Lake of Secrets by Lael Littke

Lake of Secrets
Lael Littke
ISBN 0-8050-6730-2
202 pages
Henry Holt, 2002

Genre: Supernatural/Paranormal

Reader's Annotation
When Carlene and her mother return to the town where her brother went missing 18 years ago, she is haunted by memories related to the disappearance, even though she was not yet born when it happened.

Plot Summary
Fifteen-year-old Carlene's entire life has revolved around an event that happened three years before she was even born: the disappearance of her then-four-year-old brother Keith.  Carlene's mother still maintains that he is alive somewhere, and frustrated with his wife's obsession, Carlene's father walked out on her and Carlene many years ago.  When she hears a bit of news that might be related to Keith's disappearance, Carlene's mother and Carlene travel back to Lake Isadore, the place where he went missing.  Though Carlene has never been there, she is soon haunted by memories of the place and events related to Keith's disappearance.

Through the help of some new friends she makes in the town, Carlene figures out that the soul of someone involved in Keith's disappearance was reincarnated into her body.  She must use the memories to figure out the clues as to what really happened all those years ago.

Critical Evaluation
Lake of Secrets is a great premise for a book, and Littke is effective at creating a suitably spooky atmosphere. Carlene is understandably sympathetic to and completely frustrated by her mother's obsession with Keith. Carlene believes with merit that her mother has never really been able to focus on her daughter or see her as her own person -- even her 15th birthday present is a pair of binoculars to help Carlene search for clues about Keith.  This frustration is mirrored in Carlene's realization that she inhabits someone else's soul. Is solving the mystery the sole reason for her existence? Does she even have her own identity?

While these psychological issues are intriguing, the mystery itself is not. A careful reader will figure out who is responsible for Keith's disappearance about halfway through the novel, though there are still some interesting details left to be discovered. The book is quick and breezy, with the first half dedicated to slowly building the atmosphere; the pace picks up more quickly in the second half.  There's also a cast of charming, slightly eccentric small-town characters that add color.



About the Author
Lael Littke has written a number of horror and supernatural stories aimed at middle-readers and young adults.  Many of her books touch on the same themes as Lake of Secrets. Haunted Sister involves a girl being haunted by her twin sister, who died 12 years earlier, while Searching for Selene also focuses on what happens many years after a young child is abducted.

Curriculum Ties
While the book could be used in a display of supernaturally-themed stories for teens, it is not particularly well-suited for any classroom use.

Boooktalking Ideas
1. Tie in Carlene's mixed feelings about being inhabited by someone else's soul with her own struggle for identity.
2. Focus on the spooky, supernatural elements of the story.
3. Talk about Carlene's friendships with love interest Luke and 7-year-old J.T.

Reading Interest/Level
Suitable for readers in junior high and above.  Though a more sophisticated reader may be disappointed in how easily the mystery is solved, younger teen readers will enjoy the story.

Challenge Issues
Though the book does deal with supernatural elements, which some may find patently offensive, the book itself has no questionable content.

Selection Criteria
Lake of Secrets is included in Teen Genreflecting as a good choice for the supernatural genre.