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Sarah DeFord Williams
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Palace Beautiful Kindle Edition

by Sarah DeFord Williams (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 out of 5 stars 44
See all formats and editions
A secret room plus a hidden journal written during the Flu Pandemic of 1918 make for an emotional, magical middle-grade read.


When sisters Sadie and Zuzu move to Salt Lake City, they discover an old journal in a secret room in their new house. Along with their neighbor, Bella, the girls take turns reading the story of a girl named Helen who lived during the flu epidemic of 1918. They soon become wrapped up in Helen's tale, which ends with a tragedy that has a scary parallel to Sadie and Zuzu's lives. Did Helen survive the flu? Is she still alive somewhere? Or could her ghost be watching them?

A NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    10 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    224 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    5 - 6
  5. Lexile measure
    680L
  6. Publisher
    Puffin Books
  7. Publication date
    April 3, 2010
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  12. ISBN-13
    978-0399252983
  13. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 6–9—In the mid-1980s, 13-year-old Sadie Brooks and her younger, tantrum-prone sister, Zuzu, arrive at their new house in Salt Lake City with their father and pregnant stepmother. Kristin (aka Belladonna Desolation, or Bella) lives with her demanding mother and feels like an "extra"—a child her mother didn't want. She and Sadie become close while investigating the possibilities of ghosts in the nearby graveyard. When the girls find a crawl space in Sadie's attic, they are amazed to also discover a doorway with the words "Palace Beautiful" painted over it. Inside the small space is a journal, and when Zuzu bursts in at the same moment they find it, the team of two becomes a gang of three. They take turns reading the diary, which dates from 1918 and was written by a girl named Helen White. She describes the very room in which the three girls are sitting; her family, including a baby brother who is not expected to survive; and the town's battle with deadly influenza. The children decide to try to track Helen down, and their heartfelt quest results in an unforgettably sweet conclusion. Williams does a super job with the characters in this beautifully written book, and it is satisfying to see how they develop.—Alison Donnelly, Collinsville Memorial Public Library, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Debut author Williams’s vivid prose brings both Sadie and Helen’s worlds to life. . . Through moments of heartache and joy, Sadie’s strong, contemplative spirit shines through, as does the thrill of discovering a secret place of one’s one.” –Publishers Weekly
 
“When Sadie and Zuzu’s family moves from Texas to their grandmother’s house in Salt Lake City, they explore an attic cubby (marked 'Palace Beautiful') and discover a diary written by a young girl who lived in the house during the flu epidemic of 1918. . . The journal entries are the heart of the story.” –Kirkus Reviews

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0030CVQQW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Puffin Books; 1st edition (April 3, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 3, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 581 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 44

About the author

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Sarah DeFord Williams

Sarah DeFord Williams

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Sarah DeFord Williams is the author of the middle grade novel PALACE BEAUTIFUL (2010 G.P. Putnam Sons). She lives in Salt Lake City, UT with her husband and three kids. In addition to writing and spending time with her family, she loves being outdoors--especially in the mountains. She also plays guitar, sings, writes music and enjoys many creative hobbies. This is her first book.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
44 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Clarice Mariz Sagebin
5.0 out of 5 stars My daughter loved it.
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
My daughter's teacher recommended it and my daughter couldn't put it down. She read it twice in a row.
Great book!
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A. H.
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing! LOVE IT!
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2016
Verified Purchase
Such a good book! It's hilarious too! I cried several times. Heartwarming story about a girl who lost her mother to childbirth. She finds a journal from a girl her age who makes it through the 1918 influenza epedemic. I strongly recommend this book for ages 9+.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great, but REAL
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2016
Verified Purchase
Bought for my 11 yr old; she tends to read the heavy stuff. She loved it, but it is not for the faint if heart. Very real, very moving account. Liked that it was both past and present. Great account.
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h. mackenzie
5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite
Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2012
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I bought this book on a whim for my twelve year old daughter. She doesn't read as much as I would like. She loved this book and talked about it a lot while she was reading it. It is one of her favorite books.
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e.E. Charlton-Trujillo
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have!
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2015
Verified Purchase
Excellent storytelling, character development and a read that the most reluctant young person will enjoy. As someone who travels America and works with many kind of kid, this is a book that I would share!
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Keith
5.0 out of 5 stars A (palace) beautiful book
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2016
Verified Purchase
I could read it a million times and never be bored! It wraps you up, and pushes you all at the same time!!!
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Sarah P Ford
5.0 out of 5 stars Palace beautiful ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2012
Verified Purchase
Holy cheese crabs this book is SO amazing. It just expresses the feeling of a girl finding this amazing book and reads it with her friend and sister. I just love this book and Sarah DeFord
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Book Lover
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for young teens
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2016
Verified Purchase
My teenage daughter loved this book! She has read it many times
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