American Spirits: The Famous Fox Sisters and the Mysterious Fad That Haunted a Nation

Discover the riveting true story of the 19th-century mediums whose headline-making exhibitions reveal insights on Spiritualism, Civil War history, fake news, and women's rights.

A perfect read for young adult mystery fans and history buffs that asks: Could the Fox sisters actually speak to the dead—or were they frauds?

Rap. Rap. Rap. The eerie sound was first heard in March of 1848 at the home of the Fox family in Hydesville, New York. The family’s two daughters, Kate and Maggie, soon discovered that they could communicate with the spirit that was making these uncanny noises; he told them he had been a traveling peddler who had been murdered. This strange incident, and the ones that followed, generated a media frenzy beyond anything the Fox sisters could have imagined. Kate and Maggie, managed (or perhaps manipulated) by their elder sister Leah, became mediums, giving public exhibitions and advising prominent people of the day. 

In the years that followed, the Civil War killed roughly 1 in 4 soldiers, increasing the demand for mediums, though campaigns against them gathered steam as well. Even though Maggie would eventually claim she and her sister were frauds, Spiritualism had an enormous impact on American history, promoting  female leadership and planting the seeds for other social movements, like the fight for women’s rights.

This thrilling and mysterious true story from veteran author Barb Rosenstock (Caldecott Honor winner) will spark teens’ interest in American history and encourage media literacy.