Almost There and Almost Not

Almost There and Almost Not by Linda Urban is a heartfelt and quirky middle-grade novel about eleven-year-old California Poppy. When she is dropped off with her eccentric Great-Aunt Monica - whom she has never met - California is asked to research their ancestor, Eleanor Fontaine, a famous etiquette expert who also happens to be a ghost with a strange habit of bursting into dust whenever she gets upset.

As California adjusts to this unusual situation, she finds comfort in a mysterious dog and in writing letters. While growing closer to her great-aunt and the ghostly Eleanor, she begins to feel a sense of belonging - until another unexpected change tests her resilience and new relationships.

Blending humor, heart, and a hint of the supernatural, the story explores family, loss, and the search for belonging.