The Light on Hogback Hill - Softcover

Grade 4-6-Hadley and her friend Josh are consumed with curiosity over a mysterious light on the hill nearby. Their imaginations are fanned by gruff old Angus Tull, who tells stories about a hag on Hogback Hill who turns people into cat monsters. In spite of his horrifying tales, the children decide to see for themselves who or what lives in the house. There they meet Netta, Angus's reclusive humpbacked sister, who has lived there alone for 57 years. The children befriend her, and with their support she is able to return to the village to make a life for herself. This plot has some weaknesses. The most serious is that a woman who has not seen a human other than her brother for over half a century simply climbs down from her hill and takes up where she left off. Angus Tull is cast as a major villain. As the person who caused Netta's crippling accident, he feels guilt and shame, but the lengths to which he has gone to keep her hidden strain credibility. Further, Hadley, who has been having nightmares about Hogback Hill, decides to pay her initial visit there on Halloween. The children do exhibit genuine caring for Netta, but their personalities never come fully to life. The quiet, gentle woman seems almost too good to be true. Hadley all too perceptively realizes that her mother, like Netta, has been isolating herself from a world she fears will hurt her. In spite of its flaws, this book will find an appreciative audience. The initial mystery and developing themes of friendship and caring will appeal to readers looking for an easy-to-read story with some substance.
Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.