R.I.P. Lila McGinnis, 96 (The Ghost Upstairs, 1982)

[Lenona]

WORKS:

What will Simon say, 1974?

Secret of the porcelain cats, 1978
("Two cousins camping with a disabled veteran on an island in Lake Erie discover mysterious activities next to their campsite.")

The ghost upstairs, 1982
("What happens to the ghost when a haunted house gets torn down? Some ghosts would just rattle their chains and moan, but Otis White finds himself a hauntable house next door and moves there - right into unsuspecting Albert Shook's bedroom.
"Albert likes his guest at first. Otis keeps Their room spotless and does all Albert's long division problems for him. Plus, it's fun catching Otis up on what's happened since he died seventy-five years ago. It's hard to blame Otis for trying out a few modern inventions (tv's, radios, telephones, cars...!) but when things get really out of hand, Albert decides his ghost has got to go...")

Auras and other rainbow secrets, 1984
("Eleven-year-old Nora, who has inherited from her mother the ability to see colored auras around people which tell her what their feelings are, tries to use her gift to change bad feelings into good ones.")

The ghost alarm by Lila Sprague, 1987

The 24-hour genie, 1990
("Fourth grader Andrew thinks he has it made when he finds a genie that can grant his every wish, until he realizes that each wish only lasts for twenty-four hours.")

If Daddy only knew me, 1995
("Curious about the father who left them years ago, five-year-old Kate and her older sister Glory make an expedition across town to view him at his new home where he has a new family.")



Lenona.

[Lenona]

https://www.dickenfuneralhome.com/obituary/lila-mcginnis

First two-thirds or so:

Lila Sprague McGinnis, 96, of Elyria died March 4, 2021 in her home. She was born May 29, 1924 in Ashtabula Harbor, Ohio and was a 1941 graduate of Hubbard High School. Lila attended Kent State University prior to WWII, then taught elementary school during the war. She married Richard W. McGinnis in 1944, a Navy Lieutenant J.G. when he was on leave while his ship was in for repairs but he returned to service in the South Pacific and she returned to teaching. She completed her education at The Ohio State University when the war ended.

They moved to Ithaca, New York while her husband completed a Master's degree and she taught school. They returned to Columbus, Ohio for her husband's job with Franklin County.

In 1955 they moved to Elyria, Ohio when her husband became the Director of the Lorain County Regional Planning Commission. Lila was active in PTA, church and being a Girl Scout leader and Cub Scout volunteer. When three of her children were going to be in college at the same time she happily found work at the Elyria Public Library as the Children's Librarian - a job which she thoroughly enjoyed for many years. Over the years, Dick frequently got the children out of the house on Saturdays for hiking and fishing to give Lila the time she needed to work on her writing.

She was first published in 1952 in the New York Times, a bit of light verse. She proceeded to hone her craft and eventually sold five children's books, two adult novels, 68 short stories to Good Housekeeping and other magazines and many poems. Lila taught evening classes in writing at Lorain County Community College for several years. Lila was a member of two writer's groups which continue to this day...

(snip)

[Lenona]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2428192.If_Daddy_Only_Knew_Me
(reader review)

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-Results&an=Lila+McGinnis&tn=&kn=&isbn=
(a few book covers)