My feelings on this one are complicated. I very much see the value in the topics addressed in this book, but I'm not sure I'm enthusiastic about how it was done. In a middle grade book, I would have liked to seen clearer trigger warning on the front end for 

suicide, as this could be a really tough topic to be surprised by for some kids. I know this would have ruined a large reveal, but I'm not sure how I feel about  suicide as a plot twist in general. 

I'm also not sure how I feel about the plantation setting, as it could have easily been set somewhere else and I'm not sure the white author was equipped or able to give the themes of slavery the full gravity they deserve in an already weighty book. It's clear the issues addressed are important to the author and were dealt with sensitively, but I'm not sure that was enough to make me recommend this book. For middle grade horror that deals with the legacy of slavery, I would recommend Eden's Everdark. For a queer middle grade ghost story that deals with grief, I would recommend Too Bright to See.