from doing business in the evil house next door. And if only Jack Daniels, the veterinarian, hadn't fallen in love with Mama. Because Oren's the man of his house. From the Trade Paperback edition.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385303254
• ISBN13: 9780385303255
• Release Date: April 1991
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
• Length: 182 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

The Menacing

In the begging of the book the kids believed that the next door house was cursed, and it cursed them to. So all of the children, before the first day of school, went to the house and each of the children made up one of there very own reverse curses, as they walked across the yard with their eyes closed. Then they had done it correctly, except Oren had opened his eyes a wink, so all but Oren thought that they were going to have a curse free year. During the middle of the story their dog had puppies and all but one died from disease. Plus, their pet cat from the alleys came back to them, this kept there granddaddy sober for a while. And their Mama started to date a young nice man by the name of Jack who was a vet; she did this because the kids' father had left them because of the stress of life. Towards the en of the book it got a little exciting, but you'll have to find out that part for yourself. In my opinion I thought that the book was OK and interesting. I thought this because it was very exciting. And also because it had a very important moral or lesson to it. Such as the lesson of acceptance. The lesson of loving and caring for your family. This book I would recomend for you to read. It was very good.

The book kept me up until 2:00 a.m. trying to finish it.

Oren is in the 7th grade and does not do well in school. He has two sisters who are bright students and out shine him in all subjects until Oren finds the secret to ridding their house of a ghost. His history project leads him to treasure left behind by the ghost. This is Oren's year to shine.