Ghost House. (New Series Canada). Paul Kropp. Illustrated by Matt Melanson. Toronto, ON. H.I.P. Books, 2003. 88 pp., pbk., $9.95. ISBN 0-9731237-5-3. Subject Headings: Ghost stories, Canadian. Haunted houses-Juvenile fiction. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Tanus Tosh McNeill. *** / 4

excerpt:

"It's dark in here," Zach said when he made it inside the old Blackwood house.

"What did you expect?" I asked him. "You think the ghosts are going to pay the power bills and turn on the lamps? I mean, once you're dead, it's really hard to earn money."

"Very funny, Tyler," he told me. Then he turned back to the plywood covered window that we had come through. "You're not going to hammer those nails back in, are you?" he shouted to A.J.

"No, I'm using duct tape. You break the tape before I come back and you lose the bet. Twelve hours, Zack. No sneaking out halfway through."

"Yeah, yeah. A deal is a deal," my brother sighed.

A little bit of mystery, a little bit of history, and lots of male camaraderie draw the reluctant reader into Ghost House. The linear story line and the natural dialogue move the story along quickly.

     Tyler, a grade eight student, and his younger brother, Zach, are dared by a buddy to stay in the Blackwood house, the site of a murder forty years earlier. Agreeing to spend the night, the brothers are quickly faced with burnt-out flashlights, squeaks and creaks, and rattling chains. The boys soon discover another friend, Hammy, who has come to try to scare them into quitting early. All three boys decide to stay the night to win the bet, and, via some old newspapers, they soon uncover the gory details of the murder between two brothers. By a strange twist of events, Zach attacks Tyler in the dark with a knife, the same weapon one brother used to kill the other forty years previously. In a moment of panic, Tyler calls out to his dead father to save him. The story ends with the boys waking up safe and sound, still in the Blackwood house. Tyler suspects that the night's events were a dream until he lifts his shirt. Zack and Hammy see a scar from what would appear to be a knife stabbing. The boys safely leave the house to collect their winnings.

     Via a first person narrative, Tyler shares his struggles as a smart mouthed adolescent without a father figure. His father had been tragically killed four years earlier. Tyler has the added disadvantage of having a brother, Zach, who is a year younger but who is the same size as he. Zach is also a math whiz. The brothers do have a mutual respect for each other though. As is to be expected in a hi-lo title, the rest of the characters in this novel are stock characters, with little character description provided.

     Kropp capitalizes on teens' interests in skateboarding, ghosts and mysteries. The male friendships and teasing are entertaining for the reader. Middle years students will also relate to the sibling rivalry as well as the loss of an adult male role model.

     With a grade 3.2 reading level, Ghost House is an excellent read for struggling readers. The illustrations help with comprehension, and the large print improves readability. The cover art is ominous and appealing to middle school students. Both the chapters and the book, itself, are shorter in length than normally found in books for this age group. The realistic dialogue and quick action draw readers in and carry their interest to the last pages.

     Kropp's book is a great read for reluctant readers. A simple plot and an abundance of dialogue help to ensure comprehension and enjoyment for the reader.

Recommended.

Tanus Tosh McNeill is a teacher librarian at Van Walleghem School in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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