Amazon.com ReviewAfter spending most of his 10 years in a London orphanage, Oliver Smith is horrified to discover he is the sole master of a grand old mansion. Oliver is quite satisfied with his life just as it is, but he soon finds himself ensconced in a spooky, creaky tower bedroom in Helton Hall, under the care of his two cruelly calculating cousins, the Snodde-Brittles. Cousin Fulton and Cousin Frieda, next in line to inherit the family mansion if something should happen to Oliver, have offered to help him settle in to his new home. Of course, if the matron of the orphanage knew that this assistance involved renting bloodthirsty ghosts from the Dial-a-Ghost Agency in hopes of frightening the boy to death, she certainly wouldn't have allowed Oliver out of her sight. As it turns out, though, there's been a bit of a mix-up at Dial-a-Ghost. The gruesome specters intended for Helton Hall accidentally end up at a convent, while the gentle family of ghosts that wind up in Oliver's home suit him just fine, much to his evil cousins' dismay.Eva Ibbotson has established herself as a true master of her genre with her extraordinary fantasy novels such as Which Witch? and _ Island of the Aunts_. In Dial-a-Ghost, Ibbotson continues to excel in wit, whimsy, and wisdom. It's as if one's favorite crazy aunt has dropped by to tell the kind of convoluted and magical story children really want to hear. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie CoulterFrom Publishers WeeklyOnce again, Ibbotson (Which Witch; Island of the Aunts) dishes up an irresistible brew of magical high jinks and adventure in this tongue-in-cheek post-WWII ghost story set in Britain and starring two families of displaced spooks. Miss Pringle and Mrs. Mannering, founders of the Adopt-A-Ghost agency, are delighted when they find homes for two of their hard-to-place clients, the Wilkinson family of five (who died all at once when a bomb hit their house) and the Shriekers, a pair of maimed and foul-smelling aristocrats who, after suffering the loss of their only child, aim to rid the world of as many living youngsters as possible. Due to a clerical error, the spirits wind up in the wrong homes. The Shriekers haunt an abbey filled with mild-mannered nuns, and the Wilkinsons move into the Snodde-Brittle estate, where their two evil hosts plan to scare to death the youngest heir, a kindhearted orphan named Oliver. The comedy of errors becomes more complicated by the minute as murderous plots are foiled, ghost busters are hired and the identity of the Shriekers' long-lost daughter is uncovered (astute readers will figure it out before the Shriekers do). Hawkes's whimsical drawings perfectly capture the book's slapstick action and sly humor. Readers will be highly amused as disjointed pieces of the puzzle start to neatly interlock. Ages 8-12. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Eba Ibbotson; illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

Ladybird Books Ltd

Penguin Books Ltd

United Kingdom and Ireland, United Kingdom

1st American ed, New York, 2001

New York, New York State, 2003

New York, 2003, ©2001

Reprint, 2003

PS, 2003

<p><p>the Dial-a-ghost Agency Finds Good Homes For Ghosts. And Fulton And Frieda Snodde-brittle Are Looking For A Few Frightening Ghosts To Accidentally Scare Their Young Cousin And Heir, Oliver, To Death. The Ladies At The Dial-a-ghost Agency Have The Perfect Match&#58; The Shriekers, Two Bloodstained And Bickering Horrors. But Thanks To A Mix-up At The Agency, The Wilkinsons, A Kind Family Of Ghosts, Arrive Instead. Can They Put A Stop To The Snodde-brittles' Schemes Before It's Too Late? <p>illustrated By Kevin Hawkes.</p><h3>publishers Weekly</h3><p>once Again, Ibbotson (which Witch; Island Of The Aunts) Dishes Up An Irresistible Brew Of Magical High Jinks And Adventure In This Tongue-in-cheek Post-wwii Ghost Story Set In Britain And Starring Two Families Of Displaced Spooks. Miss Pringle And Mrs. Mannering, Founders Of The Adopt-a-ghost Agency, Are Delighted When They Find Homes For Two Of Their Hard-to-place Clients, The Wilkinson Family Of Five (who Died All At Once When A Bomb Hit Their House) And The Shriekers, A Pair Of Maimed And Foul-smelling Aristocrats Who, After Suffering The Loss Of Their Only Child, Aim To Rid The World Of As Many Living Youngsters As Possible. Due To A Clerical Error, The Spirits Wind Up In The Wrong Homes. The Shriekers Haunt An Abbey Filled With Mild-mannered Nuns, And The Wilkinsons Move Into The Snodde-brittle Estate, Where Their Two Evil Hosts Plan To Scare To Death The Youngest Heir, A Kindhearted Orphan Named Oliver. The Comedy Of Errors Becomes More Complicated By The Minute As Murderous Plots Are Foiled, Ghost Busters Are Hired And The Identity Of The Shriekers' Long-lost Daughter Is Uncovered (astute Readers Will Figure It Out Before The Shriekers Do). Hawkes's Whimsical Drawings Perfectly Capture The Book's Slapstick Action And Sly Humor. Readers Will Be Highly Amused As Disjointed Pieces Of The Puzzle Start To Neatly Interlock. Ages 8-12. (aug.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.</p>

2024-11-13