The Black Butterfly

By Shirley Reva Vernick
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Paperback available June 9, 2026

Penny’s reluctant stay at the Black Butterfly is interrupted by two ghosts (one friendly, one not), and a potential first love in this spooky-sweet story set on the mysterious coast of Maine.

Description

Sixteen-year-old Penny is furious that she has to spend Christmas break alone at the Black Butterfly, an old inn at the coldest, bleakest edge of America–an island off the coast of Maine. This trip is the brainchild of Penny’s flaky, ghost-hunting mother, who leaves Penny at the Black Butterfly so she can hunt ghosts across the country in Idaho. Penny does not believe in ghosts until, that is, she discovers two very real apparitions living in the Black Butterfly–ghosts only she can see. Her abilities become even more complicated when she meets George, the handsome son of the inn’s owner. Although Penny wants to remain aloof, she finds herself drawn to George, maybe even falling for him. Unfortunately, with her mother’s history of ghost-hunting at the inn, Penny knows she can’t tell a soul about what she’s seeing and experiencing, or that one of the ghosts wants her dead. Left with no one to confide in, Penny must figure out who to trust and how to survive her time at the inn … before it’s too late.

About the Creators

Shirley Reva Vernick

Shirley Reva Vernick is an award-winning author and journalist. Her works include The Sky We Shared, Remember Dippy, The Blood Lie, The Black Butterfly, and Ripped Away. Her interviews and feature articles have appeared in numerous magazines, national newspapers, and university publications. Shirley graduated from Cornell University and is an alumna of the Radcliffe Writing Seminars. She lives in western Massachusetts.

Reviews

  • "An amusing and engaging romance with the added spice only a pair of specters can add."

    - Kirkus Reviews
  • "Vernick's variety of likable characters makes this a solid read for young adults. For a book that involves a ghost in a love triangle, the thoughts and actions of the protagonist are relatable and realistic. The book successfully sells both Penny's fragility as well as her grudging, growing love for the inhabitants of the hotel. The descriptions of everything from the culture of the island in the off-season to the lavish meals prepared by the inn's French chef enhance readers' experience."

    - School Library Journal

Paperback

  • ISBN 9781935955801
  • Price $11.95
  • Publication Date Jun 24, 2014
  • Trim Size 7 × 5 in
  • Weight 0.4375 lbs
  • Page Count 226
  • Hardcover

  • ISBN 9781935955795
  • Price $19.95
  • Publication Date Jun 24, 2014
  • Trim Size 7 × 5 in
  • Weight 0.9375 lbs
  • Page Count 226
  • Paperback

  • ISBN 9781643797960
  • Price $15.95
  • Publication Date Jun 09, 2026
  • Trim Size 8.25 × 5.5 in
  • Weight N/A
  • Page Count 224
  • Interests

  • Imprint Cinco Puntos Press
  • Audience Young Adult
  • BISAC Category 1 YAF / Ghost Stories
  • BISAC Category 2 YAF / Thrillers & Suspense / Supernatural
  • BISAC Category 3 YAF / Romance / Contemporary
  • Themes Parents & Caregivers, Childhood Experiences / Memories, Conflict resolution, Food / Cooking, Dreams & Aspirations, Families, Fiction, Forgiveness, Grief / Coping with Death, Heroism, Holidays / Traditions / Celebrations, Kindness / Caring, Mothers & Mother Figures, Mystery / Suspense, Paranormal, Poverty, Responsibility
  • Languages English
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 14 - 17
  • Grade Range Grades 9 - 12
  • Guided Reading Z+
  • ATOS Book Level 4.7
  • Interest Level Grades 8 - 12
  • Lexile Level 690
  • Lexile Measurement 690L
  • Reading Level Grades 9 - 10
  • This Book is Included in These Collections: