Meg Pickel’s older brother, Orion, has disappeared. One night, she steals out to look for him and makes two surprising discoveries: she stumbles upon a séance that she suspects involves Orion, and she meets the author Charles Dickens, also unable to sleep and roaming the London streets. He is a customer of Meg’s father, who owns a print shop, and a family friend. Mr. Dickens fears that the children of London aren’t safe and is trying to solve the mystery of so many disappearances. If he can, then perhaps he’ll be able to write once again. With stunning black-and-white illustrations by Greg Ruth, “The Haunting of Charles Dickens” is a literary mystery that celebrates the power of books and brings to life one of the world’s best-loved authors.

“There was a constant flood of books in Meg’s house, new books coming in and finished books going out, but the novels of Mr. Dickens always remained.”

Lewis Buzbee “The Haunting of Charles Dickens”. Illustrated by Greg Ruth. Published by Feiwel and Friends in 2010. Donated to the library by Lewis Buzbee. He sent the book wrapped in pages of San Francisco Chronicle ❤️

Photos by Anna Iltnere / Sea Library